Reality producer Mark Burnett is developing a primetime series involving the bone-crunching sport of mixed martial arts.
The man behind Survivor and The Apprentice has teamed with ProElite Inc., which organizes professional MMA events, to produce the project, according to a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mixed martial arts is a less violent and more complex version of ultimate fighting, a sport that emerged in the early 1990s. It showcases a unique mix of judo, karate, tae kwon do, jujutsu, wrestling, boxing, and other established fighting techniques. MMA is still controversial, and events have been approved in fewer than half of US states.
ProElite, which produces professional MMA events through its EliteXC division and runs the MMA social networking site ProElite.com, already has a presence on television. Showtime has been carrying live EliteXC matches since February, when the premium cable network made an investment in the company and signed an exclusive programming agreement.
Burnett, a former British commando, is said to be fascinated with martial arts and the martial arts culture. He previously took a stab at developing a martial arts reality series in 2002.
Two years ago, through a joint venture with DreamWorks, he produced NBC's boxing-themed reality series The Contender. In addition to producing the show, the joint venture company received an equity stake in boxing brand Everlast and organized the Contender finale at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Comments (13)
Could be good, but don't we already have The Ultimate Fighter?Now we have Survivor with Pirates, and now it's going to be Survivor with MMA's? Don't be a hack, Burnett. At leas don't give us the same "solve puzzles, get voted off" stuff.
Please stop and let me off.
Could be good all depends how he do it.
How about he instead concentrrates on the amazing and underrated show that is "On the Lot"?
Burnett has some of the right instincts, then seems to screw things up. The basic Survivor format is still decent, but I think it came in part by the more interesting Eco-Challenge. Contender had it's moments too. I can't hold out much hope for this.
the only burnett show that i enjoyed watching was combat mission, the rest are just awful.
I believe every contribution he has had in television had been negative.
HIIIIII YAAAAA (All I can see in my mind's eye is Miss Piggy doing the karate chop ..... ;)
Sounds bad, looks even worse.
Enough is enough.
should be fun
Someone please stop this man. At first he helped television now he's just tearing it down.
Enough already