MMA Fighting reports that Spike TV is looking into airing kickboxing as a way to cross promote TNA Wrestling and Bellator. Spike TV may look to the Glory promotion as a kickboxing possibility as its partnership with K-1 is over.
Although K-1 and Spike TV announced a relationship this past summer, due to poor viewership on Spike.com and K-1 was not renewed for 2013. Spike is looking at the Glory organization but no official partnership has occurred.
Payout Perspective:
The combat sports strategy of Spike TV may be seen as a way to compete with the UFC or solidifying its base of the young male demographic. Its interesting that Bellator and Spike are looking to MMA fighters to participate in kickboxing events. The move could benefit fighters as they cross from MMA to kickboxing it can bring more notoriety. It also could backfire as Bellator fighters could be injured in kickboxing matches. But, understand why Bellator would want to use its fighters for a kickboxing show as it tries to market its fighters.
In the alternative, the Glory organization could provide viewers with high level kickboxers. Its interesting that an MMA Payout reader posted back in August that Spike should have partnered with Glory instead of K-1. We may see this occurring.
UFC has a monopoly on talent…. good strategy by Spike & Bellator… they need to look everywhere they can to find talent… WWE wrestling, kickboxing, judo..etc…