UCMMA on UFC Fight Pass
2015 started with a bang for UCMMA CEO Dave O’Donnell when on 3rd January 2015 the UFC announced that Cage Rage and UCMMA would be added to their digital channel, Fight Pass. Alongside Invicta FC, King of the Cage and various other promotions UCMMA will get the opportunity to be broadcast worldwide through the UFC’s monthly subscription channel.
So what does the recently announced deal with fight pass mean for UCMMA? #WHOATV caught up with CEO Dave O’Donnell to discuss. “We have a huge backlog of stuff to put onto fight pass and they have been very vague about when it’s going to be available on there. We are hoping for it to be online by mid-summer and I have a huge team working in the office, editor’s working day and night to get it done right. But with all these things it takes time and we want to get it done right. But they have the footage now so fingers crossed it will happen soon.”
Whilst getting the huge UCMMA back catalogue online is the number one priority Dave is certainly open to a future which sees UCMMA events streamed live on the online platform. “We have spoken about it and it would be fantastic if that did happen down the line. But we are signed up for the next four years and again the back catalogue is the important part right now. It would be great to stream events and for me it’s all about the fighters and giving them more exposure. Let’s just remember without the UFC where would we all be now? I hate to think.”
So while the future looks bright for Dave and UCMMA in terms of exposure it’s not been an easy ride and has taken the best part of a year to come to fruition. “I have been working on the deal for about a year. This stuff takes time; I have been in the game from 2002 so I know how long things take. It’s been tough but will be worth it.”
Dave O’Donnell on……
Dave was more than willing to share his thoughts on the recent fight pass deal but also happy to give his views on a number of other topics which we were keen to discuss. So without further ado here are the topics we covered;
Dave O’Donnell on……Arena Shows
“Having run over 100 shows it is difficult to judge a good show but there are lots of European shows who seem to spend £70k putting on these massive events and then the next thing you hear is that they have gone bust. I have been there with Cage Rage and it takes a lot of bollocks and money. I have no ego left so for me it’s all about staying on the radar and putting on great shows. I have done arena shows in the past and I really can’t see the point of them now. I would rather be filling the Troxy which has an electric atmosphere every time we put on a show there. Mind you if you have the money, I will show you how to fill an arena with a great atmosphere. Just look back at the old Cage Rage days!”
Dave O’Donnell on……Haters
“F*ck the haters, I am too old to worry about that. I have been doing this for far too long. Most of the haters are little lap dogs from other promotions. I am very proud of what I have done in my time in the sport. There is no way I am retiring yet, although it does get to me sometimes. We work so hard it really is hard work and its 24/7.”
Dave O’Donnell on……Fallout with WFS
“Look to me it’s like if you are in a scaffolding job or building firm and one of your employees says they are going to work elsewhere then that’s fine. But if you then found out that the week after, literally the week after that they opened a new firm just down the road and started nicking business, clients etc then how would you react? The place where they are putting on their shows is literally so close to where we are that I could walk there now. So yes if you want to go and work for Harry then in my eyes you are supporting them and you have crossed the line with me. There is more than enough fighters/press etc to go around. I don’t want to talk to him anymore, he sends me messages every now and again but once you have crossed me that’s it.”
Dave O’Donnell on……Keeping Fighters
“They all like to test the water at the other two promotions. If you want to go you go. I don’t contract fighters. They can come back if they like it. I will never hold a guy back if they want to go elsewhere.”
Dave O’Donnell on……Jamaine Facey Vs Bill Beaumont from UCMMA 42
“What that fight done for Bill was to test his metal put him on the edge. He was in every bad position you could think of and any lesser man would have tapped. He is the real deal. Jamaine proved he can hang with the top dogs and you can’t take it away from either guy. That fight made a great event even greater.”
Dave would like to thank “WHOATV.com again for reaching out and to all the fans that keep supporting me and the show. Without the fans we are nothing so I can’t thank the fans who keep supporting UCMMA, enough said.”