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Ex-NFL star Shawne Merriman explains why his MMA promotion has no interest in competing with UFC
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Former NFL star Shawne Merriman is building his mixed martial arts company to stand out from the rest.
Lights Out Xtreme Fighting introduced game-changing AI technology for advertisers a few months ago and will provide more data for fans and MMA officials alike with glove technology that will be introduced with its next fight card. All of that on top of Lights Out Sports that Merriman created to highlight his promotion as well as a variety of different sports.
Shawne Merriman spoke to Fox News Digital about new innovative happenings at Lights Out Xtreme Fighting. (Robert Hanashiro, USAT, USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
Merriman said while he sees other companies trying to compete with UFC and burning through cash in their attempts, Lights Out Xtreme Fighting is doing something completely different.
“We never looked to compete. We’re creating. We don’t want to compete with the UFC.We don’t care,” he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “We know there’s other promotions and other organizations out there trying to compete with the UFC.
“In my opinion, I don’t think there will be anybody bigger than the UFC and there’s a lot of promotions that are just trying to spend their way to the top with money. Just outspend their way and not (having success). We are (successful) because we’ve been more efficient and we are an incubator. We’re not trying to compete with anybody. We’re a hub for this technology, this data and these great fights, and for guys to go into the UFC when they become champions for Lights Out Xtreme Fighting. That’s where we are.”
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Shawne Merriman, former NFL and Maryland Terrapins linebacker, is recognized on the court for his charity Lights On Foundation’s during the second half of the game against the George Washington Colonials at Xfinity Center on Nov. 11, 2021. (Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
Merriman said he wants the company to focus on building and implementing new technology to make them stand out from the rest.
“We want to change the game. We don’t want to keep going down the track and trying to be like everybody else. We don’t even compete with the UFC because honestly, truthfully, we don’t care,” he said.
Lights Out 29 will take place on Dec. 6 in Long Beach, California, at Thunder Studios. Jake Babian, Sam Fournier, Jordan Azurdia, Dalton Hambrock and Corvan Allen are expected to be in action.
“This growth that we’ve had over the past year has been unprecedented,” Merriman told Fox News Digital. “I don’t think anything like this has happened ever in combat sports. We’ve sent five fighters to the UFC in the last two months. We love that, man.
San Diego Chargers linebacker (56) Shawne Merriman against the Baltimore Ravens at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on Sept. 20, 2009. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
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“We love to be able to let those guys go and follow that platform. Just the notoriety we’ve gotten over this past year, we want to be considered one of the best in this business and we’re on our way.”
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