Stephan Bonnar might be done fighting in a cage, but he’s still fighting for other things in the MMA world.
The UFC Hall of Famer and runner-up of season one of “The Ultimate Fighter” wants to secure a UFC Fight Pass streaming deal for North Star Combat – a Minnesota-based MMA promotion. Bonnar was appointed president of the promotion earlier this year.
Bonnar hopes the execs at UFC Fight Pass will add North Star Combat to the list of promotions around the globe that use the streaming platform to showcase their live events.
“So far, we got rejected (by the UFC), but they said to just keep working on our product and maybe we’ll reconsider you, and we have we’ve made some improvements, so hopefully they’ll reconsider,” Bonnar told MMA Junkie.
North Star Combat hosts both amateur and professional fights, but Bonnar says the promotion’s goal is to go fully professional in the future.
Running a regional promotion has its many challenges, but Bonnar says exposure remains at the top of the list – and that’s something Bonnar believes a UFC Fight Pass deal could change.
“Probably the biggest challenge is just getting exposure,” Bonnar said. “So trying to get Forrest (Griffin) to come out and call the fights with me – I had him on The Real MMA show – and he wasn’t going to be able to because he was scheduled to go to China, but plans have changed.
So hopefully we’ll get him on, but we’d like to get on UFC Fight Pass. You think after all the credit of me and his fight, and the impact it had on the company, I think I should be able to get on Fight Pass.
“It’s a good show. We have a great production team, looks top notch, and putting asses in the seats, bottom line. We have merch there, so it’s a good show; I don’t see why not.”
North Star Combat’s next show is currently scheduled for June 27 at the Norther Lights Casino is Walker, Minn. It’s the promotion’s 14th event.
