M-1 Global Mixed Martial Arts Press Conference

The press conference has ended and what do we now know about the new M-1 company?

• The new owner is Sibling Sports LLC who also runs Broadway shows, movies, and soundtracks. Their new MMA branch is going to be a "global" promotion going to Russia, Japan, America, and all over the world. Three events to be held in various countries in 2008.
• TV talks are currently underway with HBO and Mark Cuban's ND Net.
• Superstar MMA manager Monte Cox is the President and CEO. He is a very powerful man who has run his own shows, has a large stable of fighters, and is privvy to inside information through his long standing ties with the MMA community. A very smart man.
• Josh Barnett and Mark Hunt are being looked at for Fedor Emelianenko's 1st opponent.
• “In Fedor’s contract with M-1 Global, we have a clause to offer the UFC champion $1,000,000 over and above what the UFC would offer their champion to fight Fedor, and $1,000,000 to the winner of that fight over the general purse for that fight.” To that I say WOW!
• M-1 wants to use the Elite XC fight plan and be able to work with any and all promotions together to bring together the best fighters and the best overall product.
• A stable of signed fighters is to be revealed in a week.

M-1 has a ton of money to back this project and have tapped the right man to lead them. This seems to be a company well prepared to dive into the MMA pool and compete at the top level. Though we await to see whom else they have signed, they are definitely going to be a threat to the UFC and perhaps the Pride FC we've been hoping to return (in a new form).