We will be working diligently to get the new site up and running by tonight. If not tonight, then hopefully by tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the change is taking up all of our time, leaving no time for updates. I hope you guys understand and keep checking back to MMAlowdown.com and we will be up and running ASAP.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

The Fight Network has released the participants and match-ups for seasons 3 and 4, however it is still unknown which match-ups will be relegated to which season. It appears Bodog has been very busy signing some of the top talent in MMA. Some of the more prominant fighters signed to participate in the reality series are: Jake Shields, Daniel Puder, Yves Edwards, Nick Thompson, Chael Sonnen, and Trevor Prangley, among others. The match-ups for seasons 3 and 4 are as follows:

BodogFIGHT’s Season Three and Four Match-Ups

Heavyweights

Mario Rinaldi (USA) vs. Roy Nelson (USA)
Mark Burch (USA) vs. Yoshiki Takahashi (Japan)
Kellan Flukinger (USA) vs. Miodrag Petkovich (USA)
Dan Evensen (USA) vs. Jeremiah Constant (USA)
Daniel Puder (USA) vs. Michael Alden

Tara LaRosa (USA) vs. Shayna Baszler (USA)
Tama-Chan (Japan) vs. Jan Finney (USA)

The new seasons of the Bodog reality series are yet to be named and, like the first season, will be shot in Costa Rica.

If these new seasons are like the first, then the only ways to watch them will be on The Fight Network in Canada, Bodog’s website, or The Men’s Channel.

If anymore breaking news becomes available I will pass it along.

We really hope we can count on you guys for help. I am not asking for you to just go buy stuff for the hell of it, but if you are planning on buying any UFC or MMA merchandise, it would really help if you could buy it through the link on MMAlowdown.com.

I am not looking to line my pockets with the commissions. All proceeds will be going towards future fighter sponsorships as well as website improvements and maintenance. I have a full time job for my bills, this is strictly for the website.

We already have some improvements in the works that will be happening soon. For starters, MMAlowdown will be changing web hosts within the next week or so. This will make a huge difference for the better.

I really look forward to providing you guys with the best MMA merchandise on the net. Anybody we choose to affiliate our website with will be the best of the best. We will not settle for less. You can rest assured that if you ever use any service provided by an affiliate of MMAlowdown, you are getting top-notch products and service, and we take pride in that.

I would really like to know what you guys think about this change. As always you can leave a comment or shoot me an email at mmalowdown@hotmail.com.

If you have ever wondered what it is like to manage fighters, promote events, or perhaps you would like to start a career yourself, or maybe you are a young up and coming fighter looking for some advice, well then this is definitely the interview for you. 

MMAlowdown: Thank you very much for taking the time out to do this interview for all of us. There are a lot of people who would like to get into MMA, whether they want to fight, manage or promote, and they don’t know how to go about it. You have had a ton of success through your career so we can really learn a lot from you. I would like to start out by asking what exactly does your job entail?

Chad: First off I just wanted to thank you for thinking as highly of me as you do to arrange this interview. Everything that’s involved with promoting a show is what I do…To start with: finding a venue, matchmaking, to advertising and everything in between…That is what my job is for promoting and for managing the whole process from helping secure sponsors to researching the match-ups that are offered to my fighters and negotiating the purse and all other details.

MMAlowdown: What are all the responsibilities that come along with managing a fighter?

Chad: Finding shows for them to fight in, keeping them as active as they want to be…Making sure that the pay is fair for the fight offered to us…Making the accommodations from start to finish, dealing with contracts and medicals and working on sponsors…

MMAlowdown: Do you have to put the money up for everything until the fighter gets the purse? I mean like travel, lodging, all the accomodations they need.

Chad: No, normally that is worked out in the deal that the fighter will get the travel and hotel paid for by the promoter.

MMAlowdown: How many fighters do you currently represent, and who are some of them?

Chad: Well, as of today I have 39 fighters that I manage.
Travis Fulton UFC vet
Tyrone Roberts UFC vet
Joe Jordan UFC vet
John Halverson UFC vet(as of Feb 3)
Clay French Pride vet and KOTC world champ
Joe Pearson Pride and WEC vet
Jason Reinhardt (was going to fight in UFC in Sept but got injured)
Wayne Weems
A.J. Jenkins
and several others that are on their way to big things too…. midwestfights.com for the complete list.

MMAlowdown: Who was your first client?

Chad: In Boxing Jesse Sanders and Robbie Adamson (which both transferred to MMA and Sanders is 9-1 MMA and Adamson is 4-0 MMA)
Joe Jordan and Tyrell Roberts were my first MMA fighters.

MMAlowdown: Do you still represent them?

Chad: Yes I do.

MMAlowdown: What events are you involved with promoting?

Chad: Iowa Challenge, Extreme Challenge, Revolution Cage Fighting,Courage Fighting Championships, Royalty Fight Night, War Party Cage Fighting, I have also helped with King of the Cage, XFO and other shows.

MMAlowdown: What percent of your time is spent on boxing? MMA?

Chad: Now the majority of it is spent on MMA…When Iowa allowed us to do both sports on the same night, I was very active in both but now I spend just about everything in MMA…Also when I was working in both I didn’t have as many fighters to work with like I do now..

MMAlowdown: Do you prefer promoting boxing or mma?

Chad: I would say that MMA would have to be what I prefer.

MMAlowdown: How did you get your start?

Chad: I was training to be a boxer back in 95,96 and 97 when a man asked me to promote an MMA event with him….I knew nothing about the sport and nothing about promoting….The man was a boxing promoter and MMA was not heard of that much at the time when I started…So I decided to give it a try and help him…He hated it, I was intrigued by it and decided to keep doing it…At that point I was working a full time job of over 50 hours a week for a small business that hated MMA and did not like me doing it on the side….So, I battled through using all of my weekends off (which was only 12 a year) to promote fights…I never took a real vacation for several years due to wanting to promote the sport I grew to love. Then last January Monte Cox asked me about working for him full-time so I could then devote my entire day to MMA. Of course I excepted the job offer and took the leap of faith for myself and family and have never regretted it since.

MMAlowdown: What kind of education do you have?

Chad: I graduated high school and did go to college for a while but never finished anything. I have been around business my entire life and learned a lot through watching my family grow their business.

MMAlowdown: So a business degree would be very beneficial for an aspiring manager?

Chad: Yes it would help but it is not the biggest asset to being a successful manager and/or promoter.

MMAlowdown: What decision have you made, while managing or promoting, that you regret the most?

Chad: Not having Tim Sylvia on my early Iowa Challenge events when he was brand new…..He came to my shows and asked to be on and I just never had him fight for me.

MMAlowdown: Wow! Have you and Tim talked about it since? Are there any hard feelings? Or do you guys laugh about it?

Chad: Actually that is funny because Tim was a special guest at an event that Monte and I and Jason Reinhardt promote in Decatur Il, when Tim did bring it up….We talked about it last July and just laughed about it….Then very seriously Tim said to me “Why didnt you have me on?” I just replied with “There were no locals your size?”…

MMAlowdown: What fighter have you seen grow the most, that you managed from the beginning of their career?

Chad: I would have to say that Clay French and Chase Beebe. I started managing Clay since his 4th fight and he has fought in Pride and is now the King of the Cage World Champion. Chase has been with me since his second fight and is now 11-1 and on his way to some very big things.

MMAlowdown: What is the highlight of your career?

Chad: I would say 3 things. Being asked by Monte Cox to work fulltime for him. Monte is one of the biggest names in the sport and out of all the people he could have chosen, he chose me. That means a lot to me. The second one is cornering for my fighter, Joe Jordan in the UFC in July. That was something I always wanted to do and it happened last summer. Managing a World Champion in the King of the Cage is a huge highlight as well. I was at the event on January 19 in Rockford, Il when Clay French was named the champion.

MMAlowdown: What is the best part of your job?

Chad: Being able to set my own schedule, going to the places I do and meeting the people I have met.

MMAlowdown: If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would it be?

Chad: I really don’t think I would change anything. Everything happens for a reason and I don’t like to doubt the past decisions I have made.

MMAlowdown: How many fighters contact you for management in a given week?

Chad: A normal week there is probably at least 5 or more that contact me.

MMAlowdown: Do you have to turn down a lot of fighters?

Chad: Yes I have to turn some down because I can only keep so many people active

MMAlowdown: Your phone probably never stops ringing, does it?

Chad: No, I would say a normal month for me I use around 9-12,000 minutes and around 1200 text messages.

MMAlowdown: What are some of the things you look for in a potential client?

Chad: Work ethic is one and loyalty is another. It is a long term commitment that has to be mutual.

MMAlowdown: Without naming names, have you ever split up with a client and had it get ugly?

Chad: No, not really…I did split with a fighter and it was due to a loyalty issue…That is my biggest trait….A fighters loyalty….I take my job very seriously and I expect that in return…I will be your best friend for life but it has to be a 2 way street….We are still friends just dont do business together anymore….

MMAlowdown: For someone looking to manage fighters for a career, How do they go about getting started?

Chad: It is a tough job and not for everyone….I guess that having connections is the biggest part of getting started and just building a good reputation.

MMAlowdown: What advice would you give to someone looking get into managing fighters?

Chad: Try to get along with as many people as possible. You never know when you might need help in your career.

MMAlowdown: How long did it take you to get from day one of your career, to where you are now?

Chad: I really had no idea what to expect where this thing could go. I am still amazed sometimes on the accomplishments that I have had in my career. I have been in the business for a long time but have taken it very serious the last couple years.

MMAlowdown: What are the realistic odds of someone getting into managing, and actually succeeding?

Chad: Like I stated before, it is tough. I truly feel that going about it the right way, and that is in a good way, it is possible. There are a lot of fighters out there that need good guidance. Take your time and take the right path and you will get there. It is not a “quick cash gig”. If you are in it to make a quick buck you should reconsider what you are doing. I have seen that a million times that a new promoter comes along and thinks it is easy, looses a ton of money, doesn’t pay anyone because he doesn’t have anything, then bails on the whole thing. That makes me sick!

MMAlowdown: Was there ever a time where you thought about making a new career choice, when times were almost too tough to bear?

Chad: You know, that has crossed my mind but I think that happens to everyone at some point…I just can’t think of anything I would rather do….I have a passion and one could say an addiction to this…I don’t see myself walking away anytime soon….

MMAlowdown: What advice would you give to a young up and coming fighter?

Chad: Stay Loyal to your friends and the people that get you where you are. Don’t be star struck. Then train hard and your work will pay off and everything happens for a reason.

MMAlowdown: What are some of the things they need to look out for when trying to find the right manager?

Chad: Do some background checks on the person with other fighters that have dealt with him. Another thing is that agents or managers that are new might try to promise the world to young fighters and convince them into something that they might not be sure of. Keep these things in mind.

MMAlowdown: How many hours do you put in a week?

Chad: That is a tough one. Realistically I would say between 60-70 hours a week. I work for a long time off and on throughout the day. It also depends on if I have a show that weekend.

MMAlowdown: Take us through a normal day.

Chad: I wake up around 8:30am
Go to the gym from 9am-10:30 and lift weights, wrestle, box and do cardio (each day is a little different on the workout)
Work on the computer with emails and paper work from 11:00-1:00pm
Take a lunch break from 1:00-1:30pm
Go back to work at 1:30- 5:30 making calls
5:30pm-8:30pm spend time with my wife and 3 kids and eat supper
9pm- midnight-2AM work on more paper work, return the calls I missed and work with the emails from the day.
That is a normal weekday for me. The weekends are much different. The week of a show is a lot different starting on Fridays.
Fridays normally I do interviews in the AM and see that the cage is being set up at the venue. The afternoon will bring a TV interview then the weigh ins around 7pm. Then to pass out flyers for my shows at night and finish the details for a show until around 2-3AM the night before.
The day of a show I work out the last minute issues and get the passes to the fighters and corners and do the physicals around 4pm and then the rules meeting around 6:30pm. The typical show will start around 7:30pm. After the show I will go to the after party and then back the hotel to finalize the event. Then head home Sunday morning and not do a whole lot all day. Then back at it Monday morning. It is a lot of work but there is nothing I would rather be doing and can’t see myself ever doing anything else. I love what I do and the people I am around.

MMAlowdown: Wow that’s impressive. Have you ever thought about competing? Maybe grappling or jiu jitsu, or even mma? You certainly have the connections and the work ethic!

Chad: That is how I got started was through training….But now, no not at all…I am just to into the business side of it to compete….I did wrestle a bit but got kicked out for an “illegeal” move….Funny because it would have been acceptable in an MMA fight….Thats another story though…Anyways, I like most, have had my fair share of memories in streetfights and just want to keep it there….Plus I never would have thought how sore I get after working out now….j/k I guess I am just getting older….

MMAlowdown: Is there anything else you want to say? Anybody to thank or anything like that?

Chad: Yes I would like to thank my family for being supportive, my wife Nikki and kids Dylan, Alexis and Josephine really help keep me motivated and keep my priorities straight….I do want to thank my staff for being willing to help out at the events that I promote…My fighters for understanding and trusting me with their careers and also I would like to thank Monte Cox for his guidance that he has given me and an inspiration for the type of job we have….And also for God for giving me the strength and wisdom to deal with the everyday battles that I endure. Thank you Matt for having me on the interview and being open to learn more about this sport that we love and are working so hard to improve.

MMAlowdown: We definitely appreciate you taking the time out of your very busy schedule to do this for us. I think I speak for everyone when I say that you are a very successful manager and we really learned a lot from you in this interview. You are putting together one hell of a stable of young fighters. 2006 was successful for you, but I have a feeling that 2007 and 08 are going to be on a whole different level.

You guys should go check out Chad’s website, Midwestfights.com, and see what he has going on. You can see all of the fighters he is managing, see their recent and up-coming events, and you can drop him an email and tell him what you think of his interview. And if you are a fighter looking for management, I can’t think of a better person to have on your side than him.

I hope you guys enjoyed this interview as much as I enjoyed doing it. For all the latest news in the world of MMA, check back to MMAlowdown.com.

• Dave Meltzer from Wrestlingobserver.com reported in his most recent newsletter that UFC 66, while it didn’t reach the goal of 1.2 million buys the UFC set forth, did become the biggest non boxing Pay Per View event in North American history. Preliminary estimates are slightly in excess of 1 million buys. That would put the total PPV revenue in the neighborhood of $40 million. Meltzer is widely regarded as the best inside reporters in pro wrestling as well as mma, with sources in every major promotion’s front office.

• If you haven’t gone over to Sportspickem.com to sign up for the UFC 67 picks, you are definitely missing out. It is completely free and only takes a minute to sign up. The winner will be receiving UFC Ultimate Knockouts 1 and 2 DVDs. MMAlowdown.com is the official sponsor of the contest and myself, Keith, and possibly Dann from UFCjunkie.com will be coming up with something for future contest, so you should definitely head over to Sportspickem.com to get in on the action.

• Joe Pearson, who lost to Urijah Faber for the WEC featherweight title on Jan. 20th, failed his pre-fight drug test for marijuana, or THC. This is some sad news that hopefully won’t look too bad for mma because it shouldn’t. Although it is a failed drug test, Joe is not a cheater, he is just a kid who has a bad habit and could use some help. Nothing more, nothing less. I really hope Joe bounces back from this, He is a gritty competitor who always puts forth a great effort.

• The Fight Network is also reporting that Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and PRIDE newcomer Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, out of Team Quest, has been added to PRIDE “the Second Coming” on Feb. 24th in Las Vegas. Sokoudjou is a U.S. Open Judo champion and newcomer to MMA with a 2-1 record. He had olympic aspirations in Judo but was unable to compete due to visa complications.

I will have a great interview posted either tomorrow or the day after. Be sure to check back for that. It is really one of a kind. For now I need to get some rest.

Given the chance Fitch could be up there with the cream of the crop in the stacked welterweight division of the UFC. The fact is his fights are never given the attention and marketing he deserves. The reasons for this are he doesn’t fight often and the quality of opponents he faces are not on the same level as him.

A recent article on fcfighter.com shed some light on this issue.

Joe Silva, the UFC’s matchmaker, told Fitch’s manager that he has never had such a hard time finding opponents for a fighter. Fitch attributes that to the fact that none of his opponents, win or lose, walk away without getting injured.

At UFC 68, Fitch will be squaring off against Luigi Fiorvanti. Although this is not a match with title implications, Fiorvanti is an accomplished fighter and a win by Fitch will provide him with some valuable experience. This will be Fiorvanti’s first fight at welterweight since making the cut from middleweight.

Thankfully this match will even be taking place because, according to Fitch, Fiorvanti stepped up to take the fight after a very lengthy list of UFC welterweights thought better of getting into the octogon with Fitch. I can’t say I blame them.

Fitch is 12-2 in MMA and 4-0 in UFC with wins over Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Thiago Alves, Josh Burkman, and Brock Larson. He also holds a win over Shonie Carter in Shooto.

Whether fighters keep ducking him or not, one thing is for sure; if Fitch keeps up his dominant ways, soon the top of the division will be forced to take notice. Welterweights in the UFC be advised; Jon Fitch is here to stay and as long as he keeps taking guys out, sooner or later you will have to acknowledge him.

Some of my favorites are; Tito Ortiz, Karo Parisyan, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Wanderlei Silva, and the list goes on forever.

Somewhere very high on that list is “Mayhem” Miller. Few mixed martial artists blend wrestling, jiu jitsu, kick boxing, and charisma like he does. He is on a level all his own.

On March 24th 2007, the cult hero will grace the WEC with his presence, according to mmaweekly.com, against an opponent not yet known. Although this is only a rumor at this point, mmaweekly is usually spot on with this stuff, having some of the best sources in mma media.

This will be the WEC’s second show under the Zuffa banner. On Jan. 20th the WEC put on a show in Las Vegas in which “Razor” Rob McCullough dismantled Kit Cope in under 3 minutes to claim the vacant lightweight championship. Urijah Faber also retained his featherweight title via TKO over Joe Pearson, former PRIDE fighter.

Some people may be upset that “Mayhem” is not going to compete in the UFC, and justifiably so. “Mayhem” has stated that he will continue to fight for Icon Sport, out of Hawaii, which he is under contract with. “Mayhem” lost his Icon Sport middleweight title to Frank Trigg in December.

The UFC would not, under any circumstances, let an athlete compete in their organization while still under contract with another promotion. It would be pointless because they would be unable to push him for a title shot. I guess they are not so strict with the WEC.

At any rate, “Mayhem” should make a huge splash in the WEC, which is growing more and more everyday. I am sure plenty of “Mayhem Monkeys” will be in attendance.

Also rumored to be fighting is Razor Rob McCullough, who will be making his first defense of his lightweight title against Rich Crunkilton. Here is the rest of the rumored card courtesy of mmaweekly.com:

WEC (2ND SHOW UNDER ZUFFA OWNERSHIP): MARCH 24, 2007
Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

-Rob McCullough vs. Rich Crunkilton
-Doug Marshall vs. Jorge Oliveira
-Jason Miller vs. TBA
-Jesse Moreng vs. TBA

This event will not be shown live. Highlights from the event will be shown this summer on the Versus Network.

This match first took place  in TUF season 1 with Diego pulling out the close decision in a 2 round exhibition match.

The stakes are raised this time. Everytime one of these two athletes gets into the octagon, he wins, and everyone on every forum says they deserve a title shot. Well this time you may just get your wish.

The winner of this match will be the number one contender. I honestly believe the UFC will see it this way as well.

Koscheck has been very vocal about wanting a rematch with Diego. In his bulletin he says that he has been asking the UFC to set this up for the last year. It appears he has gotten his wish. As the saying goes; be careful what you wish for.

Diego is on a hot streak that has been matched by very few people. Everytime he gets into the octogon he silences the critics. A lot of people think that he is not invincible and he has chinks in his armor. All I have to say to them is; the proof is in the pudding.

So who do I think will win this showdown? I’m glad you asked.

Both of these fighters are improving by leaps and bounds every time they step into the octagon. And with the fight taking place in April, it gives them plenty more time to improve.

I would be hard pressed to pick against Diego. People always pick him to lose and every time he proves them wrong.

Greg Jackson’s camp is the place to be nowadays. With Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, Nate Marquardt, and Diego Sanchez, Jackson is putting together one hell of a stable. Jackson is the mastermind credited with his fighters success. The man knows how to win.

In closing, I look for Diego to emerge victorious. That will set up one of the best title matches in the history of MMA. A year from now, we might have a different outcome, but the fact is that Koscheck is a work in progress and Diego is a finished product.

Regardless of who I pick, anything can happen, and that is why they fight the fights. Thank god for that.

People may say that the UFC underpays its fighters but one thing is for sure; they know how to take care of their marquee names.  GSP’s new mega-deal will make him one of the top three paid fighters in the UFC according to GSP’s agent; Stephane Patry.

Patry commented that the negotiations were difficult at times but an agreement was eventually reached.

St. Pierre is riding a wave of success that is unmatched in the UFC, winning his last five fights against a who’s who of mixed martial artists inclucing; BJ Penn, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, “Mayhem” Miller, and the aforementioned Matt Hughes.

Dana White has made no secret of the fact that he would like GSP to be the poster boy of the UFC. Why wouldn’t he? St. Pierre is a phenomenal athlete, intelligent, good looking, and he attracts the Canadian crowd.

The plan was to have GSP headline UFC 69 in Montreal, Canada in a rubber match with Matt Hughes but those plans fell through and the event will now be held in Houston, Texas. If St. Pierre’s knee injury heals in time, the delayed title defense against TUF 4 winner Matt Serra will headline the card in Houston.

You can get used to seeing the welterweight strap around the waist of GSP. With his mix of talent and explosiveness, he is in a league all his own. Now it is up to Joe Silva to put those six fights to good use. Something tells me he will.

This is what mma fans have been asking for as long as I can remember. I just hope they do it the right way and cover mma, not just UFC. I would be very surprised if they took my advice though. But hey, as they say, any publicity is good publicity.

As soon as more info on the outcome of the meeting becomes available I will pass it along. As always, stay tuned to MMAlowdown.com for all your mma needs. I keep promising that I have some big things in the works and a couple big announcements to make, please bare with me and as soon as the time is right I will make it public. You won’t be dissappointed. Also, please give me some feedback via email or the comments section and let me know what you think about the site so far. Remember to check us out at Myspace and MyMMAspace as well.