Having worked with some of the top guys in Australian MMA from both sides of promoting, I think it is time to layout some of the essential skills I believe will help the next generation of stars mature and achieve all they set to do and take advantage of the shortcuts that can be available to the right type of individual.
Obviously a key to all of this is to win fights and I have seen many a good fighter not get the best opportunities over a fighter that can fulfill most of the criteria I am about to outlay for you here today.
In today’s society with so many available forms of media, if you can communicate well when the opportunities arrive, you will be more attractive to prospective sponsors, promoters and fans.
Practice post fight interviews and get used to hearing your voice through a microphone.
Have your own network of followers that you can promote your fights to Fight Promoters like to make money and will give the greatest opportunities to those they can leverage making money off.
The smartest fighters know how to promote their own fights and many because of this profit greatly from it.
Even amateur fighters can get commission on selling tickets and I know of first time fighters who have made over $1000 by leveraging this simple method.
3.Train with a reputable club/team When you come from a known source, you are automatically given greater credence by Fans and Promoters alike.
From a promoters perspective they will take a fighter on a card much more readily when they are advised by a coach, with whom they know they can trust.
4.Build your own brand This is closely related to point 2 ‘Promoting to a network of followers’.
Your brand is what makes you marketable and profitable from a sponsor’s, a promoter’s and your own perspectives.
As you progress with your career I recommend you: *Get a fight name or tag line.
Have access to professional quality pictures of yourself both fighting and training *Create a Facebook Fan page so people can follow you and know what you are up to.
You will quickly end any prospects of a successful career by cancelling fights, coming in over weight, not returning calls and the biggest NO NO of them all, no shows.
If you agree to a certain amount of tickets that you will sell, advise the promoter as early as possible if you foresee any problems fulfilling this.
See point 7 6.Let your fight results reinforce all of the above Winning is a key ingredient but is unlikely to be the only thing to take you to the top, it may be at your peril if you try and skip some of the steps I am outlining for you here.
Pick one promoter as your main source of fights and have your team/coach/manager work with them to help achieve your goals In the fight business Promoters are rarely afforded a high degree of fighter loyalty.
A good promoter can be one of your greatest allies, so make sure they know what you want to achieve up front and ask them for their help in achieving that.
A smart promoter will respect knowing what he has to work with and is far more likely to be able to work in with you if he knows what you want to achieve.
Remember you are your brand and in the fight game your ‘window of opportunity’ and ‘shelf life’ can be short.
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