SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 28, 2013) – MMADraft.com, a high-profile promotional platform for up-and-coming amateur MMA athletes, is poised to make MMA history. The organization, founded by Urijah Faber and Phil Davis, is set to host the first ever MMA combine. The historic event will take place on July 6 during the 2013 UFC Fan Expo® in Las Vegas, Nevada. The MMA Draft combine will be held in the Ballroom of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from 11am to 2pm and is open to amateur MMA athletes of all skill levels between the ages of 13 and 30.
The MMA combine will be similar to combines held by the NFL, NHL and Soccer. Up-and-coming amateur athletes will have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills by participating in a series of athletic tests.Standardized testing will enable participating athletes to compare their results with the results of their peers. The tests, some of which will be MMA specific, will also enable MMA Draft scouts to gauge the potential of the participating fighters.
Phil Davis had this to say about the combine, “The entire MMA Draft team has worked extremely hard to bring the sports very first MMA combine to fruition. With the increasing number of athletes that transition into MMA each year, we feel that it is important for MMA to host combines like the NFL does. It will give exceptionally skilled amateur MMA fighters the opportunity show us what they are made of, and we will be giving them feedback as to what they need to improve on.”
The MMA Draft team will use state-of-the-art technology and accuracy to gauge the athleticism of each prospect. Physical skills such as agility, power, speed and agility will be tested and a ‘mental skills’ assessment will be conducted. Experts like Physical Therapist Russell Dunning MS, MPT and Saralyn Bregman, a licensed Clinical Psychologist that specializes in Sports Psychology, will be on hand administering tests and giving their expert opinions.
During the MMA Skills portion of the combine, which consists of wrestling, grappling and striking, MMA Draft staff members will act as ‘technique dummies’ and will assess the participants strength, technique and knowledge of the sport.
According to Urijah Faber, “We are very excited to bring standardized testing and skills testing for amateur athletes to MMA through MMA Draft Combines. It will definitely be a great motivator for up-and-coming talent and we can’t think of a better place to host our first one than at the 2013 UFC Fan Expo®! We would like to send a big thank you out to the UFC® for working with us to make this happen!”
The MMA Draft combine will give elite amateur fighters the chance to stand out amongst their peers in front of key industry influencers. They will also have the rare opportunity to get feedback from pros that have already made it to the big stage. The UFC® fighters that will be assisting Faber, Davis, and the MMA Draft staff with the combine include; Chad Mendes, TJ Dillashaw, Ramsey Nijem, Court McGee, Steven Siler, Scott Jorgenson, Danny Castillo, Tyrone Woodly, and Erik Koch.
MMA Draft scouts will be rewarding several ‘stand out’ athletes registered on MMADraft.com with an invitation to attend the combine free of charge. The top ten prospects on MMADraft.com will be invited to attend via a free scholarship. Ten additional prospects will be selected as wild cards. Athletes must be registered on MMADraft.com to be chosen. Amateur martial artists of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to create a profile. It is FREE to join!
The MMA Draft combine will start promptly at 11am on July 6. Running shoes are required. Any workout attire that the participant deems comfortable can be worn during the combine. Athletes are encouraged to bring their own fight gear (gloves, pads, etc.) MMA Draft will have fight gear on hand that participants can borrow. Athletes are encouraged to register early, as the combine is limited to 100 athletes.
The cost to participate in the MMA Draft combine is $85 per prospect. Every athlete that competes will receive an MMA Draft swag bag full of great stuff! ALL participants and spectators must have a UFC Fan Expo pass to get into the Combine. To purchase a UFC Fan Expo® day pass please visit www.ufcfanexpo.com. For detailed information on agility and skills tests administered during the MMA Draft Combine, or to register for the combine, please go to www.MMADraft.com.
About MMA Draft:
MMA Draft (www.MMADraft.com) was created for martial artists by martial artists to generate opportunities and exposure for combat sports athletes at the amateur level. It is the most comprehensive “Amateur” promotional platform of its kind and was formed by Urijah Faber and Phil Davis, accomplished MMA pros that know exactly what it takes to make it in the competitive world of mixed martial arts. MMADraft.com provides amateur fighters with a high-profile platform to showcase their skills, interactive forums to build a fan following, tips from industry pros and other valuable career resources. MMADraft.com is also a go-to source for managers, sponsors and promoters looking for talent.
Additionally, MMADraft.com offers a variety of resources to parents, prospects, and fans of amateur combat sports. Resources include educational information, event info and more! MMA Draft executives are also working closely with key promotions, organizations and websites to become a central database for amateur events, seminars and results. Amateur martial arts athletes of ALL ages and skill levels are encouraged to create a profile on www.MMADraft.com. It is FREE to join and THE place to be if you’re a skilled amateur martial artist.
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