Mixed Martial Arts to Hit the Big Screen

It happened when a scrappy, low-budget film named "Rocky" arrived in movie theaters -; boxing was exposed to an entirely new fan base, and a breath of fresh air was given to the gritty sport. Can the same be done with the fast-growing world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)? One filmmaker thinks so.

Creating a plotline that centers around the sport of MMA and one man's heartfelt struggle to the top, the filmmakers at Imperia Entertainment -; producers of the anticipated 2008 release "Never Submit" -; knew that getting authentic fight scenes to make their movie stand out was essential for success. For this reason, they traveled to Dallas to work with Texas-based SUN Sports & Entertainment, a company that delivers high-energy MMA events to millions of fans worldwide.

Many of the fight scenes in the movie may contain footage from SUN's "Art of War 3," an official Pay-Per-View event sanctioned by the International Fighters Association (IFA). The plot of "Never Submit" revolves around an orphaned 22-year-old Judo champion, who begins training to enter an MMA tournament and follow in his father's footsteps.

"This was an incredible fight card, and one that MMA fans from around the world want to watch," said Kenneth Eade, Chairman of Imperia Entertainment, Inc. "We are looking forward to our upcoming film and looking for more strategic sponsorship and branding opportunities with the members of SUN."

While the film stars several talented actors, including Ernie Hudson and Corey Sevier, "Never Submit" also brings a few real-life MMA fighters into the spotlight to shine -; including legendary star fighter, Ken Shamrock. With a rags-to-riches plotline that aims to capture current fans of MMA as well as newcomers, "Never Submit" may play a part in bringing the fast-growing sport of Mixed Martial Arts to the forefront of the public eye.

For more information on MMA and SUN Sports & Entertainment (SSPE), visit www.sunorganization.com.

(NewsUSA)

The SUN Continues Rising for MMA

The high-energy sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has come a long way since it began gaining underground popularity in the late 1990s, having taken center stage on Pay-Per-View and cable television, providing live entertainment to millions of fans worldwide. And while many networks may be getting most of the glory, it's not just TV industry giants who have molded MMA into the respected sport that it is today.

After just one year of existence, Dallas-based SUN Sports & Entertainment (SSPE) has worked furiously to bring more attention to what Newsweek Magazine has called "the fastest growing sport in America." MMA, a sport that combines striking, grappling and professional wrestling moves to defeat an opponent, has gotten a high-tech facelift from SUN -; being regularly filmed and broadcast in crisp, high-definition video.

"SUN has worked diligently on building our 'Art of War' brand as a premier MMA property," said CJ Comu, CEO of SUN Sports. "We have also identified great future opportunities and developed a business model unlike any other company in this industry. We definitely have the potential to produce a long-term and successful enterprise."

While the company has strived to increase awareness of the sport of MMA as a whole, SUN's primary focus has been to develop its "Art of War" brand -; MMA matches that showcase pound-for-pound with fighters from all over the globe vying for the World Championship Belt. Big name fighters such as Jeff Monson and Pedro Rizzo are regularly featured in the high-profile matches. The company's hard work paid off in September of 2007, when SUN debuted its first-ever live, Pay-Per-View event with iN Demand Networks -; the nation's largest Pay-Per-View distributor.

As SUN enters its second year and continues to help MMA become part of the mainstream sports vernacular, Comu said that he believes that with the guidance of SUN, MMA will continue to find new fans and create additional interest in the sport that will have fans clamoring for more.

For more information on SUN Sports & Entertainment (SSPE), visit www.SunOrganization.com or visit www.ArtofWarLive.com.

(NewsUSA)