Ever since SB Nation Bay Area launched, I've been posting about mixed martial arts (MMA) in different articles and blog posts. Whenever I post the daily TV schedule, I make sure to include anything regarding the UFC, Strikeforce or Bellator and try and find Bay Area ties. I covered UFC 117 when the promotion came to Oakland. I am, to say the least, a huge fan of MMA.
So when I got this press release from Comcast Sports Net, I was pretty stoked. They're debuting "American Cagefighter," a weekly half-hour show focusing on fighters, events, teams and the latest news in the world of mixed martial arts. It will be hosted by Nate "Rock" Quarry, former "The Ultimate Fighter" cast-member and UFC fighter - one of my favorite in the sport. From the release:
"Each week American Cagefighter will present viewers with comprehensive MMA news and analysis, insider reports, exclusive behind-the-scenes video, and interviews from the biggest names in MMA. Making appearances in the first several episodes are fighters Urijah Faber, Jake Shields, Tito Ortiz,Chris Leben, Mark Munoz, Chad Mendes, and Joseph Benavidez, among others. American Cagefighter is also dedicated to promoting and giving exposure to the rising stars in the sport and will feature fight action from regional MMA events."
MMA is a growing sport, and any TV coverage it gets will only help to bring it more into the public eye. Now two fighters have been featured on SportsCenter's top plays, a slam from Gerald Harris and a kick from Anthony Pettis, and ESPN provides regular coverage of the big events. Comcast SportsNet is rising in the industry and this weekly show on CSN California can only help them get into the spotlight.
After this week's debut on January 9th, the show will air weekly on Sunday at 10 p.m. on CSN California.