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Larosa Lands Six-Figure Deal with AFL
The Kentucky-based American Fight League has inked former Bodog
Fight women's champion Tara
Larosa (Pictures) to a landmark contract some feel
could forever alter the pay structure for mixed martial
artists.
The deal - which will reportedly pay Larosa a minimum of $500,000 and could reach $750,000 over the course of its 18-month term - was struck by the NCFC Fight Management firm, which represents a number of the sport's superstars, including Roger Huerta (Pictures), Brandon Vera (Pictures) and Diego Sanchez (Pictures). Larosa seems aware of her place in history.
"Since I definitely have a really big contract, it sort of raises the bar as to what others can get," Larosa said. "If I get paid higher, everyone else gets paid higher. That's what I'm hoping for."
Larosa negotiated with EliteXC, the International Fight League and the Affliction promotions before settling on the AFL, which has held two events to date. She has already lobbied the company to institute 115-, 125-, 135- and 145-pound women's divisions and was encouraged by the AFL's willingness to discuss bringing in top-tier fighters from Japan, Holland and other global hotspots.
Regarded by many as the premier female competitor in the world, Larosa (15-1) has made no secret about her desire to square off with unbeaten EliteXC standout Gina Carano (Pictures). She has posted 12 straight wins - the last five of which she has finished - and owns notable victories against Shayna Baszler (Pictures), Amanda Buckner (Pictures) and Julie Kedzie (Pictures).
The 30-year-old former collegiate field hockey player has not competed since she coaxed a tapout from Cody Welchin with a second-round triangle choke at a Hook-N-Shoot event in November. Larosa suffered the lone blemish on her resume in 2003, when she succumbed to strikes from Jennifer Howe (Pictures), who was unbeaten at the time.
Though her AFL contract could ultimately prove beneficial to Larosa's peers, her managers, Jeff Clark (Pictures) and Matt Stansell (Pictures), plan to stay proactive in an effort to curtail any kind of negative backlash she might receive. He believes her talent will speak for itself.
"Tara's the Tiger Woods of female fighting," Clark said. "She's the real deal, but we're worried girls like Gina Carano (Pictures) won't step up to fight her."
Though a new kid on the block, the AFL has already raised eyebrows with a number of free agent signings. The list includes UFC veterans Diego Saraiva (Pictures), Dan Christison (Pictures) and Junior Assuncao (Pictures), along with former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Bobby Lashley. The promotion introduced Larosa and Lashley at an event in Atlanta on May 30.
AFL president and CEO B.J. Santiago sees Larosa as a cornerstone for the women's division. "It was important for us to find the best talent in the world to start our women's platform," he said.
Clark admits Larosa's deal could have far-reaching consequences in an industry that is still in its infancy, as other fighters could use it as leverage in future negotiations.
"It's going to elevate the sport," he said. "All of the other organizations only agree on entertainment value. The AFL believes in the amount of equity a fighter is going to bring them. We want other fighters to look at this and say, ‘Yes, the time has come. There are organizations that believe treating fighters right is a win-win situation.'"
Larosa agrees and hopes to become a catalyst for change.
"I want to try to help push the sport legitimately into the mainstream," she said. "I want to see the fighters who have busted their asses get the shots they deserve, the men and the women. It's about time they got some recognition."
Larosa will make her promotional debut at a pay-per-view event later this fall, either in October or November, according to Santiago. The AFL has pegged four cities as possible sites for the show: Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix and Atlantic City, N.J. Santiago promised more acquisitions between now and then.
"We want to make sure we're identified as a major player," Santiago said. "The fighters in the top six fights on that card will all be household names."
Clark was drawn to the AFL's approach, which places the focus on fighters and not the promotion itself.
"They think a little bit out of the box," Clark said. "They're not following the same business model that's proven to fail. They're trying something new and beneficial. The AFL realizes a fighter actually brings value by building the brand. They understand [Larosa] will help brand them."
As part of its business model, the privately funded AFL will employ a strategy in which it uses affiliate promotions on the regional level as a kind of feeder system. Fighters will be able to compete for spots on AFL "Supershows" under a points system similar to those used by NASCAR and the Professional Bull Riders tour. Santiago indicated five affiliates were already on board, including the Southern Kentucky Combat League.
Santiago - a former Fortune 500 executive at Lexmark International Inc. - wants to break the negative stigma he believes still hovers above the sport of MMA and plans to do so through community outreach efforts.
"Our approach is fighters first," he said. "The people around you make you successful. When a Nike, a Coca-Cola aren't putting their tagline around, aren't giving their stamp of approval to the Chuck Liddell (Pictures)s and Randy Couture (Pictures)s, you have to ask yourself why. The sport has not reached a point where it has a positive image."
The deal - which will reportedly pay Larosa a minimum of $500,000 and could reach $750,000 over the course of its 18-month term - was struck by the NCFC Fight Management firm, which represents a number of the sport's superstars, including Roger Huerta (Pictures), Brandon Vera (Pictures) and Diego Sanchez (Pictures). Larosa seems aware of her place in history.
"Since I definitely have a really big contract, it sort of raises the bar as to what others can get," Larosa said. "If I get paid higher, everyone else gets paid higher. That's what I'm hoping for."
Larosa negotiated with EliteXC, the International Fight League and the Affliction promotions before settling on the AFL, which has held two events to date. She has already lobbied the company to institute 115-, 125-, 135- and 145-pound women's divisions and was encouraged by the AFL's willingness to discuss bringing in top-tier fighters from Japan, Holland and other global hotspots.
Regarded by many as the premier female competitor in the world, Larosa (15-1) has made no secret about her desire to square off with unbeaten EliteXC standout Gina Carano (Pictures). She has posted 12 straight wins - the last five of which she has finished - and owns notable victories against Shayna Baszler (Pictures), Amanda Buckner (Pictures) and Julie Kedzie (Pictures).
The 30-year-old former collegiate field hockey player has not competed since she coaxed a tapout from Cody Welchin with a second-round triangle choke at a Hook-N-Shoot event in November. Larosa suffered the lone blemish on her resume in 2003, when she succumbed to strikes from Jennifer Howe (Pictures), who was unbeaten at the time.
Though her AFL contract could ultimately prove beneficial to Larosa's peers, her managers, Jeff Clark (Pictures) and Matt Stansell (Pictures), plan to stay proactive in an effort to curtail any kind of negative backlash she might receive. He believes her talent will speak for itself.
"Tara's the Tiger Woods of female fighting," Clark said. "She's the real deal, but we're worried girls like Gina Carano (Pictures) won't step up to fight her."
Though a new kid on the block, the AFL has already raised eyebrows with a number of free agent signings. The list includes UFC veterans Diego Saraiva (Pictures), Dan Christison (Pictures) and Junior Assuncao (Pictures), along with former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Bobby Lashley. The promotion introduced Larosa and Lashley at an event in Atlanta on May 30.
AFL president and CEO B.J. Santiago sees Larosa as a cornerstone for the women's division. "It was important for us to find the best talent in the world to start our women's platform," he said.
Clark admits Larosa's deal could have far-reaching consequences in an industry that is still in its infancy, as other fighters could use it as leverage in future negotiations.
"It's going to elevate the sport," he said. "All of the other organizations only agree on entertainment value. The AFL believes in the amount of equity a fighter is going to bring them. We want other fighters to look at this and say, ‘Yes, the time has come. There are organizations that believe treating fighters right is a win-win situation.'"
Larosa agrees and hopes to become a catalyst for change.
"I want to try to help push the sport legitimately into the mainstream," she said. "I want to see the fighters who have busted their asses get the shots they deserve, the men and the women. It's about time they got some recognition."
Larosa will make her promotional debut at a pay-per-view event later this fall, either in October or November, according to Santiago. The AFL has pegged four cities as possible sites for the show: Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix and Atlantic City, N.J. Santiago promised more acquisitions between now and then.
"We want to make sure we're identified as a major player," Santiago said. "The fighters in the top six fights on that card will all be household names."
Clark was drawn to the AFL's approach, which places the focus on fighters and not the promotion itself.
"They think a little bit out of the box," Clark said. "They're not following the same business model that's proven to fail. They're trying something new and beneficial. The AFL realizes a fighter actually brings value by building the brand. They understand [Larosa] will help brand them."
As part of its business model, the privately funded AFL will employ a strategy in which it uses affiliate promotions on the regional level as a kind of feeder system. Fighters will be able to compete for spots on AFL "Supershows" under a points system similar to those used by NASCAR and the Professional Bull Riders tour. Santiago indicated five affiliates were already on board, including the Southern Kentucky Combat League.
Santiago - a former Fortune 500 executive at Lexmark International Inc. - wants to break the negative stigma he believes still hovers above the sport of MMA and plans to do so through community outreach efforts.
"Our approach is fighters first," he said. "The people around you make you successful. When a Nike, a Coca-Cola aren't putting their tagline around, aren't giving their stamp of approval to the Chuck Liddell (Pictures)s and Randy Couture (Pictures)s, you have to ask yourself why. The sport has not reached a point where it has a positive image."
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