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Q&A WITH BRETTROBERTS, CEO OFBAMMA USABAMMA USA held its inaugural Badbeat fight in Southern

California in Sept. 2010. Since then, the organization has

added the Amateur League Fighting Alliance (ALFA) promo-

tion to its business model, and the all-professional BAMMA

Badbeat 7 event was held in Commerce, Calif. in October.

We spoke with BAMMA USA CEO Brett Roberts to learnmore about this growing organization.

MMA Business: MMA fighters and fans in Southern California

have many options today. What is different about BAMMA?

Brett Roberts: We try to be the most active organization in

Southern California, with four to six pro fights per year and

a variety of amateur fights in between. We want to be rec-

ognized as one of the most important up-and-coming fight

organizations in the nation.

We are proud to put on a high-quality show with evenly

matched fights, and in an atmosphere people want to experi-ence. We try to be bigger than the other events in South-

ern California. Were chasing Bellator, publicity-wise. Were

dedicated to MMA, and many other shows in the area do

hybrid events, with boxing or Muay Thai.

Im a businessman, not just a guy coming off the mat. I

saw Mixed Martial Arts going the wrong way, business-wise.

One of our first goals was to change that. We are kid friend-

ly, and we have class in our production. Were going after the

businessman and businesswoman as fans. Its not about go-go

girls; we keep our Ring Girls classy.

MMA: Who is your audience?

Rogers: We recently analyzed our fan demographic. After

13 shows we decided to spend some money on research, and

our fans are higher-income people.

BAMMA is reaching more than 20 million people a year.

I was surprised to learn that, and I made our research partner

explain this number to me several times because I didnt be-

lieve it at first.

So now were going back to our sponsors. Look, were not

the cheapest show in town for fans. But we keep marketing

to the businessman and woman. I continue to say Im market-

ing to the men and women who pick up their clothes at the

dry cleaner. And this works great for our sponsors, too.

GoPro gambled on us back in March 2011, saying, welltry it out for a year. Were a testosterone-driven organiza-

tion, and that attitude crosses over to the sports more rec-

ognized with the GoPro brand surfing, skateboarding,

etc. We started using their products in our production, even

putting a camera on a referee. When it came time to renew

the sponsorship, GoPro was excited to continue. It works for

them; theyre tracking click-throughs directly to purchases.

We are the only MMA organization they sponsor.

MMA: BAMMA uses, for one, a local car show for marketing

purposes. Why did you choose that audience for marketing?

Rogers: Weve been working with the MotorTrend magazine

auto shows for years as a sponsor of the Orange County (Ca-

lif.) International Auto Show. Its an identical demographic

to that of MMA. Its a testosterone-driven audience. As a

business man and a marketing guy, when I had the opportu-

nity to team up with MotorTrend, I said Why Not?

This car show is a great marketing tool right in our neigh-

borhood. Why not put my brand in front of this audience

right in my back yard? Every year, we get more and more

recognition of our brand from this show.

MMA: How do you manage the relationship with fighters?

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Rogers: Im a businessman, and my handshake is as strong as

my signature. I m a hands-on guy. I talk to them directly, I go

see them at the gyms. Im in on negotiations. And I am per-

sonal friends with a lot of them. I know what theyre going

through. I sympathize with them. But Im also straightfor-

ward with them. I help them understand they are a commod-

ity, and they need to market this. They need to understand

the business perspective of their value.

MMA: What is ALFA?

Rogers: The Amateur League Fighting Alliance (ALFA) is our

breeding ground for professionals; we started it in 2011. The

amateur fighters are the next pros, so ALFA is much like a mi-

nor league system in baseball or hockey. Christopher Schom-

mer, for example, fought for us as an amateur, and now were

moving him up, graduating him to our pro Badbeat fights.

ALFA fights lead to Badbeat fights, and then to UFC or Bella-

tor. ALFA helps give amateur fighters a solid future.

We grab the fighters in the amateur world, giving them op-

portunities to showcase their skills. And they can fight other

places. But we want them to stick with us, and we put some

marketing behind them and the events.

MMA: Whats the three-year plan for BAMMA USA?

Rogers: We definitely want to be a national-level promotion.

We are growing rapidly. We have 2013 almost all planned out.Were discussing TV deals, and will be on TV real soon. We

have a lot on the table.

We hit our original five-year trajectory in just 25 months.

In three years, I would expect we will be in the top four MMA

promotions in the nation, probably top 5 in the world. Were

growing organically, too, controlling the growth. Were going

to expand to a bigger facility soon.

MMA: Whats special or unique about BAMMA that will help

make that goal a reality?

Rogers: When you come to a BAMMA fight, youll see we

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are true to the history and traditions of Mixed Martial Arts.

MMA is exactly what it says it is a mix of traditional arts. We

maintain respect for all the arts and the discipline that makes

them unique. Were proud to showcase the respect for these

arts, for fighting and for all fighters. Youre never going to see

me cussing out someone. Were going to maintain the focus on

these traditions, in both the fights and in the business.

MMA WORLD EXPO

FIGHTS ONFrom the inaugural MMA World Expo in 2009 to the second

event a year later, it was clear to see the marked change from

a lifestyle-oriented consumer show to an active and par-

ticipatory fight-focused event. That trend continued at last

years show, when promoter Paul Paone introduced the STS

Challenge fights. For 2012, it goes

to the next round with New York

Citys first-ever Amateur Mixed

Martial Arts Tournament as the

featured event of the fourth annualMMA World Expo, Dec. 1 and 2 at

Manhattans Jacob Javits Center.

Held in association with FILA,

International Federation of Associ-

ated Wrestling Styles, this invita-

tional event will feature fighters in

several weight classes with competi-

tors vying for international ranking

within the FILA federation.

The opportunity to work with

an internationally renowned sports

organization like FILA provides ourMMA tournament with a highly or-

ganized, proven structure that en-

sures fair competition, excitement

for fans and above-all, safety for the athletes, said Paul Pa-

one, MMA World Expo Founder and Director.

The MMA World Expo will also include product ex-

hibits, professional MMA fighters, autograph signings and

training sessions conducted by many of the regions best

coaches including Jimmy Pedro, current USA Judo Olympic

Team Coach; Kru Phil Nurse, Muay Thai trainer to UFC

Champions Frankie Edgar, Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre;

and Marcelo Garcia, BJJ legend.

But this years show will be about fights. FILA, the inter-

national governing body for Olympic wrestling, grappling,

pankration, and amateur mixed martial arts, is proud to take

part in the fourth edition of the World MMA Expo and hold

the first FILA-sanctioned amateur MMA tournament ever

organized in North America on that occasion, said Anne

Pellaud, Head of the Sport and Communication Department

of FILA. (For more on this new amateur tournament, see

Wide World of MMA on page 42.)

The Expo will feature other amateur tournaments, includ-

ing the Renzo Gracie Open BJJ. As with last years tourna-

ment, Gracie has decided to open competition to all athletesregardless of their school affiliation.

The STS Challenge which encompasses striking (S),

take-downs (T) and submissions (S) returns for its second

annual tournament. Competitors battle in three individual

rounds of Muay Thai, take-downs and no-gi Jiu-Jitsu. Paone

worked to create this tournament for last years expo, be-

cause the style combines all elements of MMA in individuals

rounds to fit within state laws.

The MMA World Expo is also partnering with the World

Series of Fighting by offering walk-on try-outs for the

chance to earn a professional fight contract with the newly

formed WSoF fight organization. Participants will be asked

to perform various stand-up and grappling maneuvers, light

sparring, and conditioning exercises. Judges will rank the

top contenders who will be further evaluated to see who

continues on the road to the pro contract.