Canada's The Fight Network Acquires MMA Expo

The Fight Network acquires Canada's top mixed martial arts fan expo to extend ad sales and branding.

TORONTO -- Leonard Asper has made his first major acquisition since taking control of Canada's The Fight Network: Mixed Martial Arts Expo, the country’s top combat sports fan conference.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

But the agreement includes MMA Expo president Gerald Chopik joining the Toronto-based Fight Network as president of its new events division.

Asper recently took the helm at the Canadian combat sports cable channel after leaving the debt-laden and ultimately bankrupt Canwest Global Communications Corp. as CEO.

Both the MMA Expo and The Fight Network launched in 2005.

Asper insisted acquiring MMA Expo will diversify the TV channel’s revenue streams, and aims to increase airtime, web and mobile ad sales and branding.

For more information: www.mixedmartialartsexpo.com