Spike pres: Bellator on 'even footing' with UFC

Underground
1 
                    <div class="Article" style="float: left;">
                        <table>
                        <tr style="vertical-align: bottom;">
                        <td>
                            <h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=450150" target="_blank">
                                Spike pres: Bellator on 'even footing' with UFC

                            </a></h3>
                        </td>
                        </tr>
                        </table>
                        <a href="/go=news.detail&gid=450150" ><img class="photo" src="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&rs=70&q=75&x=2&y=74&w=310&h=165&ro=0&s=kevin-kay-02-09-2015-11-38-23-909.jpg" /></a>



                        <div style="clear: both; line-height: 1px;height: 1px;">&nbsp;</div>
                    </div>

                    <p>If you like fighting, you understand that competition is great. If there was no Joe Frazier there would be no Muhammad Ali as we know him. Greatness comes from competition, not domination.</p>

The UFC currently faces four separate class-action law suits, charging that it holds a monopoly position, in elite mixed martial arts, in North America. The suit charges that all rivals are minor league, and mentions Bellator by name.

"Bellator athletes lack significant public notoriety, in part because it is a ‘minor league,'" reads the filing. "Bellator's bout purses, gate revenues, attendance figures, merchandise sales, television licensing fees and ad rates are minimal compared to those obtained by the UFC."

In an ironic twist, Spike TV president Kevin Kay has come to the UFC's defense.

"I don't think we're a minor league at all," said Kay to Marc Raimondi for MMAfighting. "That's just lawyers talking. They have to position stuff a certain way."

Kay offered facts in support of the position. Bellator 132 on Jan 16 peaked at 1,100,000 viewers, higher than many UFC events on FOX Sports 1. The previous Bellator event averaged 1,200,000 viewers and peaked at 2,000,000 during the main event, making Ortiz vs. Bonnar the most watched MMA fight on cable this year. And Bellator 131 went head to head with a UFC PPV.

"We're right on an even footing [with the UFC], I believe," said Kay. "We're certainly not the minor leagues. Obviously, they are the market leaders right now, but I think Bellator is stepping up in a big way."

"I think that (Bellator 131) really showed off what the potential was," Kay said. "Tito and Stephan, whether you like them or not, they did a great job promoting that fight."

Kay was asked directly if Bellator could become bigger than the UFC in the next five to ten years.

"I would like to," he said.

                    <div style="clear: left; line-height: 1px;height: 1px;">&nbsp;</div>
2

Kimbo signing is the turning point. Phone Post 3.0

3

michael venom page beat's any ufc 170 pounder. So a minor league i wouldn't even began to go that far.

4

underthebag - michael venom page beat's any ufc 170 pounder. So a minor league i wouldn't even began to go that far.
I very highly doubt that. Phone Post 3.0

5

underthebag - michael venom page beat's any ufc 170 pounder. So a minor league i wouldn't even began to go that far.
Your opinions are hilariously awful Phone Post 3.0

6

ViacoMMA

7

Fragmenting the sport with all the best fighters spread across multiple orgs where they won't fight each other is not good for the sport.

8

underthebag - michael venom page beat's any ufc 170 pounder. So a minor league i wouldn't even began to go that far.
Lol Phone Post 3.0

9

tenchu - Fragmenting the sport with all the best fighters spread across multiple orgs where they won't fight each other is not good for the sport.



I agree with that. But having nowhere for a fighter to go but the UFC is fan heaven but fighter hell. Best thing is to have competition, with one promotion getting most of the top talent, but not so much it is a monopoly.

10

underthebag - michael venom page beat's any ufc 170 pounder. So a minor league i wouldn't even began to go that far.

Lol.

11

The best move for Viacom would be to buy OneFC and WSOF. Big move gets them enough name fighters to compete until bigger name UFC fighters' contract are up. Of course, that's easy for me to say since I'm not a shareholder, but realistically it's either that or remain the "minor leagues" for some time to come. Phone Post 3.0

12

It seems weird that as soon as these monopoly talks come up Bellator keeps saying how they aren't a minor league or are even. However they aren't signing any new talent that's noteworthy or anything. Signing Kimbo does nothing, there are atleast 100 older fighters who used to be in Pride or the UFC that Bellator could pick up and make their show competitive.

Another thing is that they put on a lot of mismatches to build fighters that no one knows instead of just putting on even exciting fights.

I want to see super fights like
Curran vs Chandler
Joe Schilling vs shlemenenko
Lima vs Michael Page
Etc. Phone Post 3.0

13

They really to make Bellator events live for the west coast. I'm tired of trying not to get shit spoiled for three hours. Phone Post 3.0

14

IraqiInformationMinister.jpg

15

Fredsanford - They really to make Bellator events live for the west coast. I'm tired of trying not to get shit spoiled for three hours. Phone Post 3.0
I meant Need to Phone Post 3.0

16

I can pretend my Volkswagen is a Mercedes too. Phone Post 3.0

17

It could become true if Viacom open their wallets and decide to really compete.

18

underthebag - michael venom page beat's any ufc 170 pounder. So a minor league i wouldn't even began to go that far.
Hahahahahahaha. Oh shit that's funny Phone Post 3.0

19

tsr94 - Daley, Lima, Newton, Brooks, King Mo, and Manheof should all be in the UFC for sure . Phone Post 3.0
They should be or they could be? Phone Post 3.0

20

underthebag - michael venom page beat's any ufc 170 pounder. So a minor league i wouldn't even began to go that far.

Lol, he didn't even beat Nah-shon Burrel. He wouldn't even be top 10 in the UFC.