Few weeks ago I came across something that stopped me mid-scroll. A guy named Brandon Soo Hoo — actor, martial artist, storyteller — put on a martial arts event at a warehouse in LA. It was called Sundown 001. Five fights, a night market, music, food, art. And an energy that felt nothing like anything else in combat sports right now. I watched their content. I went to their website. And I thought: this is it. Not "this is perfect." But "this is the blueprint." So let me tell you exactly what...
11 days ago • 4 min read
A few weeks ago, Netflix confirmed its first MMA event. Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano headline. Francis Ngannou in the co-main. Mike Perry vs Nate Diaz has just been announced. Promoted by MVP — Jake Paul's company. Say what you want about the matchups. The infrastructure around this is real. For years, smaller players tried to build a superfight circuit outside the UFC. It never worked. The names weren't big enough, the platform wasn't there, and the money couldn't compete. What Netflix is...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Last Saturday, I was watching the UFC main event. Third round. The fight is live. And the screen just goes black. My first thought? My daughter sat on the remote. Nope. It was a full blackout. The UFC — on Paramount+, which paid $7.7 billion for those rights — went dark in the middle of their main event. $7.7 billion. And the stream died. Here's the thing. That's actually the best news you'll hear all week. If the UFC can have technical disasters, so can you. And that's not an excuse. That's...
25 days ago • 2 min read
There's one thing AI will never do. It will never step on the mat for you. It won't take a shot. It won't dig deep in the third round when your legs are gone and the crowd is against you. It won't feel fear before a fight and do it anyway. That part? That's yours. Forever. But here's what I keep seeing — fighters protecting something that was never under threat, while completely ignoring the areas where AI is already eating their lunch. Your fighting ability isn't the problem. It's everything...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Last week, Dana White and Eddie Hearn went at each other publicly in a way the entire combat sports world couldn't look away from. And then Dana dropped a bomb. Conor Benn — Matchroom's most prized asset, literally in negotiations for his next fight days before — signed a $15 million deal with Zuffa Boxing. Reportedly without Hearn knowing until it was done. That's not a signing. That's a message. And here's the thing that gets me. People are talking about Benn. About the loyalty. About...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
I've had the same conversation about 47 times this year. A founder calls me, frustrated. They've been trying to land sponsors for months. They've reached out to brands, sent emails, made calls. Nothing's working. "Brands just don't get combat sports," they tell me. Then I ask them two questions: 1. What's your schedule for this year or next year?2. Who is your distribution partner? Nine times out of ten, silence. These are the exact same questions every sales rep, agency, and brand manager...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
One of the most common questions I get from promoters: "Should I raise money?" Sometimes it's a startup founder who can't afford consistent events. Sometimes it's an established promotion trying to scale. Sometimes it's someone who's stuck and thinks money is the missing piece. The answer is always: It depends. Money solves problems. But it also creates new ones. And if you've never raised money before, there are things nobody tells you until it's too late. So here's the real picture. Why...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hey Friend, Most fight promotions burn through six figures before learning this hard truth: Nobody cares that you exist. Not the fighters. Not the fans. Not the sponsors. Here's what kills new promotions: Trying to be the UFC (you can't out-UFC the UFC) Underestimating what filling seats actually costs Promising fighters what you can't deliver Launching without a unique lane The ones that survive? They stop copying and create their own category. I just dropped a video covering the 5 brutal...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Every successful fight brand has a face. WWE had Vince McMahon. UFC has Dana White. Matchroom Boxing has Eddie Hearn. ONE Championship has Chatri. Top Rank has Bob Arum. Love them or hate them, you know who they are. You care what they think. You pay attention when they speak. Now think about fight brands without a recognizable face. I'll wait. Can't name many, right? That's not an accident. The Problem Most Founders Have I talk to a lot of founders and owners who don't think putting...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read