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Numerous mixed martial arts promotions, including UFC and Elite XC, have named a heavyweight world champion within their ranks.
The World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts, or WAMMA, wants to go a step further.
The MMA sanctioning body, anchored by vice presidents Pat Miletich and
Bill Goldberg, plans to decide an undisputed heavyweight champion —
choosing from a pool of promotions.
“If you’re a fighter, you don’t want to be the promotional No. 1,” said Miletich, a five-time UFC champion. “You want to be the overall No. 1.”
Here are the details:
Who is fighting?
Heavyweights Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia will meet for the undisputed heavyweight belt Saturday in Anaheim, Calif. The fight will be on pay-per-view ($39.95) at 9 p.m. in an hour-long event called Affliction Banned, which includes other bouts. Fox Sports Net will air two undercard fights on Affliction Live at 8 p.m.
Tell me about some fighters on the card.
Emelianenko, a Russian and former PRIDE champion, is the No. 1 heavyweight in the world. This will be only his second fight in the United States. He served in the Russian army, and his background is in judo and sambo. “Any time you can watch Fedor fight, it’s exciting,” said Goldberg, a former pro wrestler. “He’s an extremely unique heavyweight.” Sylvia is a two-time UFC champion. The co-feature of the night is ex-UFC title-holder Andrei Arlovski against former International Fight League (IFL) champ Ben Rothwell.
How much money is at stake?
The purse for this event is undisclosed but will be “at least several million dollars,” said Michael Lynch, WAMMA’s chief operating officer. Emelianenko is expected to earn more than $1 million, not including endorsements.
Who is in WAMMA?
Most of the major promotions, including Affliction, Adrenaline MMA, M-1, Strikeforce and IFL. WAMMA is working on a deal with Elite XC. A major stumbling block to the alliance’s long-term success is that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) — the promotion with the best MMA fighters — isn’t involved as yet.
Can a current UFC fighter be in a match sponsored by WAMMA?
No. UFC doesn’t allow its fighters to fight in anything except for UFC events.
How long has WAMMA been around, and how are its rankings done?
The organization, based in Orlando, has existed for about two years. WAMMA publishes fighter rankings every month, similar to college football’s ranking system. Twenty journalists and MMA insiders rank the top 10 fighters in six weight divisions, regardless of a fighter’s promotion or cooperation with WAMMA.
Who regulates MMA in Florida, and how prevalent is it?
Florida is one of the more rabid MMA states. It’s regulated by the Florida State Boxing Commission. A pro MMA event, sponsored by Cage Warriors USA and Xtreme Warriors Fighting Championships, is scheduled for Aug. 23 at UCF Arena.
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