MMAterial Facts 04/14/10: UFC 112 Abu Dhabi Judge In Hot Water

• UFC 112 Abu Dhabi judge Doug Crosby in hot water
• UFC Chief Apologizes for Fight Night Flop
• Collective Licensing International Secures Global Brand Partnership with STRIKEFORCE
• Bellator inks deal with bilingual station mun2, adds 34 million households
• Mixed Martial Arts Fighter King Mo Trains with Iomega Storage Solutions for Title Fight

UFC 112 Abu Dhabi judge Doug Crosby in hot water

Now comes word that Crosby has been read the riot act by several powerful people in Mixed Martial Arts. This comes via Dave Meltzer on his radio show early this morning:

“Doug Crosby’s in a lot of trouble right now because apparently Doug Crosby went on the Internet and was trolling people on the Internet, you know, and making fun of them and all this, you know as far as they’re ripping on him and he’s making fun of them and that is conduct unbecoming a judge and I know several of the commissions called him and then UFC called him as well and they told him to, you know, do not be, you know… GET OFF THE INTERNET…  (FightOpinion)

UFC Chief Apologizes for Fight Night Flop

FUTURE IN QUESTION: The fiasco has raised questions over the future of UFC events in the Abu Dhabi, which had hoped to capitalise on one of the world’s fastest growing sports to boost the image of the UAE capital as an international entertainment destination.

Abu Dhabi-owned Flash Entertainment in January bought a 10 percent stake in Las Vegas-based Zuffa, organisers of UFC.

“Depending on where we are going next and what we are doing next we will decide when we will come back,” said White.

Flash Entertainment declined to comment.   (Maktoob, Abu Dhabi)

Collective Licensing International Secures Global Brand Partnership with STRIKEFORCE

Collective Licensing International (CLI) today announced their brand partnership and master license agreement with world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion STRIKEFORCE. The long-term brand partnership agreement provides CLI the rights to license and produce all facets of STRIKEFORCE brand merchandise including, but not limited to, footwear, apparel, accessories and equipment.

CLI plans to elevate the STRIKEFORCE brand though its years of successful action sports and performance athletic brand expertise, innovative marketing initiatives, and extensive retail partnerships. CLI will bridge the gap between core MMA athletes and worldwide consumers for the first time by bringing the STRIKEFORCE-specific product line further into the youth consumer market with an entirely new product offering.

The collaboration with CLI will build the STRIKEFORCE organization into a complete lifestyle and culture brand, securing a commanding role in the fastest growing sport in the world.

Bruce Pettet, CEO of Collective Licensing International, said, “We’re looking forward to building STRIKEFORCE into a great consumer brand at retail. We are excited to partner with STRIKEFORCE where CEO Scott Coker has successfully established relationships with world-class partners like CBS, SHOWTIME, EA Sports, Rockstar Energy Drink, and Full Tilt Poker among others.”

“We are confident that CLI’s excellence in brand building will be a catalyst behind the continued growth of the STRIKEFORCE brand and will enhance our connection with consumers worldwide,” said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO, Scott Coker.  (PRESS RELEASE)

Bellator inks deal with bilingual station mun2, adds 34 million households

Bellator Fighting Championships’ first-of-its-kind broadcasting alliance has netted another 34 million households.

Bellator officials today announced the promotion will now air a one-hour highlights show each Saturday (10 p.m. ET/PT) on mun2, a bilingual cable station geared toward young Latinos that’s available in 34 million U.S. households.

Bellator’s recently commenced second season currently airs live on FOX Sports Net (92 million homes) with weekend highlights shows on NBC (112 million) and Telemundo (62 million).  (MMAJunkie)

Mixed Martial Arts Fighter King Mo Trains with Iomega Storage Solutions for Title Fight

Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a global leader in data protection, today announced that several of its marquee storage solution products are in the corner of Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, the high-flying mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter preparing for the STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight title bout this Saturday night.

King Mo, an undefeated MMA star (6-0) and two-time NCAA All-American wrestler, will fight STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi (28-2-1) on April 17 in Nashville, Tennessee. King Mo’s fight will be one of three world title fights on the card April 17 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The event is scheduled to air live on the CBS Television Network.

“It’s a real kick for the Iomega team to know King Mo is using award-winning Iomega products as he prepares for his title fight,” said Jonathan Huberman, President of Iomega and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. “King Mo is an up-and-coming MAA star with a real hunger to capture the crown that would put him among the world’s best fighters. Protecting King Mo’s data from everything from a low punch to an unexpected drop, as well as allowing him to serve up digital content on his big screen TV and the rest of his personal network, is another great example of how people are utilizing easy-to-use Iomega products in their digital life.”

In preparation for the title fight, King Mo is critiquing his recorded training sessions with the Iomega® ScreenPlay™ Director HD Media Player, a feature-rich HD media player that makes it easy to browse your home network for content to watch on the TV. King Mo is also using the new Iomega® iConnect Wireless Data Station, a powerful yet inexpensive network device that provides a simple way to bring all of your USB storage into your network, including Flash drives and USB-powered portable hard drives. Finally, King Mo is sporting all his important video clips, images, music and other digital files on the 500GB* Iomega® eGo™ BlackBelt Portable Hard Drive, one of the most rugged portable hard drives available today.  (PRESS RELEASE)

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QUICK HITS

• Edgar-Penn Rematch in Works for Late Summer, Fall  (Sherdog)
• UFC 114 Prelims to Air Live on Spike TV (Sherdog)
• Manager says champ Anderson Silva “not bored,” isn’t sure weight jump is the answer (MMAJunkie)
• Bridgestone Arena hosts Friday’s “Strikeforce: Nashville” weigh-ins (MMAJunkie)
• Venue change for Wednesday’s Bellator 14 weigh-ins/press conference in Chicago (MMAJunkie)
• Tickets for Strikeforce Challengers 8 in Portland on sale this week (MMAJunkie)
• Hendo’s Road to Fedor Begins With Shields (MMAFighting)
• ESPN Pundit Rips Dana White (MMAFighting)
• Gilbert Melendez Out to Boost Credibility of Strikeforce Belt (MMAFighting)
• BOBBY LASHLEY LIKELY RETURNING IN MAY OR JUNE (MMAWeekly)
• WEC HEADS TO EDMONTON ON JUNE 20 (MMAWeekly)
• Pat Healy vs. Bryan Travers in the Works for Strikeforce Challengers 8 (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

• Bellator Fighting Championships XIV at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (04/15/10)
• Fighting Words with Mike Straka (feat. Mousasi and King Mo) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (04/16/10)
• HDNet Fights Vault: Affliction Day Of Reckoning at 8 PM ET on HDNet (04/16/10)
• InsideMMA (Thiago Alves, Tyson Griffin) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (04/16/10)
• 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)

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Bellator Fighting Championships XIV at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (04/15/10)
• 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)
• Bellator Fighting Championships XV at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (04/24/10)
• WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber at 10 PM ET on PPV (04/24/10)
• Bellator Fighting Championships XVI at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (04/29/10)
• Bellator Fighting Championships XVII at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (05/06/10)
• 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)
• Bellator Fighting Championships XVIII at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (05/13/10)
• Strikeforce St. Louis: Overeem vs Rogers at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (05/15/10)
• Bellator Fighting Championships XIX at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (05/20/10)
• UFC 114 : Rampage vs Evans at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/29/10)