Issue 068

October 2010

Yes, you can scrap – but are you adored? We have the keys to fight game fame.

You know when UFC Undisputed 2010 makes you decide between more training or lapping up the attention at a fan expo? That’s only the tip of an especially jagged and slippery iceberg, my young warrior. Here at Fighters Only we’ve seen the spotlight slam strong men like Gerald Harris would. But some talented professionals have ridden their wave of success to glory. And you can take tips on the top from them. Such as…

Get some really serious wheels

What do guys like almost as much as fighting? That’s right: cars. Wanderlei Silva rides an Aston Martin Vantage and Thiago Alves a Maserati Gran Turismo. Or do a Chuck Liddell and take UFC All Access’ Rachelle Leah for a California coast ride down past Huntingdon Beach in your Ferrari. The one thing we implore you: make sure your wheels are an extension of your bankable personality. Matt Hughes and his brother Mark post regular blog updates regarding the beaten-up Chevys they buy and renovate. And if your character is best described as ‘large’, what better way to get it out there than with an enormous Quinton Jackson-style transfer of yourself on the side of your truck? Sunkist Graphics of 401 East Sunset Road, Las Vegas, will provide. 

Make sure you finish the fight

“If you want to be a solid draw, you not only have to win fights but you have to do it in an entertaining manner,” says Kelsey Philpott, managing editor of fight trade website mmapayout.com. KO power and a broad portfolio of submissions, certainly ‘chain’ holds like the triangle/armbar combo Fabricio Werdum whacked on Fedor Emnelianenko in June this year, are key here. But if you’re more of a grinder, we know from bitter experience that Fighters Only training editor Pete Irving insists on putting foes through as much discomfort as possible – push-off elbows from the top, crucifixes, using the cage to your psychological advantage and targeting injuries or cuts. No friends in this game. Drawing a veil over such things, how about that Jon Jones guy?

“Jon Jones is so dynamic and entertaining that you’re on the edge of your seat not knowing what he’s going to do next. That’s the sort of person you want to watch and that’s the sort of fighter who’s going to be drawing a million buys at the box office,” says Kelsey. “The UFC have a ‘you take care of us and we’ll take care of you’ mentality. The best way to secure those bonuses is to go out and put on a show. Critics say people are abandoning the ground game in favour of a bloodbath. I’m not convinced that’s the truth but if Dana and Lorenzo see you trying to finish the fight they’re going to reward you for it.”

Get the right people and nail the paperwork

Dump that life-long friend who’s managing you. “As in all sports multiple representation is becoming popular,” says Kelsey Philpott. “Ideally you need a separate lawyer, sponsorship agent, and public relations executive. Shari Spencer,” that’s GSP’s highly-rated manager, “has been confident enough to bring in third parties like top Hollywood PR agency CAA, whose sports division handles David Beckham and LeBron James, to handle the PR side for Georges.”

Once you have reliable ‘people’, know your bargaining power. To maximize that, use something you jiu-jitsu specialists know all too well. “It all comes down to leverage,” says Kelsey. “Nowadays very few stars are able to rise outside of the UFC, so only incomers like Brock Lesnar who can bring a new audience, or the likes of Randy Couture have any ‘leverage’ to negotiate over likeness rights for action figures or video games.” But you can still earn coming up through the ranks. “If you do well in the UFC you’re going to be rewarded. And you can earn outside of the UFC. Look at Georges St Pierre and Under Armour, a deal independent of the UFC that he got because he was UFC champion.” The burning question: how many tickets can I blag for my entourage? The answer: four per fight is standard, but you superstars might ‘leverage’ more.

Be very specific with the way you approach body art

Steer clear of generic cage fighter ink. You could opt to say no to the needle altogether like BJ Penn or Anderson Silva, but if you can’t resist stay classy. Chuck and GSP both opted for a tasteful sprinkling of Oriental Kanji script and personal motif, being image of a kempo fighter and the Fleur de Lys of Quebec respectively. 

Don’t confuse your audience.

Cain Velasquez bellows ‘BROWN PRIDE’. Brock’s erect rapier proclaims that he’s the man. Wanderlei Silva is a collection of body art that touches all the bases. On the back of his head, the iconic tribal work. On his arms, heartfelt tributes to his wife and God, and on his right shoulder, his own logo. Flair, integrity and direct marketing all in one instantly recognizable package.

You are the brand: never, ever feel guilty about making money 

“The dream for a fighter is getting paid for not getting punched in the face,” says Kelsey Philpott. Tito Ortiz got wise early. After grasping attention with his obscene homemade shirts, he saw the opportunity to put out his own fight wear. Matt Hughes made his name with the Miletich crew, but knew to strike out on his own eventually. His HIT Squad centre is a state of the art training facility. Randy and Wand have their own glittering palaces in Vegas and the team and clothing line to go with. In the words of Frank Shamrock (CEO of Frank Shamrock Incorporated): “Conceive. Believe. Achieve.” The recent ascquisitions of long-time BJ Penn sponsor RVCA by surf giant Billabong and Uriah Faber’s FORM Athletics by K-Swiss should point you in the right direction.

“RVCA’s done a great job aligning itself with top fighters – Vitor Belfort, Fedor – and standing out in the crowd with very clean designs,” says fighterxfashion.com’s Mike Pokutylowicz. “FORM Athletics brought something different to the fight game with design inspiration stemming from surf culture and a larger overall focus on the athletic side of the business, as opposed to the violent and aggressive nature often associated with MMA.”

But there’s life in MMA’s old dogs yet. “Look at the great job Ed Soares has done with Blackhouse,” points out Kelsey Philpott. At least, he did until terminal griefer Chael Sonnen came along. Mmapayout.com’s managing editor also points out that “Dan Henderson’s done a great job with Clinch Gear – he’s been able to grow it without the dominant platform in the sport, the UFC.”

Don’t spend too much time trying to think up a great nickname

Two words: ‘Matt Hughes’.

Man-up (really this time)

It’s not just that diva-like behaviour doesn’t exactly suit MMA. Plenty of stars across the entertainment industry hoover up work purely by being pleasant and reliable – supermodel Kate Moss is a noted example. “Maturity is the number one factor in becoming a talent who everyone wants to work with,” says Gary Ibarra, manager to Chris Leben. “Back at school and in college these guys were the top athletes and people took care of them. As adults their only responsibility is training. Add money to the equation and you can expect trouble. The fighters don’t just have to be concerned about their own personal image, they have to think about how they reflect on their sponsor and how the outside world perceives them, reality or not.” Geeky up-and-coming rock stars sometimes receive therapy to help deal with sudden attention of women. 

That’s when you know you’ve made it. “I deal with a doctor’s office in Las Vegas that offers all aspects of sports medicine,” continues Ibarra. “Nutritional professionals, sports psychologists and even sports hypnotherapy. All of these aspects go in to training a more highly-tuned athlete.” But ego isn’t the only issue. “You’d be surprised how insecure some of these guys can be,” says Gary. Luckily, turning to self-help is more than socially acceptable in MMA. ‘Personal power’ guru Tony Robbins’ work with Diego Sanchez is well-known, and ‘Anthony’ to his friends even made a trip to The Pit back in 2007. 

Stop dressing like an overgrown Korn fan

Anderson Silva’s pink Ralph Lauren knit at the pre-fight press conference for UFC 117 certainly put a further twist on his non-staredown with Chael Sonnen. “Fighters like GSP and Rashad Evans have helped introduce higher end fashion in the MMA world by coming to fights decked out in designer suits,” says Mike Pokutylowicz, founder and editor-in-chief of fighterxfashion.com. Fighters Only cover photographer Eric Williams also rates Rashad, “He’s the fighter who really understands style and a joy to work with for that reason,” says the celebrity lens man. 

As for what to wear as you casually bully white belts in the gym, Mike Pokutylowicz says: “RVCA and FORM are great examples of companies who’re moving the industry in a new direction. Jaco has basic logo-driven designs and a clean image, aligned with some of the top fighters out there. Another brand that comes to mind is Bad Boy, who remain consistent with simple styling and great-looking fight gear.”

But fashion never sleeps. “New trends will emerge with inspiration from outside the MMA world,” says Mike. “Take the Tri-Coasta Korean Zombie tee completely different.” Stay ahead if you’re going to stand out from the crowd. The hottest outfit we’ve seen on a fighter recently? Kenny Florian turning up at the Silver Star party in July wearing a zipped-up North Face fleece, like he was Harrison Ford or something: a strong look, as they say in style circles.

…And damage the dancefloor

The fans are a bore but you’d be nowhere without them. Besides, as an MMA superstar you can get paid by a nightclub to host your own after-party. You certainly don’t need to be fighting that night, or the sort of individual fans crave to rave alongside. Even the lay ‘n’ pray brigade clean up on this stuff. The going rate is somewhere between $3000 and $15000 with the AAA-list pocketing up to $25000 for select shindigs. If you can actually be bothered to get off the Xbox without banking 10 Gs, only frequent two Vegas clubs. Lavo at the Palazzo is where TapouT puts on its infamous bashes. Lavo’s an ‘ultra lounge’ which basically means fewer obese internet haters and more glamourpusses. XS at Encore is the most exclusive large club in Vegas and a great place to escape to when the fans get too much. Bling-inclined aspiring MMA superstars forced to frequent less chi-chi establishments can add a bit of blue-collar glamour by ‘Making it Rain’ as popularized by Floyd Mayweather. It’s not the sort of thing you’d catch Forrest Griffin doing but everyone loves a guy made good. Or Vegas does anyway.

If clubs aren’t your bag charity is super-hot right now. Rich Franklin, making a late play for superstardom, auctioned off his cast picked up for a broken arm in his fight against Chuck Liddell for a breast cancer charity, and Clay Guida’s work with his neighbourhood’s disadvantaged has cemented his rep as a fan fave – and sponsor’s desire.

Back on the strip, if you want to track down UFC president Dana White, he frequents Wasted Space at the Hard Rock. He loves house band 51 Fifty, who tend to turn up alongside the UFC when they hit other cities – so if you’re looking to schmooze the prez, look for a 51 Fifty gig the same night as a UFC in your hometown.

Naturally the internet means you can work the room from the gym, planes (kind of) and even jail. “The era of self-promotion is upon us,” says mmapayout.com’s Kelsey Philpott. Get a Twitter account and pay fan’s parking fines, threaten journalists and accuse each other of taking steroids.

Personalities sell pay-per-views as hard as championship belts. “You have to think about how the world sees you and how you represent your sponsors and your promotion,” says manager Gary Ibarra. ‘Just doin’ your thing’s the hardest thing to do’ sang Mama Cass back in the 60s, so simply choose one of our off-the-peg MMA identities.

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Personalities sell pay-per-views as hard as championship belts. “You have to think about how the world sees you and how you represent your sponsors and your promotion,” says manager Gary Ibarra. ‘Just doin’ your thing’s the hardest thing to do’ sang Mama Cass back in the 60s, so simply choose one of our off-the-peg MMA identities

Totally wholesome

Georges St Pierre’s eminently respected manager Shari Spencer left some commentators scratching their heads when she expanded her roster to include Frankie ‘The Answer’ Edgar. After all, “I’m a boring family man,” Frankie told Fighters Only back in issue 17, and surely that’s not grounding for superstar status? But shrewd former fashionista Shari knows that we’re in the era of the clean-cut regular guy as brand ambassador. Most consumers out there are just straight-up dudes trying their best to provide, and they look up to others doing the same. “I find it interesting that people were surprised when I signed him as my second fighter,” Spencer told Tapology. “I was approached and asked about considering him, did my homework, and at the end of the day I have a set of criteria when selecting a client. I have to want to help them, they have to have the talent, and they have to be marketable.”

Alternative

Fighters like Dan ‘The Outlaw’ Hardy on the other hand appeal to what marketers call ‘opinion-forming 18–35 males’: ‘alternative’ guys, essentially. That’s a notoriously difficult demographic to impress – just think of their talent and energy for hating stuff online. Dan’s trash talk and dyed hair aren’t quite enough on their own to secure those blue-chip brands. But he also exemplifies the MMA lifestyle, from his training at China’s ancient Shaolin monastery and Eddie Bravo’s hip 10th Planet jiu-jitsu, to his muscle cars and the online clips of him playing video games with his tattooed main squeeze. Dan’s major TapouT contract is in the bag, and he’s ideally suited to a surf or skate brand that fancies breaking into what its execs undoubtedly call ‘ultimate fighting’. 

‘Bad boy’

Be like Josh Koscheck or Frank Mir and harness what reality TV aficionados call ‘the anti-vote’ – support from individuals who like to think they’re above hero worship. You don’t just have license to make others feel mildly threatened in your presence. You can reform anytime. Mike Bisping already seems to be undergoing redemption as he carries out a cinematic quest for self-discovery in and out of the Octagon. But to really flip from heel to blue-eye almost die. Brock Lesnar’s brush with life-threatening intestinal disease diverticulitis has the former super-villain sounding less like the man who declared his wife would receive her conjugal rights after he beat arch-rival Frank Mir, and more like one of the squeaky-clean British team from TUF 9 (“really thanking” referee Josh Rosenthal, “training right”, banging on about how “it feels like a dream”). Now he’s a front-runner for Fighter of the Year. Warning: the path of darkness is not for the faint of heart. A Faustian end awaited the initially promising Junie Browning and Jamie Jaeger.

Crazy

It’s the Michael Jackson factor. Take the Gracie family. Co-ordinated names, comedy ring walk, their own martial art and their own celebrity diet (a gossip mag staple). Lyoto Machida’s urine drinking also set a benchmark. Brock Lesnar lives as far away from the bright lights as possible on an isolated ranch in rural Minnesota. ‘Brock must be some Rambo-type loner with rage issues that mean he’s unable to cut it in normal society,’ right? More likely Brock enjoys the outdoor lifestyle and is grateful that fan’s interest generates enough cash to keep him in buckshot and tractor parts for the rest of his days.

ARE YOU POTENTIAL MMA SUPERSTAR?

Do you want to be a fighter? Really? Take our test and find out once and for all

Why do you train?

A: The girl at work who says she’s hot for ‘cage fighters’

B: For yourself. Everyone says how great you look since you took it up and you’ve suddenly got a quiet sense of self-confidence. Plus it’s cheaper than anger management

C: It’s down to God, Lorenzo Fertitta, your wrestling coach, your dead dad, your sponsors, all the fans here and back home on pay-per-view, but most of all… to provide for your family

What kind of gear do you practice in?

A: Air Jordans, your work socks, decrepit track pants and a DeathClutch T-shirt

B: Lonsdale shorts from your boxing days, which have just about still got some ‘lucky’ bloodstains on them. A high-spec rash guard and compression shorts complete the ensemble

C: That customized T-shirt a besotted local female fan made especially for you, plus neon yellow tighties. And the ‘Xtreme Couture’ back tattoo, if that counts

What’s your feeling on wrestlers who employ stifling ‘lay ‘n’ pray’ tactics?

A: You turn over to Cops when the rolling around on the floor starts

B: It’s not what the fans want to see, but as the sport expands and stakes get higher fighters will do whatever they can to win

C: You’ve ordered the instructional DVD

When you hit the big time, who’d you have in mind as a preferred sponsor?

A: slamloans.com

B: A major sports brand looking to break into MMA, like Adidas or Gatorade

C: L’Oreal

How often do you watch The Ultimate Fighter?

A: You’re boycotting it after no-one smashed up the house in the last series

B: The wife likes TUF so it’s a great excuse to get some fighting on the TV

C: Only civilians call it ‘The Ultimate Fighter’. We must mean ‘the show’

Who’s your favorite mixed martial artist?

A: Ken Shamrock

B: GSP

C: Jamie Yaeger

Your chances of getting a UFC Primetime show and the rest:

Mostly As: Dude, in your own way you guys display more heart than anyone in the gym. Even if that’s ‘heart’ as in ‘walks happily into repeated overhand rights’. Get over your innate suspicion of jiu-jitsu then maybe one day you could be the next Roy Nelson. Until then carry on fantasising about Arianny. MMA has something for everyone.

Mostly Bs: Guys, we can all dream. Those football douchebags do it all the time and that’s considered perfectly healthy. But it might be a good idea to remind ourselves, this once, that our real answer to the big question would be: “Actually Mister White, I think I’m probably more suited to being the office smartass.”

Mostly Cs: You’ve already got a Strikeforce contract negotiated via your favored sarcastic MMA blog. First fight when you get back from filming Last Man Standing.