Issue 114

May 2014

A Kickstarter campaign has been started in search of money to make a low-gravity MMA promotion a reality. Pennsylvania-based Tom Peashock is asking for $445,000 (£266,000) via the crowd-funding site to stage mixed martial arts bouts during an aeroplane journey that slips in and out of martian and lunar gravity – known as parabolic flight. 

In addition to the capital needed to start Matrix Fights, Peashock is seeking welterweight fighters and ring girls for the concept, which will involve three bouts contested simultaneously on one flight and allow those who pledge money to the campaign to choose who wins decisions.

Depending on the flight set-up, fighters could expect to compete for three five-minute rounds where the gravity status switches between martian, lunar and hyper gravity every 30 seconds or so (62%, 83% less and 400% more than Earth’s gravitational pull respectively). 

Peashock, who describes himself on his Kickstarter pitch as “a want-a-be-serial-entrepreneur,” states: “I want to set the stage for the fight of the century. I want to see someone get caught and float back 10 feet after catching an uppercut, cross or head kick. That could possibly change 

the world of fighting as we know it.” 

Industry jobs

Who: Darren Beale

Role: Founder MuscleFood

Info: Darren created protein-centric food supplier MuscleFood 12 years ago and has provided high-quality meat and other products to top athletes such as champion boxers and Olympians, and MMA fighters Ross Pearson and Danny Mitchell.

How and why did MuscleFood start?

“We originally owned, and still do, a gourmet meat website called Westin Gourmet. We were selling a lot of lean products, like chicken breast, and found people were buying them regularly. So we did research and found out athletes, whether that’s fighters or bodybuilders or Olympians, were ordering products. We realised there’s a market for athletes who want to buy real quality meat at a good price. That was two years ago and in January 2013 we officially started marketing MuscleFood.”

When did you start to think about the MMA market as being one that’s valuable to you?

“It was September last year. We started to see on Twitter people who were either fighters or fans tweeting and talking about our products. People who are into fighting are generally doing a little bit themselves and they look after their nutrition more. We’ve noticed more questions over the last two to three months about what they should eat pre fight. It’s obvious in that sector people are taking more interest in their diets, which is good for us.”

At a little over a year old, how big has MuscleFood become?

“It’s a multi-million-pound firm now but MuscleFood doesn’t make money. MuscleFood will only make money at the point where it’s massive. Food is a commodity and to sell food at a lower price than the supermarkets, it’s very difficult to then make money. Eventually we’ll make money in the future.”

Are there any athletes where you see getting them on your books as a bit of a milestone?

“It depends on people’s personal interests. Jade Jones, Team GB’s taekwondo gold medallist at London 2012, I followed her through the Olympics so it was quite a privilege to find out she was a customer.”

$0

At the time of going to press no one had pledged any money to the Kickstarter campaign for Matrix Fight. 

Restaurant exec named president of UFC Gym franchises

Catering industry veteran Hannibal Myers is the new head of UFC Gym’s franchise division. Myers has 20 years’ experience developing the franchise arms of US restaurants such as Taco Bell and Quiznos.

Myers replaces former LA Boxing chief Anthony Geisler, who’d held the position since UFC Gym acquired his company a little over a year ago.

Jim Rowley, CEO of UFC Gym co-owners New Evolution Ventures, said: “This decision launches a new era in the business for UFC Gym, developing further opportunities for growth and expansion through the leadership of Hannibal Myers.”

Rallying/Crashed: The MMA business can be cruel and kind

Rallying: Bad Boy

There are very few companies that have been involved with MMA since the early days and could claim to be one of the largest in the game in 2014. Apparel and equipment manufacturer Bad Boy can. A multiple FO World MMA Award winner, Bad Boy might even be bigger now than it ever has been.

Crashed: Warrior International

Inking one of the sport’s biggest stars isn’t everything, as proven with Warrior International’s signing of former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar to an endorsement deal in time for his 2008 UFC debut. Formerly one of MMA’s biggest brands, little has been seen of Warrior for some time.