EDMONTON – A strong partnership is about to get even more powerful.
After a terrific launch, the Maximum Fighting Championship and Mark Cuban’s HDNet have agreed to a second three-show deal which will air MFC events live throughout the United States , Canada and Mexico . This new deal will commence with the final MFC show of 2008 – MFC 19: Long Time Coming which takes place on Friday, December 5 inside The Venue at River Cree Resort and Casino.
The MFC is the first and only organization based in Canada that airs live on HDNet Fights.
“We are very proud to have that distinction,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. “But I’m also excited about where our partnership with HDNet will lead in the future. As the Maximum Fighting Championship gets closer to having its first shows on American soil in 2009, we expect that HDNet will be a big part of that.
“Our goal in 2008 was to land a major television contract and we did that with an elite partner. In 2009, we will conquer our next goal and that is to put on shows in the U.S. Whether we are at home in Canada or in the U.S., this is very exciting because the partnership between the MFC and HDNet means two of the biggest dogs are running together in a pack that is going to dominate.”
Mark Cuban attended MFC 17: Hostile Takeover and came away impressed by what he saw first-hand from ringside in addition to his time spent alongside Mark Pavelich and the rest of the MFC staff.
“As a business guy I am here as much to watch how the MFC puts the promotions together and how the fans respond and everything,” he told the Edmonton Sun. “They have got a great reputation for putting on great shows and selling out the venue. The fans here seem to love it. I’ve come here to enjoy the fights but also to steal some ideas.”
Cuban expected his company and Pavelich’s MFC would be able to strike a renewal agreement shortly afterwards and there was little time wasted in making that happen.
“HDNet Fights seeks out the best partners around the globe and this past year the MFC brought some amazing action to HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “It was an easy decision to renew our partnership with the MFC.”
HDNet Fights play-by-play announcer Kenny Rice called the MFC “one of the hardest tickets to get in all of MMA.” That point has been proven as the MFC has sold out 11 straight events.
“The entire working relationship has been tremendous,” added Pavelich. “Kenny Rice is one of the very best in the business – second to none. Ringside analyst Ron Kruck and the entire HDNet crew have been first-class. There is a strong mutual respect and admiration between both organizations that will definitely continue. The MFC is growing at an incredible rate and we are glad to have HDNet teamed with us.”
Since its inception in 2000, the MFC has been regarded as one of the fastest rising mixed martial arts organizations in North America . The MFC is home to three outstanding champions in Roger Hollett (light heavyweight), Patrick Cote (middleweight), and Pat Healy (welterweight), a wealth of talented fighters including Ryan Ford, Aron Lofton and Ariel Sexton, one of the most-stacked lightweight divisions in all of MMA, and a new featherweight division that will be highlighted in 2009.