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RFC Has Chance To Take Big Step Up Tonight

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 23, 2008

TAMPA - Tonight may be the night Real Fighting Championships goes big.

The mixed martial arts event company, which started in Tampa in 2005 and has put on events solely in Tampa, has a chance to go national when Country Music Association chief executive officer Tammy Genovese watches tonight's event at the USF Sun Dome.

If Genovese likes the RFC product, she'll consider partnering with the league, boosting its status from local to national.

"I think we have done baby steps and taken it to different levels every year," RFC president Jason Freyer said. "Now we feel that we're on to the next level to have name recognition. I think that is a big step up."

RFC started at the A La Carte Event Pavilion with 800 spectators and grew to an expected crowd of 1,500. RFC later moved to the Sun Dome, where the average crowd has constantly hovered around 6,000. A partnership with CMA could lead to country music artists performing during events, national venues and the RFC working in conjunction with foundations for kids and participating in blood drives.

If Genovese enjoys the product inside the cage, she may also appreciate the fact Bay area resident Hulk Hogan will be there as well.

As for having the extra set of eyes on his product - a pair of important eyes at that - Freyer doesn't allow the pressure for a decent show echo in his mind. That's something that comes with the territory.

"It's always pressure because you have to put on a better fight and a better program," Freyer said. "More than pressure, it's excitement. I don't think it's pressure. It's something we've been doing now a thousand times. The more you do it, it becomes easier and better, but I think it's more excitement than pressure."

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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