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WAMMA Is Grasping for Relevancy

Emphasize grasping:

Who is in WAMMA?

Most of the major promotions, including Affliction, Adrenaline MMA, M-1, Strikeforce and International Fight League (IFL). WAMMA is working on a deal with EliteXC. 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 of yet.

This is obfuscation of the first order.

First, Affliction, Adrenaline, M-1 and the IFL are not major promotions. Affliction has yet to stage an event., M-1's relevancy is largely tied to eastern Europe, Adrenaline is a regional MMA organization with one event under it's belt and the IFL is all but dead. Strikeforce is successful, but they are also a regional promotion with a national presence. And while there is decent talent across all of these groups, they still all pale in comparison to the UFC. To classify this group as "the major promotions" is very, very bogus.

Second, I've checked the WAMMA site and there's nothing on there about M-1, Strikeforce or the IFL ceding their belts to the supremacy of WAMMA (wasn't Josh Thomson just crowned Strikeforce Lightweight Champion?). And even if they were to do so, I'm not sure what the title would mean. Between DREAM and the UFC, most of the lightweights and welterweights are already accounted for (let's go ahead and toss in bantam and featherweights since Zuffa owns the WEC). There are a few middleweights of high rank outside of the UFC, but again, most of the top belong to the UFC. The light heavyweight division is completely locked up by the UFC and while Affliction has the best heavyweight "division", the company's future as a MMA promotion is anything but certain.

I'll investigate further to see where these promotions including EliteXC actually stand with respect to WAMMA, but let it be known the mainstream press' grasp on the realities of this situation are tenuous at best. And if - IF - WAMMA is leading them on, that should stop immediately. You know, for the good of the sport.

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Honestly if they think they will find a place amongst MMA fans for acceptance they are completely delusional.

I am sure they will fool some sponsors for the belt since they are probably claiming they are working and doing everything they canto get the UFC . Doesn’t the “McDonalds WAMMA HW belt” hanging around Fedor’s waist just sound classy?

And besides..it has velcro!

by banter on Jul 13, 2008 8:04 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah, that belt is fairly cheap looking.

by Cannon Jacques on Jul 13, 2008 8:16 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hey!

They took photos with the belt in a hotel lobby – That clearly means WAMMA’s legit!

by asa on Jul 14, 2008 9:21 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

yet another ‘group’ scrambling for a piece if the pie. Each day MMA gets one step closer to boxing:(

by Benicio on Jul 13, 2008 11:21 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm confused.

Why Josh Thomson have to drop his Strikeforce belt to take a WAMMA belt? Maybe I have too much common sense or something. I don’t know.

by D.Capitated on Jul 14, 2008 8:37 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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