M-1 Global Press Conference
by Robert Sargent
At the M-1 Global press conference in New York, new M-1 Global chairman Mitchell Maxwell discussed a two-year plan in which he hoped to have M-1 Global competing on the same level as the UFC, with M-1's first event to take place in February 2008 in Chicago.
Maxwell, a veteran of the entertainment business for 34 years, expressed his desire to compete with the UFC as quickly as possible.
Outlining a two-year plan that would, with a bit of luck, include a fight between Randy Couture and Fedor Emelianenko at an M-1 event sometime in September of 2008, he made it clear that he believed that M-1 Global had all of the tools to overcome the UFC's near-monopoly over major MMA in North America.
With the greatest mixed martial artist in the world, Fedor Emelianenko, at his side, Maxwell stated that M-1 Global would run events in North America, Asia, Russia and in other areas of Europe, making it a true global promotion.
It was evident that Maxwell and the rest of M-1 Global are banking on Randy Couture's recent departure from the UFC, and the rift between Couture and UFC management, to spark an uprising of sorts, wherein other fighters may take similar action and look to other promotions, like M-1 Global, to showcase their talents. This is in addition to the deep talent pool of fighters who are currently free agents and are not signed to any MMA promotion.
Emelianenko expressed his belief that Couture's departure from the UFC was a positive thing, stating that he greatly admires Couture, both as a fighter and a person, and would very much like to get to know Couture better, even if the two had to fight each other in the future. Emelianenko also expressed distain for the way that the UFC conducted themselves when trying to sign him, including referring to his management as "crazy Russians." It was then that Emelianenko decided that the UFC was not the place for him.
Emelianenko stated his desire to create a mixed martial arts promotion that would showcase the strongest fighters in the world, from all MMA disciplines, and would make the sport of MMA popular on an international level. He will make $2 million for each of his six contracted fights over two years, with Jeff Monson currently rumoured to be his first opponent.
The promotion also aims to showcase many of the extremely talented, and largely unknown, fighters around the world who are not a part of the UFC and do not currently have a platform to display their talents.
Maxwell, knowing that MMA fans can be fickle and judgmental, asked for a bit of faith in taking this new promotion under their wing and allowing it to grow and prosper.
He has set very lofty, though absolutely attainable, goals for M-1 Global's future and, though the promotion has a long way to go, those goals can be achieved if the company is managed and marketed effectively.
The UFC may not be the top dog for long. Only time will tell.
