Women's MMA readies for reality TV with "Ultimate Women Challenge"

MMAjunkie.com Fight Biz: Women's MMA readies for reality TV with "Ultimate Women Challenge"

by Steve Sievert on Aug 03, 2009 at 8:01 am ET
Television producer Lyle Howry is quick to dismiss attempts to compare his new women's MMA reality show to "The Ultimate Fighter," but "TUF"-like success is very much his goal.

"Ultimate Women Challenge" recently began production and will bring together 16 MMA fighters in September to compete for contracts with a yet-to-determined promotion. The show will put the women through three weeks of intense training and, Howry hopes, deliver the same jolt for women's MMA that "TUF" produced for the sport as a whole.

"That's the only reason I'm doing it," Howry, who's been producing traditional martial-arts programming for a decade, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "This has been a passion of mine for numerous years. I just love watching women fight. They seem to just give a great fight. It's a great live fight to watch. I would love to have these girls have the recognition that the UFC has, and I think the way that I've got it structured, they will."

In spite of the success of "TUF," Howry believes it would be a mistake to produce a women's knockoff of the show's format. To be sure, there will be similarities. The women will share a house during taping, and each episode will end with an elimination bout. However, in a departure from "TUF," Howry intends to take viewers into the lives of the competitors beyond the ring and weight room.

"The show is different than 'The Ultimate Fighter.' If anything, it's more targeted toward 'The Contender'-type but even more developed, and (it's) deeper into the women's lives," Howry said. "They will be training daily, but they will be doing other things than just fighting in the show. They will be getting involved in community efforts and things of that nature. It makes the show more interesting. There's a whole storyline behind the show, which makes it unlike most of the shows that have been done."

The concept was originally hatched as "Ultimate Women's Combat," but that working title was dialed down to be more television-friendly. Howry has signed a distribution deal with the Momentum Entertainment and Sports Network that has the show airing for two 13-episode seasons in syndication on NBC affiliates, reaching more than 60 million households in the U.S.

"We'll show more than women who are going to go out there and try to beat each other up," said Howry. "People will see that there's depth to these women. They're everyday women. They are very educated. They have kids. They are single moms. There's much more to these women than people realize."

"Challenge" is scheduled to begin airing in January 2010 with two half-hour shows each weekend during afternoon programming.

Assembling the fighter roster has proved to be Howry's biggest challenge thus far. Half of the initial group of 16 fighters has dropped out for various reasons, including pending nuptials and business obligations. The current line-up includes Lisa Higo, Alexis Davis, Patricia Hall, Angela Magana, Felice Herrig, Angela Hayes, Melissa Steele, Heather Clark, Christy Tada, Lacy Shuckman, Jessica Aguilar, Martha Benavides, Julie Kedzie, Casey Noland and Michelle Vera.

The most recognizable names on the list are Kedzie and Herrig. Kedzie (10-8) is already well-established in the sport. The 26-year-old is a five-year veteran of the sport and has fought the likes of Tara LaRosa, Shayna Baszler and Gina Carano. Herrig (0-2) was one of the cast members of "Fight Girls," a Muay Thai-themed reality show that aired on the Oxygen channel in 2007. Vera is the sister of UFC light heavyweight, Brandon Vera.

Those 15 fighters will compete in 125- and 135-pound weight classes and train under the tutelage of LaRosa, Cesar Gracie, Rosi Sexton and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos at an undisclosed location in Florida.

Howry is holding the last roster spot in hopes of including a fighter from the organization he signs to promote the winners of the two tournaments. He is in negotiations with "a few promotions" regarding a partnership with the show. Strikeforce would seem to be the obvious choice. It's the highest-profile organization that's embraced women's MMA, but Howry indicates that he's had only cursory discussions with Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker and no deal is imminent.

The omnipresent Bas Rutten and supermodel Joanna Krupa will host the show, and other celebrity-types will serve as fight judges.

"Some are big-name fighters that you guys know from the UFC and some known actors," Howry said. "That's another great hook in the show. We'll also have a different celebrity coach coming in all the time to help out."

And while the look of a TV show is just as important as its substance, Howry wasn't looking to cast "The Bold and Beautiful" when assembling his fighter roster.

"I have pretty much every different look," he said. "But that has nothing to do with the way we cast it. I went on fighters. I went on personality, and I think that's all we need to do. I'm not looking for a beauty-queen show. I'm looking for a great sports show with talented athletes."

Five years ago, this show wouldn't have made cable, let alone syndicated broadcast TV. However, "TUF" and primetime MMA on CBS have paved the way for "Ultimate Women Challenge" to show audiences what it takes to, well, fight like a girl.

"It will be hugely successful, and I think people will totally relate because of the way we're going to do it," Howry said. "If we structure it right, and we make these girls look right and be true to who they are, and put it across to the everyday person, then we'll be successful."

In addition to his current syndication agreement, Howry is negotiating a second distribution deal that has the potential to land the program in primetime for a third airing each week.

Monson enters guilty plea – MMA veteran Jeff Monson could be out of action for a while after pleading guilty last week to malicious mischief stemming from a photo that showed him vandalizing the Washington state capitol building.

Monson, 38, was accused of spray-painting an anarchist symbol on the capitol. He entered an Alford plea in the case. Under an Alford plea, a defendant refrains from admitting guilt but acknowledges that sufficient evidence exists to convict if the case went before a jury.

"The Snowman's" sentencing is set for Oct. 1. He could receive up to 90 days in jail.

(Pictured: Julie Kedzie)

Steve Sievert is the lead staff writer and business columnist for MMAjunkie.com. He is also the former MMA beat writer and lead blogger for the Houston Chronicle.