Real Life Cage Fight: UFC Schedules Event Same Night As Rival
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UFC To Hold Event
On Same Night As Rival |
UFC has scheduled a card for July 19 in Las Vegas that will air free on Spike TV as an attempt to "diminish rival promoter Affliction's first foray into [MMA]," according to Neil Davidson of the AP. The Affliction Banned show, which is being headlined by Fedor Emelianenko-Tim Sylvia, is scheduled to be held in Anaheim and will air on PPV for $39.99. Davidson wrote Affliction "thumbed its nose at UFC by naming its show Banned in response to the UFC putting a stop to fighters wearing Affliction gear at UFC events" (AP, 6/17).
RIVALS STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE: In DC, Tim Lemke wrote MMA "essentially is dominated by one entity -- the [UFC] -- as rival leagues fight to gain a foothold and, in some cases, struggle even to stay in business." IFL CEO Jay Larkin: "UFC has done a tremendous job of creating a brand in an environment that doesn't want to accept it. Most fans equate UFC with MMA, and UFC and MMA are synonymous for most fans." Lemke noted IFL's "biggest problem has been low attendance, and other promoters are also reporting disappointing crowds at events." New MMA promoter Adrenaline last weekend for its debut show reported "just more than 2,000 fans." In total, about 90% of "all MMA revenues go to UFC or organizations owned by its parent company, Zuffa LLC." Smaller promotions said that to "stay in business, it's important to take a slow growth approach and not to worry about competing with UFC" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 6/17).
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