ネタ元　FIGHTSPORT 24-7

REAL PRO WRESTLING SECURES TV DEAL

LOS ANGELES, September 10: PAX TV has teamed with Real Pro Wrestling to launch an Olympic-style wrestling series on the network in February 2005.

The 15-week series will premiere February 13, a week following the Super Bowl, with wrestlers competing for the championship and $250,000 in prizes.

"Finally, the world's best wrestlers can earn a living at what they do best," said Tony Willis, the co-founder and CEO of Real Pro Wrestling. "Wrestling fans deserve to see their heroes compete against the best in the world."

Each one-hour episode will contain segments that can be sponsored by advertisers, such as Background Stories, Tale of the Tape, Tech Moment, Move of the Day, Official Drink, Official Apparel and Official Footwear.

Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling champion Rulon Gardner reportedly gave his verbal committment to competing in this event after he won Bronze at the Athens Olympics.

With the sort of prize money being offered, there is some speculation that former wrestlers turned MMA fighters such as Matt Lindland, Dan Henderson, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman or Randy Couture might make a return to the sport at the new pro level.

We also have to wonder how the hell a show like this can be sold to Pax TV when the UFC appear to have fumbled every attempt thus far to get a regular UFC telecast on one of the networks. And please, dont mention the Spike TV thing, im referring to a TV show that features UFC fights, not some MMA version of 'The Contender'. Maybe ZUFFA could hire the Real Pro Wrestling guy to get a TV deal for them as well. For the past four years Dana White of the UFC has been quoted as saying a TV deal is just around the corner and yet a show with far narrower potential audience appeal than the UFC has just secured a 15 week deal.

アメリカのPAX TVなる組織がプロのアマレス興行を来年の２月に立ち上げるらしい。
引用先では、Real Pro Wrestlingと称しているプロ・アマレス、果たして人気を得ることができるだろうか？

15週の連続シリーズで優勝者には$250,000が与えられるこの大会、ダン・ヘンダーソン、ケビン・ランデルマンなどアマレス出身者がMMAの世界で活躍しているという背景もあるらしい。
しかも、カレリンを破った男であるガードナーにも口頭ながら参加を促しているようだ。

しかし、15週間もアマレスに釘付けになるファンがどれだけいるだろうか。
プロならではの味付けがあったとしても難しいかも。
開催前からシオシオな予感ではあるが、壮大な実験を見守ってみたい。

他のプロ格blogサイトはこちら