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WSOF CEO CARLOS SILVA DISCUSSES WSOF 32 AND FUTURE OF MMA: "WE ARE ONE OF THE BIG THREE...IT'S AN EXCITING TIME"

By Percy Crawford | July 28, 2016
WSOF CEO CARLOS SILVA DISCUSSES WSOF 32 AND FUTURE OF MMA:

"I think the Foxwoods fight, the heavyweight bout that we just came off of, was one of the best nights that World Series of Fighting has had...I think the brand has continued to grow. I think we've shown the world and certainly the U.S. that we are one of the big three, alongside the UFC and Bellator...It's an exciting time," stated Carlos Silva, CEO of World Series of Fighting, who talked about their upcoming WSOF 32 card and much more. Check it out!

PC: WSOF 32 on Saturday night. Moraes-Hill 2, what are you expecting?

CS: It's in the greater Seattle area up in Everett; a lot of great companies there. We think there is going to be a great crowd. We got Marlon on the card. We got the brothers fighting. We got Lance on the card against Almeida. It's a blockbuster night. I've been here for about a year, Percy, as CEO and I think the Foxwoods fight, the heavyweight bout that we just came off of, was one of the best nights that World Series of Fighting has had. And that's just from a competitive, sitting at home on your couch on NBC Sports perspective. I think it was awesome. I think this event could top it because I think every fight, especially the third fight of the night on the NBC card with the two brothers fighting Caros against Phoenix; I'll be honest with you, I don't know what to make of it, but it's definitely interesting.

PC: And that's part of what makes MMA great is intriguing matchups. Fans are drawn to the unknown.

CS: No doubt. Caros' fight against Firmino when we were in Memphis earlier in the year was a peculiar fight for me. It kind of was a little flat and I don't know that anyone found their rhythm. Phoenix always jumps out of the cage and puts on a show; good, bad, or ugly, it's always a show. And I'm really interested to see how Caros comes out. I know he's been training hard. And then you have the rematch between Moraes and Hill. Marlon always astonishes me. Before I even joined WSOF, he's always impressed me because he's just so ready. I don't know if anyone really knows what his weakness is. People keep trying to attack different things, as we saw in South of LA, he just cut his opponent down very quickly and it didn't last. We'll just have to see who can get in there and last with him and grind it out with Marlon.

PC: You have been at the helm for a year now. You gotta be happy with the progress over that period of time.

CS: I really am. I think the brand has continued to grow. I think we've shown the world and certainly the U.S. that we are one of the big three, alongside the UFC and Bellator. I think if you look at...and Percy, you know, I started my career at AOL and Time Warner and I'm just astounded how the fans on social media continue to talk about World Series of Fighting and the great matchups and the great fights. Our social vibe is super positive and super strong and for me, that's an important gauge as we enter the next 3 to 5 years for distribution across television and mobile and paid subscriptions and free streaming and highlights. I've been in the middle of that for a long time in my career and it seems like every 5 years, there is another phase. We are either in the middle of that one or right at the beginning of that next phase. It's an exciting time. The only thing more exciting is that Kevin Durant went to the Warriors (laughing).

PC: It has to be exciting times for you too because it appears fighter's are more willing to test the free agency market now more than ever.

CS: Yeah, no doubt. I just think, to the credit of the UFC, they've built MMA into such an important and dominant sport where it's in the top 5 with some of the other major leagues. It's just what happens in sports, Percy. As you know from my reference to Kevin Durant that when a sport starts to get mature and television deals are in place and digital streaming rights and sponsorships and all of these things are in place with the UFC and Bellator, and in a small way, the last 4 years, World Series of Fighting has helped to build. Guys start to look at their careers and where they need to go and what they need to do to optimize both for their careers and their families and how they are going to be remembered in the sport.

PC: Co-promotion has always been something that's been lacking in MMA. Is that something that you hope to see more of in the sport?

CS: I do! I know from our standpoint, we look at it with open arms. Maybe guys would have to try a little harder. We think for our partners at NBC Sports that if there is a good show to put on and there is a good fight and a way to make our event better, partnering with anyone as well as overseas organizations like a RIZIN or even regional guys who we have already done promotions with, like in Memphis. We put on a great fight with Sparta Combat League in Denver when Justin was there, although they are going in other directions because they are bringing regional guys up now, but we're big believers in that and we will continue to do it. You'll continue to see more of that from us, Percy, because we think it's about how we make World Series of Fighting the best possible show for our platform and for NBC Sports and for the IMG folks that provide our content to the rest of the world, and anything we can do to make it better, that's how we approach it. 

PC: The sport has also been cracking down on performance enhancing drugs with more stringent testing. I'm sure that's something else you're an advocate for. Can you speak on that a little bit as well?

CS: Yeah, you know, look, I've been in sports and media my whole career and I've been lucky enough to be part of Universal Sports team and lucky enough to be from NBC Sports and Dick Eborsol and sort of understanding what it means to be an Olympic sport, and that's sort of where we are at with having a clean sport and making sure everybody is on an even field of play on an even platform. So we're big believers in taking care of the fighters and making sure that everybody that steps into the cage is abiding by the rules and stipulations. Whatever policies come down now, you gotta play by the rules. We take that very seriously. Ray Sefo does a great job with the fighters as well and I rely on him to make sure that everybody's ready when they jump into the cage!



[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]

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