Lorenzo Fertitta has made millions through casinos and gambling business in Las Vegas.
Lorenzo Fertitta has made millions through casinos and gambling business in Las Vegas. He has made more millions through Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Since he took over the UFC 10 years ago, fighting has found a new meaning in the US.
He calls the UFC viewers consumers and has turned the championship into an avenue for business. Saturday night’s fight at MGM Grand Arena here was telecast to over a million American homes. They paid to watch the fight.
Now, Fertitta is targeting the Indian market. “We’re pretty sure the next great superstar in Indian sport is going to be from the UFC,” he asserts, businessman like. UFC, which is about a fight in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), has signed a deal with Sony Six. The bouts have been broadcast by the channel for quite some time. Soon, there will be fights in India. “By 2013, we want to bring an event to India,” Lorenzo declares.
Their ultimate aim is to develop Indian fighters. “That is the plan,” says the 44-year-old businessman. “We know Mixed Martial Arts has started finding its way into India’s sports culture. We also know there are plenty of fighters in wrestling and boxing, hoping to do well at the Olympics. We’re eager to tap them soon.”
The UFC has set up a process to educate the Indians about the championship. “The target is to give the young Indian wrestlers the experience and education to develop at this level,” he says.
Fertitta has no doubt that Indian fighters will find acceptance in the American market. “American consumers do not discriminate. They don’t care where the fighters are from, as long as they are exciting and good. For instance, Anderson Silva (a big UFC star) is a Brazilian. He is more popular here than his American rival (Chael Sunnen). Fighters from all over the world gain tremendous amount of respect from American consumers.”
Man Jit Singh, the CEO of Sony Six, says the channel has done a survey and found that Indians are ready to welcome the fights. “We want to give the youth in India a different experience. Our survey shows that the young India wants to see MMA. We’re quite excited about our tie-up with UFC.”
One way to popularise the sport is to start a league and Singh says it will be held next year. “We’ll start an Indian Wrestling League in 2013. It will be held either in New Delhi or Mumbai. We’ll give an Indian spin to the UFC.”
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