Alistair Overeem Fires Golden Glory MMA Management!

Alistair Overeem Fired Golden Glory MMA Management! Alistair Overeem quoted verbatim from Tuesday 20th September 2011.  Hire a team with experienced lawyers who understand MMA who can prepare and understand complex legal clauses affecting your livelihood and retirement.

Does this shed light on Zuffa's earlier ban on them from UFC Fights?  See http://www.mmamaxim.com/2011/08/ufc-president-dana-white-rebutted-by.html

"I would like to make a statement regarding the recent news of the separation from my long-time management Golden Glory. As with any relationship, there are good times and bad times - you have your common ground and your differences. As with any relationship, you have trust. When differences lead to a breach of trust, there's no turning back and no way to continue a positive, working relationship. I don't air my dirty laundry. I would appreciate the respect regarding my privacy to not disclose any further details on this matter.

Again, I would like to thank team Golden Glory for all the years we worked together and wish them success for the future."

MMA Business: UFC Competes With Boxing Live On Nov. 12! Fox Executives Admit Major Sponsors Fully Support MMA

UFC Signs Seven year Deal with Fox set beginning Sat. Nov 12, 2011 at 6PM PT in Anaheim.  This date will also have a boxing fight featuring Manny Pacquiao.  UFC President Dana White admits no details have been set on whom will fight.  White stated Zuffa's "UFC will change everything with Fox."  UFC will show Fight Nights on Big Fox.  Zuffa executive Lorenzo Fertitta stated "we picked Fox as the natural home for the UFC" as they dominate the international and domestic U.S. market in action sports. 

Twenty-four live UFC fights on Fox to "catapult the pay-per-view PPV"  Fox Executive Frank Hill states they wish they received $90 million for the deal but will not state the exact amount. Fox Sports Media Group executive Eric Shanks stated "eighty percent overlap in the 18-34 male demographic between fans of the UFC and Fox."

UFC Official Press Release

UFC & FOX PACK PERFECT PUNCH

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP REACHES MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP

FOX to Broadcast Four Fights Annually Beginning November 2011

The Ultimate Fighter, Featuring a New Format, Moves to FX

Today, Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC), the world’s leading mixed martial arts organization and No. 1 Pay-Per-View event provider in the world, finds its perfect media match in FOX, the No. 1 television network in the country. FOX Sports Media Group, the umbrella entity representing FOX Networks Group’s wide array of sports platforms, has reached a multi-year, multi-media rights agreement with Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC brand.

The landmark agreement, which puts UFC on par with many of the country’s professional sports organizations, delivers four live events in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network, home to the country’s biggest sports events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500. The first live event airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Additional programming on multiple FOX networks launches January 2012 and includes live fights, pre and post shows, countdown shows, UFC Unleashed, UFC Primetime, the UFC Knockout series, Best of Pride, weigh-in specials, and much more original content from extensive Zuffa archives.  The agreement also provides for developing robust mobile and authenticated online offerings to exploit a vast array of digital platform rights.

In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC's signature weekly reality show moves to FX, FOX's general entertainment cable network now in more than 99 million homes.  With the move to FX, the show will feature a newly-designed format. FX is also set to televise another four-to six-live UFC events annually, with a mixture of additional events and programs heading to FSMG cable networks including FUEL TV.

“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family,” says Dana White, UFC President.   “The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world.  I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world and with this relationship it will become a reality.”

“My brother Frank, Dana and I always believed that our passion for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts would help us to build the UFC into a successful global brand and ultimately make it one of the premier sports properties in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of the UFC.  “The partnership with FOX is a major step in making this a reality and also builds on the great relationship that we already have established with FOX in Latin America, Australia and Europe.”

“Mixed martial arts is not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but also the world’s most exciting form of man-to-man competition, and the UFC is the world’s premier MMA organization,” said FSMG President & Co-COO Eric Shanks.  “Since FOX Sports is America’s No. 1 sports network and FOX is America’s No. 1 network for young adults, the UFC on FOX is a perfect match.”

“UFC’s growth over the past decade is nothing short of phenomenal and it has become one of the marquee sports in this country,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks.  “There is a reason for its rising popularity.  It features some of the greatest athletes in the world, and we believe it will be a terrific addition to our schedule and look forward to our relationship.”



Remember Shark Fights 19 is on tomorrow. 

Promote Your Brand In Over 30 Million Homes With Fox Fuel TV! Sponsorship Opportunities Available Tailored To Your Budget!

Want to align your brand with the leader in action sports that the UFC selected?   Your brand can be promoted on Fox Fuel TV and Shark Fights in over 30 million homes.   We have amazing opportunities to be on Fox Fuel TV that can be tailored to your budget.  

For more information see:

http://mmafightingwords.blogspot.com/2011/07/mma-maxim-forging-strategic-partnership.html

Overeem Replaced By Cormier In Strikeforce Grand Prix To Fight "Bigfoot" Silva. Silva Wants To Fight Barnett & Kharitonov At The Same Time!

It Sucks That Overeem Was Cut From The Strikeforce Grand Prix. At Least Daniel Cormier Will Fight "Bigfoot" Silva Who Wants To Fight Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitonov At The Same Time!  


We met Cormier in Anaheim for the UFC and credit his correct prediction of Cain Velasquez's easy win over Brock Lesnar.

Story by John Morgan from MMA Junkie. 

Alistair Overeem (35-11 MMA, 3-0 SF) today informed the world he would not be fighting for Strikeforce on Sept. 10.

Strikeforce today informed Overeem his services will not be needed for the remainder of Strikeforce's heavyweight grand prix.

In a shocking development, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed that Overeem has been pulled from the tournament, and Daniel Cormier (8-0 MMA, 5-0 SF) will take his spot in the semifinals of the promotion's heavyweight grand prix.

The change was first reported by Tatame.com. It's currently unclear if Overeem is still under contract with the promotion or if Strikeforce brass elected to hand their heavyweight champion an outright release.

Overeem today revealed on MMA Fighting's "The MMA Hour" that the promotion requested he return to action against Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva (16-2 MMA, 3-1 SF) on Sept. 10. However, the Dutch striker said he asked for more time and preferred an October booking.

With the company planning for a September event to host the promotion's heavyweight grand prix semifinal bouts, some obvious tension was built. Overeem said the company threatened his release even before today's official announcement.

"What's going to happen next, I don't know," Overeem told MMA Fighting. "I've had some threats of cutting me out of the tournament if I don't participate. I don't know if they're going to do it."

Overeem now has his answer.

Overeem's publicly stated position was that the Sept. 10 date was too soon to return to action and that he needed time to heal some nagging injuries. 

However, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that Overeem was in the process of working out a new contract with the promotion, which may have contributed to his unwillingness to compete in September. It may also explain his recently expressed desire to challenge champion boxers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko in a boxing contest – a strategy similar to the one Nick Diaz used to leverage his Strikeforce title into a shot at the UFC's welterweight belt.

Silva, who was aware of today's reports but unaware of any official change, seemed rather unconcerned at the development.
  
"I don't care who they put against me," Silva today told MMAjunkie.com through his manager and interpreter, Alex Davis. "If Overeem doesn't want to fight because his toe is hurt, then get me King Kong. Get Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitonov both. I'll fight them both at the same time.

"I'm very frustrated and disappointed that someone who is considered one of the best fighters in the world would basically withdraw from the competition and refuse to fight me. Overeem is a great guy, but I don't really like what he's doing right now as a fighter. Either way, I don't pick my opponents. I would have much rather Cain Velasquez stepped in for Overeem because I want to prove I'm the best heavyweight in the world. If it's Cormier I won't take him lightly, either. I'll continue to train just as hard as if I was still facing Overeem."

Davis believes Cormier provides a capable fill-in, but he also admits the entire situation is unfortunate.

"Antonio and I both find it very unfortunate that Overeem apparently declined to take into consideration all the interests involved in his appearance," Davis said. "Strikeforce needs him to fight in September. His fans, and really almost all MMA fans, were looking forward to the conclusion of this amazing grand prix. Antonio was looking forward to fighting an opponent as popular and accomplished as Overeem is. Now, all that may be lost."