Maximum Fighting In 2008

Courtesy of Maximum Fighting Championship:

For Immediate Release

The Maximum Fighting Championship had a great 2007 schedule – the best in the company’s history so far – and for that we thank the efforts of our fighters.

Without their time and dedication to the sport of mixed martial arts we would not have the best organization in Canada and we would not be able to look forward to a 2008 schedule that will see us busier than ever before. We are anxious to begin the ’08 campaign in style with MFC 15: Rags to Riches which will be held on Friday, February 22 at the River Cree Resort and Casino.

The MFC has found a great home at the River Cree Resort and Casino and we are excited about the opportunities we will have at this fantastic venue. The MFC has sold out seven straight shows including all five of our shows in 2007: MFC 13 and 14 at the River Cree Resort and Casino, MFC 11 and 12 held at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, and Unplugged 3 at the Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe in Edmonton.

We are also pleased to be considering a number of other offers from others venues in cities across North America looking to host MFC events. The MFC is doing its due diligence in looking into all possibilities for 2008 with a show or two in the United States as a top priority.

In addition to the sellout crowds, the MFC also had tremendous media exposure – the best of any MMA organization outside of the UFC. The MFC was featured in daily newspapers, national news organizations, Sportsnet, TSN and local/regional TV networks. The amount of coverage was terrific and it resulted in a great deal more fan interest and sponsorship opportunities for our fighters.

The MFC wrapped up a 2007 season that saw us become the only fully-corporately sponsored organization in Canada, proving that the business community has become a great source of support. We continue to add more sponsors all the time including our latest partnership with Coors Light.

And in ’07, the MFC put on three great charity celebrity poker tournaments at the River Cree Resort and Casino. Our celebrity list included UFC fighter Jason MacDonald, MFC fighters like Ryan Ford and Ryan McGillivray, Ethan Moreau of the Edmonton Oilers, MFC fighter and Edmonton Eskimo Adam Braidwood plus a long list of media celebrities who have supported the MFC. The MFC also hosted a superb four-hour seminar put on by UFC legend Tito Ortiz – an event that brought out fighters and fans from across Western Canada.

As we move closer to the 2008 schedule, the management of the Maximum Fighting Championship would like to remind fighters of some past guidelines that we will continue to enforce next year and also introduce a few new measures that we are putting into place so that we may continue to bring our fans the best product possible:

Fighter Records

Beginning in 2008, fighters wanting to compete in the MFC must have a winning record or at minimum a .500 record (ex. 4-4). The MFC began to institute this practice on the upper portion of the main card at MFC 13 and 14. It was immediately evident that it raised the quality of the show and the fans responded favorably so we are implementing this idea throughout the card. In order for us to continue to bring the best fights to our fans, we must use the best fighters available with the best records.

There will be limited exceptions under certain circumstances including adding a fighter to a show as a late injury replacement. We will also consider fighters with sub-.500 records who have fought well in the MFC in the past, but these fighters will only be able to compete in preliminary bouts until their record is .500 or better.

We encourage fighters who have less than .500 records and who are looking to improve their record as well as fighters who are looking to gain more experience early in their careers to fight with smaller organizations in order to work their way back up. Once their record is at or above .500, the MFC will consider getting those fighters on one of our shows.

A limited number of pro debut fighters will be accepted. These fighters are going to be guys who have shown serious potential in the sport and someone who the MFC has a definite interest in using on a long-term basis. We will use pro debut fighters who show a good level of natural talent plus signs of a work ethic to improve along with those pro debut fighters who are training with a well-established team especially alongside fighters who have already compete in the MFC.

Hometown Fight Cards

With the MFC headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, and with the majority of our shows in Edmonton, we wish to make it clear to our fans which fighters fight with our organization and which do not.

Therefore, we remind fighters that if you choose to fight with any other organization on a show in Edmonton, you cannot fight in the MFC. You can also not flip back and forth between organizations (fight for MFC, then a different promotion in Edmonton and then back to MFC). In the past two years an over-abundance of smaller shows have come into Edmonton. Most have proven to have a bare minimum of success and have track records that are very treacherous.

The MFC was the first organization to be fully-sanctioned in Canada outside of Quebec. We are now the most success organization in the country and we intend on being here for the long haul for many years to come. We have completed 18 shows and have 6-7 more planned for 2008.

All fighters (unless signed to an exclusivity contract) are welcome to fight for any other organization outside of the MFC on shows outside of Edmonton.

Fighter Medicals

The MFC will no longer pay for fighter medicals including cat-scans and bloodwork. We will, on limited occasions, make appointments for fighters to get medical procedures done but the fighter will be financially responsible for the tests.

We recommend to all fighters that they update their medical records early in 2008 so that they are ready to fight at any time during the year without delay.

Contract and Itineraries

We remind fighters to read their contracts thoroughly before signing them and feel free to call or email with any questions. This will eliminate any confusion on smaller items such as tickets for the show and per diem.

The MFC would also like to remind fighters to check your itineraries when they are emailed to you and to be mindful of changes to schedules. It’s all in an effort to make everything go as smoothly as possible.