EliteXC Enters the Reality Show Game
Looks like EliteXC is getting into the MMA Reality Show scene and joining the UFC with The Ultimate Fighter and BodogFIGHT with their reality shows. However, EliteXC is pulling out all the stops and has brought in reality show mega-producer Mark Burnett to produce their show. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 10 years you’ve heard of Burnett or at least his shows which include Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender, The Restaurant and Eco-Challenge.
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Reality producer Mark Burnett is developing a primetime series involving the bone-crunching sport of mixed martial arts.
The man behind “Survivor” and “The Apprentice” has teamed with ProElite, which organizes professional MMA events, to produce the project, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mixed martial arts is a less violent and more complex version of ultimate fighting, a sport that emerged in the early ’90s. It showcases a unique mix of judo, karate, tae kwon do, jujutsu, wrestling, boxing and other established fighting techniques. MMA is still controversial, and events have been approved in fewer than half of U.S states.
ProElite, which produces professional MMA events through its EliteXC division and runs the MMA social networking site ProElite.com, already has a presence on television. Showtime has been carrying live EliteXC matches since February, when the premium cable network made an investment in the company and signed an exclusive programming agreement.
Burnett, a former British commando, is said to be fascinated with martial arts and the martial arts culture. He previously took a stab at developing a martial arts reality series in 2002.
Two years ago, through a joint venture with DreamWorks, he produced U.S. network NBC’s boxing-themed reality series “The Contender”. In addition to producing the show, the joint venture company received an equity stake in boxing brand Everlast and organized the “Contender” finale at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
[Source: Reuters]
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That isgoing to rock. How does a fighter apply for the show?
i just watched that strikeforce fight…man i think i just realized how much of a buzzard shamrock is………i think he is worse than matt hughes(ego, and cocky wise) still a good fighter but i want someone to put him in his place and bring him down to earth
MMA has just blown up in the last couple of years. Seems everyone wants in on the ban wagon. I like the idea of the UFC having competition. Now that Pride is gone someone needed to step up and challenge them. Hope they show the series for free on Shotime because I subscribed to it just for EliteXC. I though they were going to put on more shows than they have up to this point but maybe this will help get the casual fans of theirs more interested like TUF did for the UFC. Any free MMA is good in my opinion.