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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 to advertisers a few months ago and will provide more data to both fans and MMA officials with glove technology that will be introduced with their next fight card. All this on top of Lights Out Sports, which Merriman created to highlight his promotion as well as a variety of sports.
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Shawne Merriman spoke with Pakinomist Digital about new innovative events 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 the UFC and burn cash in their attempts, Lights Out Xtreme Fighting is doing something completely different.
“We never sought to compete. We create. We don’t want to compete with the UFC. We don’t care,” he told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview. “We know there are other promotions and other organizations out there trying to compete with the UFC.
“In my opinion, I don’t think there’s going to 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 spend their way and not (be successful). We’re (successful) because we’ve been more efficient and we’re an incubator. We’re not trying to compete with anybody and we’re fighting for this hub and we’re fighting for this technology and this technology for this big technology. guys to go into the UFC when they become champions of Lights Out Xtreme Fighting that’s where we are.
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Former NFL and Maryland Terrapins linebacker Shawne Merriman is recognized on the field 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 crowd.
“We want to change the game. We don’t want to keep going down the lane trying to be like everybody else. We’re not even competing with the UFC because frankly, we don’t care,” he said.
Lights Out 29 will take place on December 6th 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 Pakinomist Digital. “I don’t think anything like this has ever happened in combat sports. We’ve sent five fighters to the UFC in the last two months. We love it, man.
San Diego Chargers linebacker (56) Shawne Merriman against the Baltimore Ravens at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on September 20, 2009. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
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“We love being able to let those guys go and follow that platform. Just the notoriety we’ve gotten over the last year, we want to be considered one of the best in this business, and we’re on our way.”
