For die hard football fans no day is more revered than Super Bowl Sunday. On that day, which is akin to a national holiday, the number one ranked team of the National Football League faces off against the number one team of the American Football League to see who the best team truly is. Now members of the newly formed World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) have announced plans to create their own Super Bowl of MMA world champions.
The alliance plans to this by unifying the MMA belts currently held by the world champion of each national and international fighting organization. Bill Goldberg, former wrestler and vice president of public relations at WAMMA, explained that the contest between world champions is what MMA fighters and fans want and the match up would be the true bench mark for naming the world’s best fighters.
“As a fan who wouldn’t want to see champion vs. champion,” Goldberg said at WAMMA.com. “Who wouldn’t want to see the best fighters fighting for the ultimate goal to be the best in the world? Right now under the current system that’s not possible, not unless the top two fighters are in the same promotions.”
Pat Miletich, MMA champion trainer and vice president of fighter and promoter relations at WAMMA, added that match ups between world champions would enable fighters to sea where they stand in the world rankings. “To rank everyone from across the board from all organization – one through ten in the world wide rankings – is going to motivate the fighters and enable them to compete with other fighters from other organizations for the true world title,” Miletich said. “That will be great for MMA fans, its athletes and for the sport over all.”
Supporting WAMMA’s mission of establishing a true world ranking in MMA is legendary fighter Don “Predator” Frye, who also believes that a match up between world champions is what the sport needs. “When I first started in 1995 there were only the UFC and some local organizations,” he recalled. “Now you got several world wide organizations and we need structure to it to decide who is on top? Who is going to make the money? And who is going to be the best? Fans no longer will have to waste their money to see the number 10 guy trying to go for a title. They are going to see the top two guys fighting for the title and they are going to get a better product.”
Aside from unifying the world titles, WAMMA also wants to increase public awareness of MMA and help change legislation in 20 states that don’t currently allow MMA bouts. “Public awareness of mixed martial arts has grown exponentially in the last 15 years since its onset on the United States,” Goldberg said. “With such a force out there, there needs to be unity in the form of a governing body to make sure that the highest level of integrity is followed by all the participants. I think we’ve seen year after year the progression of MMA and the amount of enthusiasm for the sport grow. The sky is the limit for MMA. The only way to accelerate its growth is through a sanctioning body that will increase its integrity and public awareness.”
*WAMMA is a multifaceted fan and fighter organization dedicated to promoting the integrity, legitimacy and longevity of Mixed Martial Arts. Its purposes include:*
1. Uniform Control and Supervision of Mixed Martial Arts.
To promote and obtain efficiency and harmony in the control and supervision of professional men’s and women’s Mixed Martial Arts throughout the world.
2. Encouragement of Mixed Martial Arts as Sport.
To encourage professional Mixed Martial Arts as an activity conducive to physical fitness and as a sport which is a source of wholesome entertainment for the public.
3. Encouragement of Public Appreciation.
To encourage greater public appreciation and patronage for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
4. Promotion of Clean, Fair and Equitable Competition.
To keep professional Mixed Martial Arts and all activities connected there with, clean, fair and equitable to all parties concerned.
5. Promotion of Mixed Martial Arts Safety.
To make professional Mixed Martial Arts as safe a sport as possible for fighters, and to promote their welfare.
6. Recognition of Champions.
To recognize the best fighter in each division as the champion of the world, having won such a title in competition, in compliance with all provisions of this Constitution, and the Rules and Regulations of WAMMA.
7. Certification and Recognition of Championship and Elimination Bouts.
To certify and recognize championship bouts in each weight division for WAMMA championship, provided that such bouts are held in compliance with this Constitution and the Rules and Regulations of WAMMA.
8. Promotion of Competition in Mixed Martial Arts.
To promote, enhance, and establish quality competition in Mixed Martial Arts, with WAMMA-recognized champions defending their titles against qualified opponents on a regular basis.
9. Elimination of Discrimination in Mixed Martial Arts.
Discrimination by reason of race, religion, or national origin is an abhorrent affront to human dignity and, as such, is incompatible with the
purposes and principles of WAMMA, as embodied in this Constitution and the Rules and Regulations of WAMMA. Consequently, apartheid and/or discrimination is prohibited and shall be penalized accordingly.
10. Mediation to Resolve Controversies.
To mediate in controversies when appropriate, with the goal of making Mixed Martial Arts a clean business with ethical competition and respect for the rights of everyone involved.
Go to www.gowamma.com for more information.