Burt Watson joins Alliance MMA

On November 12, 2016, hours before UFC 205, New York Fighting met up with Rob Haydak and Burt Watson of Alliance MMA.  We met just a block away from Madison Square Garden at Renzo Gracie Academy, where you could feel the presence of history being made. Earlier that day, fighters from the UFC 205 card were there making final preparations for their fights later that evening. Katlyn “Blondefighter” Chookagian warmed up with her team before heading out early to become the first fighter in history to enter the Octagon in New York. Then teammates Frankie Edgar and Eddie Alvarez put in a final session with coaches Mark Henry, Ricardo Almeida, and Master Renzo Gracie, before making the short walk to MSG. Even with all this excitement surrounding the UFC debut in New York, the highlight of the day was interviewing the new Director of Fighter Relations for Alliance MMA, Mr Burt Watson. Burt spoke to us about his history in combat sports, his thoughts on where the UFC is now, his new role with Alliance MMA, and much more. Keep an eye out for his interview, Coming Soon to NewYorkFighting.com.

NEW YORK, NY – Alliance MMA, Inc. a mixed martial arts organization offering premier promotional opportunities for aspiring mixed martial arts fighters, today announced that MMA legend Burt Watson has joined the Company as Director, Fighter Relations, where he will serve as a motivational mentor for Alliance MMA’s regional promotions and their fighters.

In this newly created capacity, Mr. Watson will help shepherd Alliance MMA’s most valued product, its fighters, in their quest to become MMA champions. Applying his extraordinary inspirational talents, he will routinely visit Alliance MMA promotions to ensure consistency in the fighter relations process, and concurrently assist in nurturing the upcoming generation of professional fighters. Mr. Watson will help standardize the coordination of behind the scenes details for the promotions to help ensure that fighters are competing at the highest possible level of personal performance.

“Alliance MMA has already acquired five promotions, and we have plans to expand our operations aggressively in the coming months. Burt’s direct involvement will create a level of consistency for the promotions that we believe will result in our ability to ensure remarkably competitive opportunities for our fighters, while at the same time maximizing the entertainment value for our fans,” said Robert Haydak, President of Alliance MMA, Inc. “Burt has a unique talent for personalizing the fighter’s experience which creates a truly supercharged environment. He takes a sincere personal interest in every athlete, before, during and after each event. His infectious charisma inspires fighters preceding their bouts, and when necessary, he’s also the first person to provide compassionate consolation. We are absolutely thrilled to feature his larger than life presence as a key member of our team.”

Mr. Watson began his career in boxing more than 30 years ago coordinating events that involved boxing stars Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Roy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bernard Hopkins and Wladimir Klitschko. Most recently, he served as head of fighter relations at Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC), an Alliance MMA promotion. Before joining CFFC, Mr. Watson was the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Event Coordinator for 14 years where he was intimately involved in producing some of their most memorable events. Prior to his association with the UFC organization, Mr. Watson served as the business manager for legendary fighter ”Smokin’ Joe” Frazier for several years, and coordinated a promotional tour featuring renowned boxing greats Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, George Foreman and Ken Norton. Throughout his illustrious career, Mr. Watson was responsible for coordinating televised sporting events featured on numerous networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, HBO, Showtime, USA, BET and Telemundo.

“My passion is working closely with fighters, and now with the Alliance MMA opportunity, I get to work with both fighters and the regional promoters to deliver the best possible experience for all,” said Mr. Watson. “MMA is widely regarded as the world’s fastest growing sport, and as the fan base continues to expand, I am totally stoked to help produce the next generation of stars as a member of the Alliance MMA family.”

Burt Watson and Alliance MMA President, Rob Haydak

Photos: Matt Culley