Lobbying efforts have already begun with the Governor’s office and the legislature. If you love Mixed Martial Arts and want to see it grow, now is the time to get involved.

From: Rob Lynch, Executive Officer

• Vanlentin Siouljine def. Kimura – arm bar
• Yoji Anjo drew Gia Chirragishvilli
• Kousei Kubota drew Ryuki Ueyama
• Kengo Watanabe def. Tachihikari – KO
• Daisuke Ishii drew Jorge "Macaco" Patino
• Marcelo "Tigre" def. Katsuhisa Fujii – choke (2R 2:27)
• Paulao Fernando Filho def. Kei Yamamiya – KO (2R 0:24)
• Ikuhisa Minowa drew Ricardo Liborio
• Takehiro Murahama drew Royler Gracie

For more of Susumu’s pictures of the event, visit:
http://member.nifty.ne.jp/westisle/susumu/index.htm

As you are well aware, most of the American public is still not entitled to the opportunity to watch mixed martial arts events on pay-per-view on cable television. Since the majority of US households rely on cable for pay-per-view events, this is a major problem. Not only are the cable companies making the decisions for us as to what we are allowed and not allowed to watch, but this censorship is also slowing down the growth of our sport by artificially denying it a critical source of revenue.

Recently Jake Rossen, a writer who covers mixed martial arts for ign.com, interviewed Joe Boyle, the public relations spokemen for In Demand, the pay-per-view network that has a virtual monopoly on pay-per-view distribution to cable television. Boyle basically said anything is possible in regards to mixed martial arts events appearing back on cable, but that In Demand has no plans of airing them. In the past, the In Demand representatives have stated that they have received numerous requests for these events. An article on our previous e-mail campaign appeared in "Multichannel News," the leading cable television trade publication.

However, the noise our community was making was not yet loud enough to make a difference. Let comments like these be a rallying cry for our cause. So, once again, we will be going after the In Demand monopoly for our right to choose.

With the tremendous safety record of the legitimate mixed martial arts promotions, the recent running of UFC and IFC shows in Atlantic City, New Jersey, under the sanctioning of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, and the adoption of rules for mixed martial arts by the California State Athletic Commission, there is simply no excuse for not giving this sport a shot!

All you have to do is write a simple message stating that you want to see mixed martial arts offered on cable on pay-per-view. With this in mind:

1. Please be polite.

2. Suggest that organizations like the UFC and IFC, which have run numerous state-sanctioned shows and have impeccable safety records, be given a chance to run trial shows, and that In Demand takes a look at the buy rates and safety standards. In the past, when UFC was still on cable, its buy rate was quite high, often surpassing that of pro wrestling.

3. Inform them of the upcoming dates of these competitions (January 19 in Atlantic City for IFC and on February 23 in Atlantic City for the UFC).

4. Let them know that these sports are now 100% legal in many US states, and that they are aired on cable in Canada by Viewers Choice Canada and Canal Indigo.

5. Inform them that In Demand, Time Warner, and AT&T are acting like monopolies, and that they have no right not to respect our right to choose.

6. Remind them that a growing number of people are dropping cable for satellite services such as DirecTV and the Dish Network which do offer mixed martial arts events.

The direct email links are as follows (In Demand needs to be hit the hardest):

In Demand Pay-Per-View –
http://www.indemand.com/
frames.asp?page=about&item=contact

AT&T Cable –
http://www.broadband.att.com/
pages/contact.html

Time Warner Cable –
http://www.timewarner.com
/corp/about/cablesys/twcable/request.html

Repeat this process as many times as possible.