Former NFL star Shawne Merriman didn’t anticipate to be working his personal MMA promotion, however he’s doing simply that.
Merriman, who was drafted with the twelfth general choose within the 2005 NFL draft and spent eight years enjoying within the Nationwide Soccer League was additionally across the sport of MMA. Throughout his offseasons, Merriman would prepare MMA with Randy Couture and different fighters, which sparked his love for fight sports activities.
Then, as soon as he retired from Soccer, Merriman acquired into TV to broadcast the NFL, so combining his ardour for fight sports activities along with his new information of TV manufacturing, he figured it made sense to start out his personal promotion, Lights Out XF.
“I began coaching within the mid-2000s. My first day of coaching was with Randy Couture, I began coaching within the offseason to assist me with soccer. I didn’t assume I used to be going to fall into the game the way in which I’m,” Merriman stated on Simply Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “What occurred was I began to coach with all people, from the Chuck Liddell’s to the Tito Ortiz’s, a variety of these guys would come to the Chargers video games. That was my means into fight sports activities. Then, after I retired I acquired into TV broadcasting. I understood the TV enterprise greater than something, it was a mixture of figuring out how TV works and the love of MMA so I launched Lights Out Xtreme Combating.”
Though beginning a promotion is hard, Merriman has discovered a variety of success, however admits the start days have been positively laborious. Merriman says issues started with simply a variety of native fighters, however for the reason that promotion has began to get greater, he now has fighters reaching out to him. That features some UFC veterans, equivalent to Jared Vanderaa, who competes on this Saturday’s occasion.
“It’s fully totally different than what it was a year-and-a-half, two years in the past, it’s night time and day. Obviosuly as a result of I performed within the NFL they know who I’m however they didn’t know the promotion and what we do,” Merriman stated.
With Shawne Merriman getting Lights Out XF off the bottom and evolving to a premier regional promotion, the plan is to have occasions all throughout america.
However, Merriman says his final purpose is to turn into the highest feeder promotion to the UFC and get as many fighters signed as doable.
“It’s huge for us. I acquired on this area as a result of I wished to supply a platform to get extra guys into the UFC. I do know there are superb promotions on the market which were round longer than us,” Merriman stated. “Giving these guys a platform to get to the UFC, as a result of we get a variety of viewership. I discuss regularly with Dana and all people is aware of what we now have occurring. They know if they arrive right here, they’ve an actual shot at getting signed. That’s what this entire factor is about. For me, a profitable promotion is we are able to get as many fighters as doable from us to the UFC. That may be a large win.”