- UFC 115 Will Not Happen in Vancouver, Cincinnati Possible
- New Canadian promotion “Lets Get It On MMA” Partners With Strikeforce
- UFC president Dana White expects Web to serve as global UFC television channel
- MTV could launch show on local MMA fighters
- Martial arts expo losing fight in Metro Vancouver
UFC 115 Will Not Happen in Vancouver, Cincinnati Possible
A planned UFC show in Vancouver in June is on the ropes, apparently due to insurance and other issues.
A source told The Canadian Press that the show has been called off and the mixed martial arts promoter is looking at Cincinnati as a possible replacement city. (The Canadian Press)
New Canadian promotion “Lets Get It On MMA” Partners With Strikeforce
LET’S GET IT ON MMA (LGIO) Monday announced that it has struck a major deal with STRIKEFORCE, one of the leading promotions in the MMA industry. In addition to the $25,000 prize money awarded to both the Canadian 155-pound and 170-pound LGIO tournament winners, STRIKEFORCE will award both champions fight contracts in its Challenger Series.
The first round of the LGIO 170-pound WEST tournament will kick off on April 23, 2010 at the River Cree Resort and Casino, on the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Through an exclusive deal with Scott Coker, CEO of STRIKEFORCE, LET’S GET IT ON MMA’S promoter Elaine McCarthy has gone where few promoters fear to tread — embracing another promotion.
“I know that some Canadian promotions consider other promoters threats and rivals, and they circle their wagons to defend their territory. I believe that promotions can work together to create a win-win scenario for everyone. Scott Coker is giving our winning athletes a chance in a bigger show with bigger competition which is great for the sport,” says McCarthy.
“With the contracts STRIKEFORCE awards, we hope to further the careers of two young fighters who have the potential for a bright future in the sport,” said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker.
STRIKEFORCE boasts an impressive array of fight talent including Gegard Mousasi, Andrei Arlovski, Gilbert Melendez, and Brett Rogers, amongst others. Dan Henderson, who recently signed with STRIKEFORCE, will be making a special guest appearance at McCarthy’s April 23rd show one week after he takes on STRIKEFORCE Middleweight Champion Jake Shields live on the CBS Television Network on Saturday, April 17. (PRESS RELEASE)
UFC president Dana White expects Web to serve as global UFC television channel
Over the weekend, White said the UFC could soon offer country-specific versions of its reality series, “The Ultimate Fighter,” and even full event series in new markets.
But American and other fans need not worry; White expects to make the offerings available to a worldwide audience with the World Wide Web serving as a sort of global television channel for all things UFC.
“As technology keeps growing, what I believe is going to happen – and I better be right, or we’re [expletive] – is all the world is eventually going to be watching television through the Internet,” White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “And once that happens, the whole world will be watching. (MMAJunkie)
MTV could launch show on local MMA fighters
MTV is taking a local radio show focused on mixed martial arts, putting its own spin on it, and is hoping to make a cable TV hit out of it.
For the past year and a half, the MMA Rap Up Show has been airing on Power 106 FM on Sundays, but starting in May, a TV version of the show will be airing on MTV 3 in Dallas — a test market for MTV shows.
Co-Host Crisco Kid said Thursday, “Well, the show is so great, I have a feeling it’s going right to the top immediately, man.” (KOB, Channel 4)
Martial arts expo losing fight in Metro Vancouver
For the second time in a week, a mixed martial arts expo planned in Metro Vancouver is without a venue.
Organizers initially planned to hold the event at Abbotsford’s TRADEX arena on April 10 and 11, but city officials cancelled the show last Tuesday amid concerns that rival gang members would clash inside.
Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition stepped in to salvage the expo, but refused to allow exhibition fights – even two-man grappling demonstrations – at the event. (CTV News)
IMAGE OF THE DAY
QUICK HITS
- GSP Shuts Out Hardy; Carwin KOs Mir (Sherdog)
- NJSACB: Review of Palhares’ Past Bouts Contributed to Disciplinary Decision (Sherdog)
- Five fights added to April’s “Strikeforce: Nashville” non-televised lineup (MMAJunkie)
- Report: Vancouver no longer hosting UFC 115, Cincinnati under consideration (MMAJunkie)
- “The Ultimate Fighter 11’s” Chuck Liddell says third fight with Tito Ortiz is still on (MMAJunkie)
- April’s DREAM.14 event in South Korea scratched, could be rebooked in fall (MMAJunkie)
- Alves Will Return to UFC After Minor Procedure (MMAFighting)
- Velasquez Waiting on Lesnar-Carwin (MMAFighting)
- Weekend Rundown: ATT Prospect Snaps Lopez Streak at 16 (Sherdog)
- OVEREEM VS. ROGERS OFFICIALLY FOR THE TITLE (MMAWeekly)
- WEC PLANS “BEST KNOCKOUTS” DVD (MMAWeekly)
- Hardy tattoo-gate finally explained by White (Cage Writer)
- Worsham set for “Strikeforce: Nashville” bout with Zach Underwood (FiveOuncesOfPain)
- Evans, Alexander Set For Big Screen Debuts (Heavy)
TV LISTINGS
- UFN 21 : Florian vs Gomi at 10 PM ET on Spike (03/31/10)
- The Ultimate Fighter 11 Debut after UFN 21 on Spike (03/31/10)
- InsideMMA (Bjorn Rebney, John Howard, C.B. Dollaway) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (04/02/10)
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 Japan GP at 11:30 PM ET on HDNet (04/02/10)
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 4 AM ET on HDNet (04/03/10)
UPCOMING EVENTS
- UFN 21 : Florian vs Gomi at 10 PM ET on Spike (03/31/10)
- The Ultimate Fighter 11 Debut after UFN 21 on Spike (03/31/10)
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 Japan GP at 11:30 PM ET on HDNet (04/02/10)
- HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 4 AM ET on HDNet (04/03/10)
- UFC 112 : Silva vs Maia at 10 PM ET on PPV (04/10/10)
- HDNet Fights: KOTC Bad Boys Too at 10 PM ET on HDNet (04/16/10)
- Strikeforce Nashville: Henderson vs Shields at 11 PM ET/PT on CBS (04/17/10)
- WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber at 10 PM ET on PPV (04/24/10)
- HDNet Fights: MFC Vindication at 10 PM ET on HDNet (05/07/10)
- UFC 113 : Machida vs Shogun 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/08/10)
- Strikeforce St. Louis: Overeem vs Rogers at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (05/15/10)
- UFC 114 : Rampage vs Evans at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/29/10)
This organization that Strikeforce is partnered with is it in any way associated with Big John? McCarthy?
Let’s Get It On MMA, or LGIO is not really affiliated with Big John, it’s just that his married to the promoter – but she has said he won’t be reffing any events, and has absolutely nothing to do with anything LGIO For what it is worth, Randy Couture’s book ‘Becoming the Natural’ talks about how Elaine McCarthy was the only thing that kept the pre-Fertitta UFCs from falling apart.
Gregor:
You are correct on all accounts here, and if you see the top of the LGIO poster, it says “Elaine McCarthy Presents…”, who is John McCarthy’s wife. =)
The winners of the 155 and 170 lbs GP’s will get 25K in winnings plus Strikeforce contracts for Challenger events. This is a grass roots approach that Strikeforce really likes. This is not the first time they are doing this either. At the moment, Strikeforce has partnered with several regional MMA shows and are rewarding GP winners with Strikeforce contracts. They are currently doing it with the womens 135 and 145 lbs GP’s being held around the world.
Plus, I am not sure if anyone noticed, but they have EA Sports MMA backing, which John McCarthy is a big part of, and Hendo is now a member of.