Report: Vince McMahon Considering Mixed Martial Arts as Competition
MikeM
07/06/2008 by Chris Cash
Vince McMahon and company are now considering Mixed Martial Arts as
direct competition, despite stating otherwise in the past. According
to WrestlingObserver.com, WWE has quietly been telling arenas that
hold their events not to allow MMA events to be held there 30 days
before or after the WWE event.
This is nothing new as it pertains to wrestling. Back in the 1980's,
Vince McMahon was notorious for trying to make other regional
promoters look like they had lesser companies by forcing them into
smaller venues. Some of the promoters had the same type of agreement
with certain arenas and could keep McMahon from coming in that area as
well.
TNA deals with this when it comes to mid-sized arenas, so it still
goes on today, but just recently has Vince openly looked at MMA as
direct competition to make a move like this. In fact, Atlanta-based
MMA group, Extreme Fight Night, has had to move dates three times this
year due to the insistence of the WWE.