I’ve been involved in MMA and BJJ for many years. I actually started out as a

jiu-jitsu student in Boise, Idaho. Now you might not think of Boise as a hotbed of

jiu-jitsu activity over 10 years ago and you’d be right. But I was as shocked by

the first Ultimate Fighting Championship as the next guy and was driven to find out

more about the style that dominated all other styles. Back then, Brazilian

jiu-jitsu was the Holy Grail of martial arts and I just HAD to learn it! I was

especially interested because I was a pretty darn good wrestler back when I wore a

younger man’s clothes (he actually showed up at my door a few months back and asked

for his clothes back - but that’s a story for another time).

I helped my first instructor coordinate a trip for our Primal Tribe team to the Bas

Rutten Invitational in Denver where we competed in front of the UFC matchmaker and

made a great showing! So great, in fact, that we were offered two matches in the

UFC. Yes, you heard that right, Maynard. My first experience as a manager was in

UFC 22. No kicking around smaller shows for me. I went straight to the top.

I wish I could claim I was chosen because of my high intelligence and classic good

looks. But the truth is I was “drafted” to be the manager because I had some sweet

telephone skills (I could dial long distance), a credit card (a Sears card,

actually) and the stupidity…uh, I mean the willingness…to take on tasks everyone

else considered impossible. If you’re going to be a manager why not be bold and let

everyone know you’re on the playground? So I just took a deep breath and went for

it. Boy howdy was I nervous. I’ve learned a ton since then, made a ton of mistakes,

but have also discovered just about every pitfall there is to managing fighters.

 
Some of the most important topics in MMA, which get overlooked 90 percent of the

time, are things like fighter management, cornering, scouting, rules

interpretation, fight preparation, athletic commission relations, team politics,

and negotiating with promoters, matchmakers, sponsors, reporters, and magazines…the

nuts and bolts of the sport, in other words. New fighters thinking about a career

in MMA should do extensive research before seeking management. However, you’re not

going to find a book on this in your local library. It’s only through “tribal

knowledge” i.e. talking to people who been through it before that you’ll gain any

kind of insight into these very confusing issues.

Your first decision as a fighter, however, is whether or not you REALLY need a

manager. If you’re one of those super-organized people who can multi-task, have the

capacity to balance everything in your “real” life AND train AND negotiate deals

with promoters then good for you. Maybe you don’t need a manager and maybe the only

thing that can hurt you is kryptonite.

If you’re one of the 99.99 percent of the people in this world who DON’T fit that

description then don’t feel bad. It’s nearly impossible to work full time, pay

bills, take care of the yard, and make time for the family in addition to training

and scheduling/negotiating good matches for yourself in legitimate shows with

trustworthy promoters (yes, there are trustworthy promoters). This is where a good

manager comes into play and can be instrumental in helping a fighter advance their

career.

Another important decision is how long to stay an amateur. It’s pretty easy to

schedule professional fights. The guidelines are still under construction and

regulations aren’t forced. Are you good enough to compete against the professional

fighters you’ve seen? Watch some amateur fights and be honest with yourself. You

can make money as a pro right now while the opportunities are there. If you’re

young and/or patient, maybe you should wait a year or two and get to a level you’re

comfortable with before going pro.

These are things an experienced manager can help you decide. They can assess your

skills and advise you. If you’re just getting started, why not leverage off of

someone who has helped a lot of fighters and has working relationships with many of

the most influential people in the sport? This doesn’t just include promoters and

matchmakers but also sponsors, publicists, video producers and magazine editors.
 
My best advice is to find a manager who is honest, reliable and hard working.

Whether you like the affable and friendly type or the straight-up serious business

man is another issue to consider. Also make sure they know about negotiating

contract terms, evaluating fighter pay, and the many pitfalls to avoid.

If you have any questions feel free to email me at www.PrimalTribeFighting.com.