Nebraska-based MMA promotion Resurrection Fighting Alliance is “quickly carving out a business niche as the developmental feeder league for fighters trying to make the transition to the UFC,” according to Alan Snel of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. RFA is “like the Triple A of MMA, where the organization’s 20 signed fighters hone their fighting skills in hopes of making the big leagues of UFC,” or they are “former UFC combatants trying to ‘resurrect’ their fighting careers.” All RFA fighters are “free to be released from their contracts if the UFC agrees to cut a deal with them.” Since its start in ’11, RFA “has seen four of its fighters get signed by the UFC.” The promotion also has a “broadcast deal with AXS TV.” RFA President Ed Soares said, “We’ll give these guys national exposure. There aren’t too many organizations that have national TV deals in the United States and have a good working relationship with UFC.” Snel noted there is “no formal business tie between the UFC and RFA.” But former UFC Head of PR Jen Wenk “now does PR work for RFA and helps RFA build its brand by using her former UFC media techniques.” The top RFA fighters “can earn about $30,000 a year with fight purses hitting $7,000.” The fighters also can “get a cut of the ticket sales” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/28).
