The Business of MMA: MMA Inc, Part One

Faber, Benavidez and Master Thong

Just as a new fighter can learn from the veteran fighters in the gym, the MMA Inc. team sees great role models for their younger clients amongst the more established names on their roster.

“It is a benefit to our younger fighters to have some of our established guys in the family, so to speak. Like Urijah is a great role model for a lot of the younger guys in terms of how to promote yourself, how to conduct yourself, things like that. In that regard, Urijah is invaluable to us.

“That said, it’s important that a lot of these younger guys make their own mark in the sport; establish their own style, their own fan base. But to have those established fighters like Urijah and Munoz for these young up-and-comers to model their careers after is a great benefit.”

Working with a management team that has established stars on their roster is also beneficial on the sponsorship side of things as well, though it doesn’t work the way some fans might think it does.

While a number of the fighters represented by Meyer and Roberts are sponsored by the same brands and companies, it’s not a sponsored-by-association situation.

“None of these relationships that we have with Pepsi or K-Swiss/Form are collective; none of them are collectively bargained for a team of fighters,” Meyer clarifies. “They pick each fighter on individual merit. We’re fortunate that we’ve had a four-year relationship with Pepsi; it all started with Urijah.”

Faber was the first to sign with Amp Energy, with teammates Mendes and Benavidez following suit.

“In developing that relationship with Pepsi, we’ve made suggestions in terms of certain fighters who fit that brand image and would help them convey their message, and we’ve been able to add a couple of additional fighters under the Pepsi relationship; the same with K-Swiss.

“Form was originally developed by Urijah, and then he developed a relationship with K-Swiss, so he was kind of the spearhead on that. In the meantime, we developed our own relationship with K-Swiss/Form, and we were able to add five additional fighters onto their roster.

“It’s not a matter of it being a team; it’s just through relationship building. What I think we excel at is establishing good, solid relationships with very good, solid companies.”

Beyond the relationships Meyer and Roberts have been able to foster with various sponsors over the years, they’ve also built a roster that includes a number of easy-to-market fighters who understand the responsibilities that come with being attached to a specific brand.

“We’re very fortunate that we have a group of guys that represent brands very well; that understand there is a product that needs to be sold by these sponsors. They go above and beyond in terms of helping that brand get their message out, and it makes our job a lot easier to make suggestions to add other fighters onto their sponsorship roster.”

Tomorrow in Part Two, we discuss MMA Inc’s most polarizing client, UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen, his potential rematch with Anderson Silva and who should fight for the middleweight title if it’s not “The Gangster from West Linn.”