AXS TV Should Step Up Their MMA Game

MMA promotions airing on AXS TV have really fallen off over the last couple years. At one time AXS TV (formerly HDNet) had DREAM, K-1, Sengoku, M-1, MFC, and other promotions airing on the network. Now AXS TV only has two international promotions with MFC and BAMMA and all the rest of the organizations are small regional promotions. AXS TV should step it back up by adding more top international promotions.

There are a number of promotions AXS TV could bring in to improve their international MMA lineup. KSW and M-1 Global would be two top European organizations that would be great to have on that network. ONE FC in Asia would be another top notch pickup. Landing two or three of these promotions would make AXS TV the "home for MMA" again.

Other solid secondary options are ROAD FC, DEEP, Pancrase, Shooto, and Rings. Adding one or two of these organizations (in addition to KSW, M-1, and/or ONE FC) would be unreal.

In canada we have fight network who brodcast live fight 'One Fc , Glory kickboxing , Enfusion , Final Fight Promotion , Cage Warrior , Bamma And more...

^I wish we could get that in the U.S. Don't they air DEEP as well on delay and DREAM NYE show live?

AXS TV/HDNet was getting close to this level but not recently.

The biggest reason why AXS didn't broadcast other Japanese organizations is because none of them did their telecasts in HD, which was a huge problem to a channel based solely on HD. Not that it should matter to real fight fans. With how Pancrase is going, i'd like to think that they're making the switch officially.

Here are my essential organizations for AXS coverage:

DEEP
KSW
One
M-1
Shooto
Pancrase
MFC
RFA
CFA

wekka wrote:The biggest reason why AXS didn't broadcast other Japanese organizations is because none of them did their telecasts in HD, which was a huge problem to a channel based solely on HD. Not that it should matter to real fight fans. With how Pancrase is going, i'd like to think that they're making the switch officially.

Here are my essential organizations for AXS coverage:

DEEP
KSW
One
M-1
Shooto
Pancrase
MFC
RFA
CFA

That would be an amazing lineup. They aired M-1 in the past so they should try to get them back on. KSW seems like they should be on the top of their list as well for promotions to add.

Also, hopefully Showtime can pickup some of these orgs.

Wouldn't ONE's online PPV model interfere with any AXS deal?

They could do prelims, though. (Not sure if there would be any serious interest, outside of hardcores, however.)

I feel like they could definitely get KSW, M-1 and DEEP.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:Wouldn't ONE's online PPV model interfere with any AXS deal?

They could do prelims, though. (Not sure if there would be any serious interest, outside of hardcores, however.)

I feel like they could definitely get KSW, M-1 and DEEP.

Yeah, their online PPV would be gone in the U.S. and wherever else AXS airs but they would have a U.S. TV deal.

KSW, M-1, and DEEP alone would be great.

they need more international events like ksw and m-1, as replacements for sengoku and dream, now are only regional shows

MR.WILLIE wrote:they need more international events like ksw and m-1, as replacements for sengoku and dream, now are only regional shows

Yup, aside from MFC and BAMMA.

How well did M-1 do when it was on Showtime? I remember the shows were always super entertaining.

Sweet Pea Is My Mom wrote:How well did M-1 do when it was on Showtime? I remember the shows were always super entertaining.

They did pretty good ratings. Not SF level but they were not too bad (I think around 200K viewers or so). The fights were real entertaining. They were going to continue but I think M-1 didn't want to hold U.S. shows due to poor attendance. Showtime was at a show in Russia (Fedor fight) but it never went through. Wouldn't mind seeing M-1 back on Showtime airing shows from Russia though.

CDF47 wrote:

MR.WILLIE wrote:they need more international events like ksw and m-1, as replacements for sengoku and dream, now are only regional shows

Yup, aside from MFC and BAMMA.

BAMMA is a shell of its former self. They really should merge with Cage Warriors. I hate all of these organizations splitting up talent outside of the United States.

wekka wrote:

CDF47 wrote:

MR.WILLIE wrote:they need more international events like ksw and m-1, as replacements for sengoku and dream, now are only regional shows

Yup, aside from MFC and BAMMA.

BAMMA is a shell of its former self. They really should merge with Cage Warriors. I hate all of these organizations splitting up talent outside of the United States.

That is a good point. BAMMA/CWFC merger makes sense.