The UFC’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu branch is establishing its presence in the competitive grappling world, and a prominent metal musician, who also co-owns a jiu-jitsu promotion, has offered his perspective on their recent activities. Zoltan Bathory, a founding member of Five Finger Death Punch, is also a co-proprietor of the Professional Grappling Federation, which is launching its latest season this Wednesday.
Given the widespread recognition of the UFC name, their current ventures like Zuffa Boxing and the new UFC Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu initiatives suggest an ambition to dominate every facet of the combat sports domain. When this accomplished guitarist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt was queried about his viewpoint on the UFC BJJ operations, Bathory conveyed [through Bowks Talking Bouts],
“To start, we maintain a very strong personal connection. Therefore, as founders and organizers of PGF, our standing is distinctive because our jiu-jitsu league operates on a team structure. This means each team consists of five participants, and every individual from one team competes against members of opposing teams.”
“Consequently, our format prioritizes teams rather than individual grapplers. This makes us essentially distinct; we are not vying against one another, nor are we direct rivals. The structure is entirely different. Most jiu-jitsu events, in contrast, are geared towards individual athletes, where combatants contend for personal victories or defeats.”
“Thus, our paths don’t conflict. Indeed, we possess a strong aptitude for identifying skilled athletes. As a result, many of our competitors transition into UFC BJJ. We even have an understanding where every PGF champion is offered a position in UFC BJJ, should they desire it. In this respect, our ties are quite strong. Their approach mirrors that of the UFC; their format, involving three rounds, is how they conduct events, primarily because this style resonates with their existing audience.”
“Beyond this, numerous other organizations exist, ranging from ADCC to CJI and others, each with diverse regulations, but uniformly centered on individual participation. Only a select few operate with a team focus. From that perspective, when considering PGF, its team-oriented nature fundamentally alters its operational dynamics. Another crucial aspect for us was, once more, the particular set of rules we adopted.”
“Our aim was to cultivate a truly dynamic and engaging spectacle that would popularize jiu-jitsu. We aspire for even a casual observer to recognize a ‘triangle choke.’ Achieving that level means we’ve entered the mainstream. That’s one objective. Secondly, we sought to enable athletes to pursue professional careers. To ensure their compensation, we needed funding; initially, I personally financed the endeavor.”
“However, I proceeded with a clear understanding, possessing a strategy for its eventual transformation into a self-sustaining model, which we achieved. Consequently, it evolved into a franchise-based league, currently featuring four teams. Plans are in motion to expand to eight and then even further. Each of these teams is individually owned, or held by a collective entity.”
UFC BJJ, PGF, and the Rationale Behind Billionaire Ownership of Sports Franchises
Elaborating further on the distinctions between PGF and the UFC’s submission grappling division, Bathory proceeded to explain [through Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Therefore, these are fully owned franchise entities that engage in competition. We’re witnessing significant attention because it’s akin to having the opportunity to invest in the NFL or NHL during their nascent stages. Envision being able to acquire ownership of a team back then, which you would still possess now. Fundamentally, that’s the experience we’re replicating.”
“Consequently, these regional teams are privately held. For instance, the Alabama Twisters already command a substantial following, as residents of Alabama are now ardently supporting this team. We also feature the Las Vegas Kings, Colorado Wolverines, and the Philly Phenoms, all performing exceptionally well. I’m observing remarkable growth in these franchise operations.”
“As previously stated, these entities are fully owned, and without delving into potentially tedious business specifics, there’s a clear rationale for why ultra-wealthy individuals acquire sports franchises. The tax regulations undergo a complete transformation. The financial landscape becomes markedly different in such scenarios. It constitutes an asset. One isn’t merely sponsoring a team; one possesses it. Hence, it represents a transferable and valuable commodity. This fundamentally alters the entire dynamic.”
“We were confident that we would eventually reach this point, and we have indeed. This signifies that we now possess a rule framework that, in my estimation, ought to be the benchmark: maximally engaging, swift, highly energetic, and enduring. This implies that its scale will continuously expand. We successfully met our objectives, ensuring athletes are compensated and that jiu-jitsu becomes globally understood.”
