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Kelly turning more attention to promoting MMA
By: Kevin Goodwin
Boxing is in local promoter Joe Kelly's blood. He grew up in the sport and has promoted 35 boxing events in his career.
Even with his pedigree, Kelly recognizes the powerful force mixed martial arts has become in the sporting world. Kelly, who lives and runs Titan Entertainment in Liberty, is hosting the Titan Fighting Championships 8 at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 27, at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.
In a short period of time, MMA has become a viable and marketable commodity for Kelly and his company. It has made him think about devoting the majority of his time away from boxing.
“It depends on the day you ask me,” Kelly said. “Sometimes I think yes, but my background is in boxing and I've done more boxing shows. We are international in the boxing business. We are pretty entrenched in boxing, but as the company grows, I'm trying to position to the ultimate goal of having two separate, but united, entities within Titan for boxing and mixed marital arts.
“You can't deny mixed martial arts is exploding in popularity, so we'd be foolish not the jump on the bandwagon, so to speak.”
Because MMA is in its infancy as a mainstream sport, Kelly sees opportunity to be a promoting innovator.
“Everything has pretty much been done (in boxing),” Kelly said. “This is like being a boxing promoter in 1910 for mixed martial arts right now. If we can have a show every month on television, then we are No. 2 or No. 3 among mixed martial arts promoters right now.
“In boxing, we do shows all over the country — on ESPN and everything — and there's 15 or 20 promoters that do that. (MMA) is definitely a much more open market. We are moving a lot of our focus to mixed martial arts.”
And Kelly sees the lure of the sport for its ever-expanding fan base. The diversity of disciplines gives it an appeal to a wide variety of people.
“It brings in everything,” Kelly said. “It's something the wrestlers can enjoy. People that wrestled in high school and college can enjoy it. There's nothing about boxing that makes you think you can go out and do that. Psychologically, there's nothing that makes the everyday Joe think 'I can knock out Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'
“There's something about (MMA) that connects. Those fighters are just as skilled as professional boxers, but it could be in six different techniques. It seems more attainable than boxing. I think anything you watch, like any other mainstream sport, and you've also done it, you have a connection with it. I think that's what draws people to mixed martial arts. Not many people have that connection to boxing.”
Beginning in September, Kelly plans to have an MMA event once a month in various parts of the country. But Kelly and Titan will continue have their primary focus in the Midwest, which has been an area largely left untapped by promoters.
Missouri doesn't sanction professional MMA events yet, so Kelly has used Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., as a venue. Friday's event is Kelly's first open air MMA card.
“Our core will always be here,” Kelly said. “We would love to do shows in Las Vegas and everywhere, but the truth is, you have to master your own market. If you can't do that, you don't have any business going anywhere else. This Midwest corridor where it's only been amateur events and a few professional events in Kansas, it's a wide-open market.
“Other promoters seem content just doing shows just to do them. They don't spend extra money to be on television or anything like that. They are happy with their station in the game. That gives us a great opportunity to come in and be a major player.”
Sports writer Kevin Goodwin can be reached at 389-6652 or kgoodwin@npgco.com.
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Even with his pedigree, Kelly recognizes the powerful force mixed martial arts has become in the sporting world. Kelly, who lives and runs Titan Entertainment in Liberty, is hosting the Titan Fighting Championships 8 at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 27, at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.
In a short period of time, MMA has become a viable and marketable commodity for Kelly and his company. It has made him think about devoting the majority of his time away from boxing.
“It depends on the day you ask me,” Kelly said. “Sometimes I think yes, but my background is in boxing and I've done more boxing shows. We are international in the boxing business. We are pretty entrenched in boxing, but as the company grows, I'm trying to position to the ultimate goal of having two separate, but united, entities within Titan for boxing and mixed marital arts.
“You can't deny mixed martial arts is exploding in popularity, so we'd be foolish not the jump on the bandwagon, so to speak.”
Because MMA is in its infancy as a mainstream sport, Kelly sees opportunity to be a promoting innovator.
“Everything has pretty much been done (in boxing),” Kelly said. “This is like being a boxing promoter in 1910 for mixed martial arts right now. If we can have a show every month on television, then we are No. 2 or No. 3 among mixed martial arts promoters right now.
“In boxing, we do shows all over the country — on ESPN and everything — and there's 15 or 20 promoters that do that. (MMA) is definitely a much more open market. We are moving a lot of our focus to mixed martial arts.”
And Kelly sees the lure of the sport for its ever-expanding fan base. The diversity of disciplines gives it an appeal to a wide variety of people.
“It brings in everything,” Kelly said. “It's something the wrestlers can enjoy. People that wrestled in high school and college can enjoy it. There's nothing about boxing that makes you think you can go out and do that. Psychologically, there's nothing that makes the everyday Joe think 'I can knock out Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'
“There's something about (MMA) that connects. Those fighters are just as skilled as professional boxers, but it could be in six different techniques. It seems more attainable than boxing. I think anything you watch, like any other mainstream sport, and you've also done it, you have a connection with it. I think that's what draws people to mixed martial arts. Not many people have that connection to boxing.”
Beginning in September, Kelly plans to have an MMA event once a month in various parts of the country. But Kelly and Titan will continue have their primary focus in the Midwest, which has been an area largely left untapped by promoters.
Missouri doesn't sanction professional MMA events yet, so Kelly has used Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., as a venue. Friday's event is Kelly's first open air MMA card.
“Our core will always be here,” Kelly said. “We would love to do shows in Las Vegas and everywhere, but the truth is, you have to master your own market. If you can't do that, you don't have any business going anywhere else. This Midwest corridor where it's only been amateur events and a few professional events in Kansas, it's a wide-open market.
“Other promoters seem content just doing shows just to do them. They don't spend extra money to be on television or anything like that. They are happy with their station in the game. That gives us a great opportunity to come in and be a major player.”
Sports writer Kevin Goodwin can be reached at 389-6652 or kgoodwin@npgco.com.