Thats a great idea! Don King is famous for making a ton of money…for Don King. He’s also famous for having a large hand in the epic decay of boxing to the near fringe sport it is today. Sounds like the guy I’d want to bring in.

Was a terrible movie, but Samuel L’s Don King character was awesome. Eff that guy.

Kimbo vs Tyson!!!

how can a don king promoted card be any worse than an afflction show?

don is a promoter. whos to say he cant put on good mma cards. the more mma the better. he certainly wont follow afflictions business model and fighter salaries alone wont dwarf the gate. he can make it a success. i dont think don would stand for anything less.

don’s the best at what hes done for decades. bright spots of course being int he 80s was by far the best promoter of the 90s. his cards in the 90s rank at the top of all time greats. especially the revenge: the rematches card. just think ufc 92 × 10 and you got his cards in the 90s. everyone one of his cards were stacked and had a star fighting when the doors opened.

with affliction most likely going under he can sign some good fighters that would be out there as well.

quit poisoning the well

So there is a wall street group looking to put more money into the sport and stage some big fights? Wow, what a bunch of bastards. And they are using the name value of an established fight promoter (in an advisory role) to spread the word? Vultures, I say.

When will these fools learn that UFC is the only True MMA? Dana is way too much of a name-taking badass to tolerate this agression.

I am pretty sure HBO has seen the great numbers Showtime and CBS have been putting with MMA, and it was only a matter of time until they jumped into the game. Golden Boy has a pretty interesting scenario now though.

“I grew up with karate and judo and all that, but we never had stars. We never had events. Now, look at it. What was it, at the MGM (Grand Garden Arena) in January? [The UFC] grossed $110 million. I think 1.4 million people hit pay-per-view for $55 an event. It’s huge.”

HBO had been close to a deal to air MMA in the past. One such potential came with the UFC in early 2007, but differences over creative control, including the selection of the production team and announcing crew for the event broadcasts, prevented an agreement from being finalized. The network’s relationship with the sport has been hot and cold since the terminated deal. HBO’s own lead boxing analysts, Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant, have made repeated derogatory statements on air regarding the lack of technical prowess in MMA.

Although King has been publicly critical of MMA in the past, Weneck said the long-term health of the sport was important to the members of the new partnership.

“It’s got to be with the right people,” Weneck said. “A lot of people went in and were just fast-buck artists. You’ve got to have the right people behind it [who] really are in for the long haul and will pay to get the right people and give these kids a chance. This is the opportunity.”

The new promotion plans on promoting bouts in multiple weight classes with both male and female fighters.

Brock Lesnar is the UFC Champ, More Pro Wrestlers Coming, Mercer and Rahman fighting in MMA, Golden Boy in MMA, now DKP in MMA…hmmm.

My perfect storm is almost complete!

No single name in the modern history of professional sports has been associated more with corruption than Don King, hell he has become the stereotype movies and tv use when they want to present a crooked fight promoter. A lot of people talk about the need for the Muhammad Ali act in MMA well Don King was one of the main reasons the law was needed in boxing to start with. Yea he might bring money and connections(although his influence has faded) to the sport but MMA is a sport that already struggles with public perception problems and King’s involvement will just make that even worse. Investors bringing new money into the sport is a great thing but I do have to wonder why legitimate investors would want to associate a legitimate company with Don King and I also wonder what impression his involvement would have on the general public’s perception of the sport.

I am all for smaller organizations, newcomers and against MMA monopoly. However, I want this venture to fail.
We don’t need King’s stain on this sport.

It’s a tale of the usual suspects saying “Don King is only an advisor” while others are bracing for the sky to fall. We don’t know the extent of King’s involvement. We don’t even know if whatever this is even sees the light of day. Let’s maybe stop acting as though there is a Don King MMA event on HBO this Saturday. I’m reserving all judgment until I see something concrete emerge.

Rememer Don King Productions’ first foray into promoting MMA?
The Vengeance FC card in North Carolina last September.
It sounded like DK really just put his name on it and made some commercials (waving flags around, natch), but it’s funny that many people in attendance thought the Kerr-Monson main event was worked. Maybe funny isn’t the word…

a bit off topic, but the fact that “Wall Street Investors” would get into bed with an abject snake and thief like King, just shows why the economy went to s**t. They’re not nearly as intelligent as their ivy league business degrees must make them think that they are. it’s laughable….it’s not like he has a track record of DECADES of blatant thievery from anyone and everyone involved with him, it’s not like he’s literally killed anyone….Oh, Wait….that’s right. he has. ’nuff said.