While the culmination of Zuffa's purchase of the PRIDE Fighting Championships from Dream Stage Entertainment will be realized Saturday in London when Quinton Jackson (Pictures) fights Dan Henderson (Pictures), the UK's biggest home-grown mixed martial arts product was given a boost on Thursday when Cage Rage and EliteXC promoter ProElite announced a formal partnership.
This news came the same day that ProElite revealed it would make a capital investment in Entilan Corp., the Seoul-based promoter of Korean MMA lynchpin SpirtMC. Though terms were not disclosed, a press release from the promoters indicated the deal would be represented by an infusion of cash combined with the issuance of restricted shares of ProElite's common stock.
"ProElite stands alone as an organization dedicated to supporting MMA globally," said Kwang Hyun Park, founder and president of SpiritMC. "It is clear they are committed to growing the sport throughout Korea, and we look forward to working together to expanding that effort worldwide."
With the recently acquired King of the Cage and ICON Sport brands, that makes five promotions, including Rumble on the Rock, now under the ProElite banner.
"I have always said that when someone holds up a belt and says I'm a world champion, that it truly should mean world champion and not a club champion from someone's own organization," EliteXC president Gary Shaw said during a conference call with media Thursday. "So we will continue to acquire brands. We'll continue to let our fighters fight all over the world and we will continue to offer everyone from every organization, wherever they are, an opportunity to fight for our belts."
Through ProElite's partnership with Cage Rage, a long-standing British group that has produced fighters who have fought and won in major promotions around the world, the organization will be better equipped to deal with a rapidly changing UK MMA market, said the company's founders Dave O'Donnell and Andy Geer.
"As we move forward, the national brand of Cage Rage will continue to back British talent to the hilt and pitch it against the very elite of international fighters in our own inimitable style," said Geer, who with this weekend's UFC card will have seen the U.S. organization come to his shores three times in 2007.
Cage Rage's first event following Thursday's announcement takes place Sept. 22 at the Wembley Arena in London.
"I look forward to developing young English fighters and turning them into true world champions, ala Ricky Hatton in boxing," Shaw was quoted as saying in a press release
This news came the same day that ProElite revealed it would make a capital investment in Entilan Corp., the Seoul-based promoter of Korean MMA lynchpin SpirtMC. Though terms were not disclosed, a press release from the promoters indicated the deal would be represented by an infusion of cash combined with the issuance of restricted shares of ProElite's common stock.
"ProElite stands alone as an organization dedicated to supporting MMA globally," said Kwang Hyun Park, founder and president of SpiritMC. "It is clear they are committed to growing the sport throughout Korea, and we look forward to working together to expanding that effort worldwide."
With the recently acquired King of the Cage and ICON Sport brands, that makes five promotions, including Rumble on the Rock, now under the ProElite banner.
"I have always said that when someone holds up a belt and says I'm a world champion, that it truly should mean world champion and not a club champion from someone's own organization," EliteXC president Gary Shaw said during a conference call with media Thursday. "So we will continue to acquire brands. We'll continue to let our fighters fight all over the world and we will continue to offer everyone from every organization, wherever they are, an opportunity to fight for our belts."
Through ProElite's partnership with Cage Rage, a long-standing British group that has produced fighters who have fought and won in major promotions around the world, the organization will be better equipped to deal with a rapidly changing UK MMA market, said the company's founders Dave O'Donnell and Andy Geer.
"As we move forward, the national brand of Cage Rage will continue to back British talent to the hilt and pitch it against the very elite of international fighters in our own inimitable style," said Geer, who with this weekend's UFC card will have seen the U.S. organization come to his shores three times in 2007.
Cage Rage's first event following Thursday's announcement takes place Sept. 22 at the Wembley Arena in London.
"I look forward to developing young English fighters and turning them into true world champions, ala Ricky Hatton in boxing," Shaw was quoted as saying in a press release