The fight world is a rapidly changing arena, it's hard to keep up. I thought I would start a thread to help up and comers get some advice, avoid the pit falls and get hooked up with good people.
Do most fighters do their own management/sponsor work now?
Are there any managers/sponsors that you would avoid?
Are there any companies that you would recommend ?
These are the questions a fighter needs answered or they blindly walk into a quickly evolving career. 
Ttt
Could be a great thread 
Even at the lower levels a fighter should not be booking his own fights.
It helps if there is a buffer between fighter and promoter. If you aren't established and making any money this can be another more experienced fighter or a coach.
The point is that when there needs to be haggling about weight, pay, etc, it's better to have the eventual target of a promoters ire be someone other than the fighter.
It also allows the fighter to focus on fighting.
I study MMA news and from my perspective I have a 3 step system that should be usefull in helping any up and commer stay out of trouble:
Step 1: Don't rape anyone in your past. Try not to assault women and children either (at least don't get caught doing it).
Step 2: Don't talk about rape vans.
Step 3: Avoid whoever manages Nate Diaz. At all costs.
I pretty much manage myself at this point, I'm looking at some other options though.
Good stuff! Sometimes fighters have no choice but to do their own looking in regards to fights n sponsors! I personally knw of a handful of guys here in Sydney that pretty much have to reach out to promotions and speak to the promoters themselves as their gym is pretty lazy in that regards. In for info though
Liam VT1 _ LEMon - The fight world is a rapidly changing arena, it's hard to keep up. I thought I would start a thread to help up and comers get some advice, avoid the pit falls and get hooked up with good people.
Do most fighters do their own management/sponsor work now?
Are there any managers/sponsors that you would avoid?
Are there any companies that you would recommend ?
These are the questions a fighter needs answered or they blindly walk into a quickly evolving career.
Most fighters are not self managed, but some are successfully.
I prefer to focus on the positive.
Depends on location and goals. With some further detail, I can try to reply more specifically.
Ttt.
More advice for the new guys!
I thought I'd leave specificity out in order to allow advice from a broader range of people.
Lets break it up and discuss fighters that a pros and are pre UFC or newly signed
After speaking to close to 40 fighters and managers the problem is that they are all doing it in different manners which leaves a fighters out in the cold a little
in.
i am currently an amateur fighter.
I'm not a pro fighter by any means, but I can read a contract just fine. I've also helped negotiate 3 contracts for over a thousand people each time. But, at the end of the day, a trained lawyer needs to look everything over before it's signed.
Maybe at the higher levels one would need an agent to help negotiate, but even then a lawyer still needs to look everything over. Bottom line: read your contract carefully and do research on what others are being paid in similar circumstances. And get an experienced contract lawyer.