Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA has been putting on some of the biggest bouts outside the UFC in recent years, and its owner and creator Jorge Masvidal thinks the promotion is now up to par with the likes of PFL and Bellator.
Masvidal, the original BMF champion and UFC star, has been slowly transitioning into a promoter role as he winds down his fighting career. Through Gamebred Promotions, Masvidal has been putting on boxing, bareknuckle boxing, and primarily bareknuckle MMA with big names in the sport. Notable fighters such as Junior Dos Santos, Fabricio Werdum, Anthony Pettis, Alan Belcher, Roy Nelson, and others are just some of the names that have fought under his banner.
With several events and fights crossing the million views threshold on YouTube – where the fights stream – and having recognized names, Masvidal feels comfortable saying his promotion is now formidable competition in the MMA space.
“We get more numbers than Bellator and PFL on YouTube,” Masvidal told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “We get more views than them compared to their big show. I’m not trying to insult them or anything. I’m the only one that has this product, and I’m doing it at the highest level possible. There are other promotions that do bareknuckle, but their fighters records are not that impressive. They are novices. I’m getting a lot of fighters who are known and fought for the UFC, and other big promotions around the world. I get those people or fighters who are doing well and are on the come up with 5-0, 6-0 records. We get a lot of promising talent.
“So I think with our matchmaking, we’re up to par with all the other big shows. I don’t see a big difference between them and us. Now, the UFC is something else – everyone wants to fight for them. But after the UFC, as far as talent, I’m there with all the other organizations.”
Although the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA events are free on YouTube and feature recognized names in the MMA space, Masvidal says feels the appeal of the promotion goes beyond that. Unlike the rest of the major MMA promotions, he strongly believes the bareknuckle aspect has made his product must-watch TV.
“Brother, I’d say that bareknuckle MMA, if you just watch it one time, I don’t have to do nothing else,” Masvidal said. “That’s it. I just need to get people to watch an entire event one time, and you’re a client for life. You’re not missing a single show. When the fight hits the ground, the action continues because you can go for submissions much quicker, so there’s more action. There’s no time to be on your phone or anything, it keeps people hooked the entire time. Also, on the feet, without any gloves, you can land a shot that ends the fight at any time. There’s just more chances to finish the fight at any moment. I think anyone that watches becomes a fan for life.
“I see it from the first show we had, getting 100,00 views, then 200,000, and now we’re getting 3 or 4 million views a show. And it’s not like we’re having a former UFC fighter once and that’s it, we’re constantly getting UFC names on the card and getting good numbers.”