MMAJunkie.com reports
MMA Live," ESPN.com's popular web-only broadband MMA news show, could soon be headed to regular cable television.
Top UFC lightweight contender and "MMA Live" host Kenny Florian said a deal that would put the show on ESPN or ESPN2 is "very, very close" to being finalized.
Florian discussed the show's future while a guest on Monday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com) the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
So when exactly could the deal be done?
"I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but soon," Florian said. "The next couple of month, we're hoping to get [MMA Live] on ESPN or ESPN 2, and the sponsors are getting on board as we speak, so we should have a deal very, very soon. We're all very pumped."
The 30-minute studio show, which launched in May, is hosted by Jon Anik with Florian, boxing/MMA writer Franklin McNeil and other guest hosts as analysts. With stellar production values, video footage from all the top organizations (including the UFC) and the backing of the sport's world most powerful news oulet, "MMA Live" has garnered a strong following despite being distributed only on the web.
"It's a fun time," said Florian, who awakes at 4 a.m. to tape the show in Bristol, Conn., each Thursday. "The producers are awesome to work with. Everyone over there is cool."
"MMA Live" airs Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.com.
Great! I love that show.