We are approaching the 20th anniversary of Joel Gold ‘s Full Contact Fighter magazine. It began as MMA’s only regular newspaper, appearing monthly via subscription and on newsstands. In 1999, under Gold’s lead, Full Contact Fighter rolled out the first-ever, weekly MMA television series, covering the sport in magazine format, on both Madison Square Garden (MSG) Network and TSN in Canada. Gold also pioneered one of the earliest lines of MMA apparel, sponsoring fighters in promotions around the world.
All these things seem today about as innovative as the wheel. Reebok dropped $70,000,000 on apparel sponsorships, and even regional fighters look like NASCAR vehicles. TV shows in UFC and MMA abound, as do magazines.
But when Joel Gold started, it wasn’t obvious, it was visionary.
In an interview with Kelsey Mowatt, briefly excerpted below.
KM: When and why did you start thinking about starting Full Contact Fighter?
JG: Simple there was nothing like it around in the marketplace. The idea of FCF the publication was started while training at Ray Longo’s school back in the mid 90′s. There were no real publications covering strictly ‘No Holds Barred’ fighting at the time. I knew everything there was to know about each fighter. My life was NHB 24/7.
I would shoot all the photos for FCF and would travel around the world covering events from Japan, Brazil, Canada, Hawaii and many states in between. I shot all the UFCs for many years and have seen things before, during and after that would blow your mind. Going to Brazil for the IVC shows is what I considered the closest thing to a street fight. Any American going down to fight was a marked man…I have great stories from hookers to hospitals and the most unbelievable weigh in of deceit.
I remember other photographers and journalists from around the world thinking I was crazy. They would come up to me and say ‘you are going to get yourself killed!’ I would put pictures of face twisting fighters being knocked out, tapped out on my covers. This was completely unheard of. If you look back at other covers from around the world all are posed shots under lights. Screw that! I was creating real life art and I was a purist. Isn’t that what this sport was about after all?
The clothing line really developed because well for one, I always liked clothing, but being barely 5’7 it was rough back in the day to get good fitting clothes. I had to do a lot of rolling of the sleeves. I always wanted to make clothes for the shorter fellas like myself. But mostly there were not that many clothing companies at the time and the clothes that came from Brazil would fall apart rather fast. I remember Mark Coleman telling me you need to make some clothes.
What people don’t know is I was the one who solved the issue of printed (logos) cracking or falling off stretch materials…back in the day manufacturers and silk screeners would print with ink on the shorts or rash guards and after a good tug they would crack and logo was ruined. I was like a mad scientist with developing new techniques with printing on clothes. Today my techniques are used in many industries around the world.
In the day we were the biggest due to hard work and no sleep. We never rested, and believed in the importance of what we were doing. I look back now and realize what we did. It’s amazing – we were part of developing a sport. We are in the history books. Not many people can say that. We were a website, publication, weekly television show and clothing company. We fought for something we believed in. Back in the day only a few places would allow the fights. I remember going to Vegas when the UFC was owned by Bob Meyrowitz (SEG) and facing against Lorenzo Fertitta (current owner of UFC) when he was Commissioner on the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and trying to get our great sport legalized in Nevada.
I remember going against the cable companies, politicians and all the non-believers such as martial arts schools that had a hard time facing the facts that the art they were teaching needed improving. Now they all add MMA to their names. I have so many untold stories, some funny others tragic. But all of them were the building blocks for the foundation that MMA stands on today – and I can say I am proud to be a very important part of that foundation.
In a follow up, Gold will reflect on the following years for Full Contact Fighter, the explosive growth of MMA, and the stories that were never told to the public.
Head to the FCF Store (by clicking on the image below) and shop for Full Contact Fighter’s Iconic Logo clothing.
