Issue 117

July 2014

EVOLVE MMA OPENS DOORS TO HOLIDAYMAKERS

Singapore-based Evolve MMA is broadening its horizons by making its training facility a destination for not just fighters, but also for tourists thanks to the new Evolve Vacation Training Pass. Usually a home to the likes of One FC lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, former Bellator welterweight champ Ben Askren and UFC’s Rafael Dos Anjos, Evolve MMA will welcome people from all walks of life to train with its world-class coaches. Packages start from $199 (£118), which will land you a week of unlimited training at the highly respected gym, all the way up to the $1,229 (£772) package which is for those who want to stay three months and receive private sessions, nutrition consultations and much more. Evolve has also joined up with a number of hostels and hotels to get special discounts on accommodation. “In addition to the strong core growth in our academy’s business, Evolve MMA has experienced tremendous growth from incoming overseas travelers from around the world. It only seems natural to create an in-depth 360-degree program for all our incoming visitors who want to experience first-hand the best martial arts training available anywhere in the world,” explains founder and chairman of Evolve MMA, Chatri Sityodtong.

UFC SUING PPV PIRATE FOR £19M

The UFC has sent out a warning to all fans who attempt to pirate their events by suing one man for a massive £19 million Steve Messina, 27, from Great Kills, New York, has been accused of uploading 141 UFC events to file-sharing websites such as The Pirate Bay and Isohunt and asking for Paypal donations to help cover costs. According to court papers, Messina and his team of internet pirates were “intent on becoming the best-known pirates and infringers on the internet by making their mark on the major torrent websites available on the internet.”

RALLYING/CRASHED: THE MMA BUSINESS CAN BE CRUEL AND KIND

RALLYING: RVCA

With the return of BJ Penn for the TUF 19 Finale, sales of sports clothing brand RVCA are set to go through the roof once again among MMA fans. One of the primary reasons RVCA has been able to stay afloat while other brands have fallen by the wayside is due to its popularity in other sporting realms, such as skateboarding and surfing.

CRASHED: DEAD GAME

Once upon a time, Dead Game had one of the best fighter rosters in MMA, with the likes of Thiago Alves, Jim Miller, Ricardo Almeida and Frankie Edgar all repping the brand. However, the company hasn’t updated its website news section since Bellator 33, in October 2010. Plus, Dead Game’s merchandise hasn’t been worn at any major MMA events in years.

INDUSTRY JOBS: TOM BEAR

Role: Outdoor adventure and lifestyle photographer

Info: Works regularly for The Wall Street Journal, Red Bull, ESPN and Fighters Only

What was the first cover shoot you did for Fighters Only, and was it your ?rst MMA assignment?

“My first cover was Frankie Edgar. My first MMA job was photographing fighters at Greg Jackson’s gym for their website in 2006. It was before Georges St Pierre won the championship.” 

What’s the best thing about being a photographer covering mixed martial arts?

“Meeting the legends of the sport I love. I was initially surprised at how humble and nice the majority of the fighters are.”

How did you first get into sports photography?

“I started as an adventure sport photographer. I’d chase my friends around the mountains with my camera as they jumped off huge cliffs, skied powder, and kayaked creeks and waterfalls. It was a lot of fun.”

Where did you study, and what equipment do you use?

“I was an assistant for two years. I worked for two famous photographers where I learned lighting, composition and, most importantly, the business of photography. As far as equipment’s concerned, I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark III camera and I use Einstein strobes.”

Is there any fighter you’ve not shot already that you would really like to?

“I would love the chance to photograph Fedor Emelianenko. He was one of the first fighters that got me into MMA.”

£60,000

The UFC contributed £60,000 ($100,000) to the Republican Governors Association, which has proposed a new bill to give boxing and MMA promoters to the right to withhold information such as ticket sales for events in Florida.