Golden Glory, a winning team, and UFC sold for 4 billion. The Fight Game is booming like never before. Big shout out to Dana White and the Fertittas brothers. They are turning a 2 million dollar investment into 4 billion.

The network of extraordinary entrepreneurs.

A few years ago, I attended A-fest, an event that gathers an extraordinary community of change-makers and visionaries. These people are driven by epic ideas to impact the world – entrepreneurs—Employees, artists, leaders, innovators, prophets, and more.

The festival takes place twice a year in paradise locations around the world. Here you will receive practical training and profound mind shifts. Biohacking techniques, lifelong connections, incredible adventures, and unique opportunities to multiply your impact and expand your game.

There are around 3000 applicants annually. I highly recommend A-fest. Many talks stood out for me; one was by Dave Logan; Logan wrote a bestselling book called “Tribal Leadership.”

Tribal Leadership

In his book and during the talk, he explains that if you have a group of 20 or more people who all are enthusiastic about working towards the same goal, “Magic happens”!

As a manager in any business, it is wise to hear and read about successful people and formulas. Even more important is to try out some of those suggestions in your own business. Find mentors!

In the beginning years of K-1, I’ll never forget my talk with Mr. Isshi. He was the founder of K-1. Isshi told me in 1998 when I was touring with him in the U.S. that fighters would fight practically for free in K-1. I did not understand, Isshi explained.

People want to belong to a team, a cult, or a club.

He said the brand and the concept grew very strong in Japan and Europe. It became necessary for fighters worldwide to say they fought in K-1. They were K-1 fighters.

Indeed the prize money for winning a K-1 GP tournament was great. Team Golden Glory won the title five times because of Semmy Schilt (4x) and Alistair Overeem (1x). But something he said made sense to me. People want to belong to the best team, be a part of the family, tribe, etc.

They want to be associated with people who think alike. This is the same pattern we see with people who want to belong to Cults a particular Religion, Politics, or Sports.

Team Golden Glory

Team Golden Glory started with two fighters, Heath Herring and Gilbert Yvel. Within one year Semmy Schilt, Alistair Overeem, Valentijn Overeem followed. In a few years, Golden Glory grew into a champions factory. Fighters like Sergey Kharitonov and Karaev joined the team.

We had fighters from Afghanistan, Bosnia, the USA, Turkey, Morocco, The Netherlands, Russia, and Denmark. The list was endless.

Golden Glory qualification Tournament victories of Robin van Roosmalen, Nieky Holzken, Chalid Arab, Stefan Leko, Nieky Holzken, Errol Zimmerman and Gokhan Saki made the brand Golden Glory worldfamous.

4 x K-1 Tournament winner Semmy Schilt and K1 Gp winner Alistair Overeem made the domination complete. Mr. Isshi from K-1 might have scratched his head giving me that advice!

One decade later, Golden Glory ruled the K-1 and had fighters in Japan in Pride FC, Rings, and Sengoku.

The first Golden Glory Gyms were opened, G.G. Romania was opened, and there were G.G. gyms soon in Turkey, Moscow, Thailand, Georgia, and Germany! Golden Glory had become a small army and was recognized worldwide as one of the most dominant fight teams in the world.

The move toward the U.S. was a natural reaction, so we did. Marloes Coenen became world Strikeforce champion, and so did Alistair Overeem. Kharitonov’s debut in Strikeforce resulted in a knockout victory over former UFC champion Andrei Orlovski!

Golden Glory had arrived, and promoters in the states knew it.

Golden Glory fighter Marloes Coenen World Champion Strikeforce.

At the height of G.G. fame, I decided it was time to sell Golden Glory and Glory World Series to GSI. Every business should have an exit strategy, and the timing was now even if they don’t plan to use it.

K-1 was sadly in trouble, and Pride F.C. was no more; the glorious Japan days were over; it was time for something new. GSI did an excellent job making the new brand a global Kickboxing brand.

The credit does not come only to me as a founder of the brand; without Cor Hemmers, Dave Jonkers, Martijn de Jong, Bert van der Reyd, Remco Pardoel, all the fighters, and many others, this would never have become a success.

The investors took the brand to a new level, broadcasting over 180 countries.

Talk about a success story:

https://money.cnn.com/2016/07/11/news/companies/ufc-sold/index.html

When Lorenzo bought the UFC and Frank Fertitta, the UFC had a winning team. The group was formed; Dana White, Joe Silva, and commentator Joe Rogan, plus many others, wrestled through desperate times.

The UFC star is an example of a winning team.

Multiple times the brothers had to put money from their pockets, but success came. The core of this story is, again, the team. They trusted and believed in each other (especially on good and bad days) and the product.

The change came when William Morris Endeavour became involved (joined the team and used their network). They made the reality T.V. deal with Spike. What followed was the famous fight Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffen. Which goes down in history as one of the best fights ever; it turned everything around!

I am turning a 2 million dollar investment into 4 billion.

Stephen Bonnar is visiting my Fight Game Camp Golden Glory Pattaya Gym in Thailand.

I want to thank this UFC team for what they did to the Fight Game Business. The fight purses would never be so high if it were not for your daring move to invest with significant risk.

I am happy the investment paid off and that many in the Fight Business can make a great living from these endeavors!

Dream: Special NYE 2012 Press Conference on Oct 25 with Bas Boon, Pierre Andurand, and Scott Rudman

A big Thank you goes to Pierre Andurand, who believes in the sport of Kickboxing. He is not only a decent Kickboxer but one of the most intelligent people I have ever met.

Golden Glory turned into Glory Kickboxing and became a household name in the Fight Game business. This made a dream come true for many fighters and people involved in the fight business.

I can’t wait to celebrate my New Year in the underground parking lot of the Saitama Super Arena, waiting for a bus (sarcasm, see interview)!

Chapeau for these people!

Quote Bas Boon: The natural obstacles are ego and greed. Creating and building a team everybody wants to be a part of will lead to everything you need.

 “Never change a winning team.”

The Intrigant disturbs any winning team; he is the virus preventing success!

Success story how the Fight Game created Brands and Billionaires! 

https://basboon.com/how-the-fight-game-created-brands-and-billions/

© Bas Boon www.basboon.com