Alabama Event Cancelled; Coolio/DMX Celebrity Matchup Off
Loretta Hunt Dec 12, 2009
Thunder Promotions “Alabama
Pride” event, scheduled to take place this Saturday at the BJCC
Arena in Birmingham, Ala., has been cancelled, reportedly due to
poor ticket sales.
The event had garnered attention for enlisting rap star DMX as one of its early headliners. DMX was later replaced by another rapper, Coolio, in a “celebrity kickboxing” match with actor Eric Martinez. DMX had reportedly withdrawn from the bout when he was told the fight’s outcome could not be predetermined.
Heavyweights Jeff Monson
and Travis Fulton
had been slated to meet in the main event.
The event’s matchmaker, Feliz Martinez, identified Rod Riccardi as the promoter of the event. Alabama does not have a regulatory body to oversee combat sports events.
Fulton’s manager, Chad Bergmeier, said he was told late Thursday of the cancellation, as Fulton was already en route to Alabama. Bergmeier said a rep for the promotion told him the event had only sold a couple hundred tickets. Bergmeier said Fulton’s flight and hotel to Alabama had been paid for and that he was trying to work with the promotion Friday to get Fulton back home to Iowa.
“I’m always a little bit nervous with these new organizations, and they were on me to have the fighters do a lot of interviews beforehand, so I was hopeful,” Bergmeier told Sherdog.com on Friday.
Bergmeier said Martinez has ensured him that the promotion would pay Fulton’s flat purse next week. However, Bergmeier said both himself and Martinez have had difficulty contacting Riccardi to make arrangements.
Martinez requested to speak with Sherdog.com at a later date.
The event had garnered attention for enlisting rap star DMX as one of its early headliners. DMX was later replaced by another rapper, Coolio, in a “celebrity kickboxing” match with actor Eric Martinez. DMX had reportedly withdrawn from the bout when he was told the fight’s outcome could not be predetermined.
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The event’s matchmaker, Feliz Martinez, identified Rod Riccardi as the promoter of the event. Alabama does not have a regulatory body to oversee combat sports events.
Fulton’s manager, Chad Bergmeier, said he was told late Thursday of the cancellation, as Fulton was already en route to Alabama. Bergmeier said a rep for the promotion told him the event had only sold a couple hundred tickets. Bergmeier said Fulton’s flight and hotel to Alabama had been paid for and that he was trying to work with the promotion Friday to get Fulton back home to Iowa.
“I’m always a little bit nervous with these new organizations, and they were on me to have the fighters do a lot of interviews beforehand, so I was hopeful,” Bergmeier told Sherdog.com on Friday.
Bergmeier said Martinez has ensured him that the promotion would pay Fulton’s flat purse next week. However, Bergmeier said both himself and Martinez have had difficulty contacting Riccardi to make arrangements.
Martinez requested to speak with Sherdog.com at a later date.
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