Fight Master: Bellator MMA is the new concept for a theme reality show that Spike Television introduced today. Thirty-two Welterweight (170 pounds) fighters will first compete to gain entry into the show then the remaining sixteen will have the opportunity of selecting from four coaches who will help guide their path through the show. The fighters will have the power of selecting their own fights and with Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri as the executive producers on the show it will seemingly be a shot of fresh air to the MMA reality show genre.
If the names Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri don’t sound familiar may know them better as creators of the 13 time Emmy Award winning The Amazing Race. The coaches will be Randy Couture, Greg Jackson, Joe Warren, and Frank Shamrock. If that isn’t enough the winner will win 100,000 dollars and an automatic entry into the next Bellator Welterweight tournament.
Randy Couture is a huge part of Spike television and Bellator’s future. As previously stated Randy will be a coach on the upcoming season of Fight Master: Bellator MMA but he will also host a show called MMA Gym Rescue which has yet to be recorded yet but will follow a similar structure to the already popular Bar Rescue.
The jump for Randy Couture is a huge one. He is leaving behind his son who recently joined the UFC. Randy said this about his son, “He will rise as his own man for sure, he’s created his own style, he lives on his own merit, and it’s almost sometimes a burden for him to drag around the same last name but he handles all that in stride. He’s done an amazing job. I’m very excited for him and the opportunities in mixed martial arts that face him now. We certainly had some heart-to-heart conversations about what was going on with me and how they may affect his future in the sport of mixed martial arts, and he was all for it. He feels very comfortable and confident in his abilities and where he is at in his career. So, it’s certainly a concern for me because I know how some of the other guys play, but I think it’s going to be fine.
I think Ryan’s a sharp kid, he’s very smart, and he is very diligent. So, in a lot of ways, you have to thank Dana White. He’s made this transition for me back to Spike very, very good. He’s made it easy. And, gosh, the media storm and sensation has been wonderful, we really appreciate that. So, you know, I have to thank him for that, you have to respect his passion for what he does, and that is admirable, so.”
When asked why after all this time is Randy joining Spike, “Well, first of all, it’s an honor to be back with Spike. I feel like, in a lot of ways, I’m coming home. Spike, frankly, had the balls to put this on television when nobody else would, when everybody else was pushing back from the sport. And then, in a lot of ways that changed the landscape for MMA for the better, and gave people behind-the-curtain look at what it goes into being a fighter and the preparation, the dedication, the training and all the things. You know, we are not crazy criminals that like to beat people up. This is what we do and that (for series) was instrumental in that and this is a great genre. Now, we have an opportunity to do, in a lot of ways, the same thing, it’s a watershed moment for the sport again with Spike to create more opportunities for more fighters in this sport of mixed martial arts.”
It will be an interesting few months in Spike TV’s relaunch of a MMA brand that they can call its own.