Resurrection Fighting Alliance president and fight manager Ed Soares, appeared Monday on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, and revealed that after six to eight months of negotiation, his promotion is merging with Legacy Fighting Championship. The new organization will be called Legacy Fighting Alliance. Soares will be CEO, and longtime promoter/manager Sven Bean will serve as COO.
Mick Maynard, president and founder of Legacy FC, is taking over for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, who is leaving the company to spend time with family.
“I’m here to tell you that the RFA and Legacy Fighting Championship has merged,”said Soares, as transcribed by Chuck Mindenhall for MMA Fighting. “We merged into one organization, and we just signed a five-year deal with AXS TV. Starting in 2017, we’re going to be doing 30 shows a year on AXS TV, and it’ll be called the Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is the name of the new company.”
Further information was provided in a press release.
This is an exciting day for everyone involved, Soares is quoted as saying. What our two companies have accomplished individually is remarkable, but the sky is truly the limit when you consider what will come next.
Our athletes will have an unrivaled platform to compete in front of a nationally televised audience – not to mention in more than 40 countries around the world – and prove they are worthy of a spot at the sport’s highest level. Our existing companies have placed more than 100 fighters in just the UFC and Bellator, alone. Quite simply, for the fighters on our roster, the future is now.
I have no doubt Legacy Fighting Alliance will be the premier destination for fighters hoping to reach a global stage. In the same way that college football provides athletes a chance to prove they belong in the NFL or AAA baseball allows players to reach the Major Leagues, our organization will give fighters a chance to gain the experience of competing in a top-tier organization, develop a fanbase on national and international TV, and potentially reach the next level of their career.
Bean described it as a gamer changer.
With this merger, we have created – without a doubt – the premier developmental league in the sport of MMA, said Bean. The team we have assembled brings together so much knowledge and experience at every level. The formation of Legacy Fighting Alliance is a game changer for the industry. I am excited for the future and what it will hold for the organization and its athletes.
LFA plans to air 30 shows in 2017 on AXS TV.
Legacy Fighting Alliance just catapulted to the top of the list when you are talking about fights that matter in 2017, said AXS TV Fights CEO Andrew Simon. Together, these two organizations bring unrivaled experience and success in identifying athletes that make it to the next level. Our new long-term deal solidifies our belief in Legacy Fighting Alliance’s mission and to our sport.
The debut show is expected to match up Legacy Fighting champions with Resurrection Fighting Alliance champions to establish the Legacy Fighting Alliance belt holders.
