Getting into the UFC

“Do you wanna be a fighter”?

This is a now famous  phrase that a certain President of the most successful Mixed Martial Arts brand in history used back in 2005. I bet way back then he never thought that the world of MMA would have changed so much. Sure he had passion, he had drive and that’s what has made the UFC so successful, but back then there weren’t a whole lot of creative ways someone could get into the UFC, you had to be found, you basically had to be scouted.

Fast forward to a whole new age and with the exploding popularity of MMA and the bustling schedule of all those involved in the big organisations the “scouting” process had to evolve. I would imagine the UFC fields so many phone calls and letters from aspiring Mixed Martial Artists that it would be at times overwhelming. Partnering with an up and coming employment site (Jobbi.com) was easily the best solution and just made sense.

For those of you who don’t what I am talking about click the link below (but make sure you come back! I haven’t finished yet!)

http://www.ufc.com/becomeafighter

Now see that guy at number 1?

That’s Jeff Smith. @JeffSmithMMA

He’s jumped right into the booming digital collaboration of MMA, the internet and social networking. It’s the best way to make your “brand” known, it’s the best way to get your name at the top of the overwhelming and always expanding list of Mixed Martial Artists around the world.

Jeff has tried other avenues to get himself into the big time, don’t get me wrong. He’s tried out for The Ultimate Fighter twice and got all the way to the final interviews on both occasions, unfortunately he never got a call back from the relevant television officials in both tryouts. However he is hell bent on getting into the UFC, he is hell bent on living his dream.

I asked Jeff whether he thought he would ever be using things like twitter and an internet site to secure his dream and he told me that to be honest, he never even thought he would be a professional fighter let alone be chasing the dream of the UFC. Jeff was just going to compete in the sport of grappling but instead MMA found it’s way into his life.

Jeff has won six straight professional fights and impressively all by way of submission, this guy has a lot of talent and I for one am supporting his quest to get into the UFC. It’s such a different world we live in now, compared to what I am sure Chuck Liddell would have went through to make it to the big time. Everything is at our fingertips which is what a lot of people take for granted. So many people these days are getting famous through the internet , it makes sense for the UFC to try their hand at this because who knows what kind of talent is out there and who knows just how marketable they would be.

Check out the link below for Jeff’s profile, look at his fights and I am sure you will be impressed. Even he says that some of the performances are not his best but I for one would be the first to line up and buy a Jeff Smith UFC shirt the second it comes on sale because this guy, he has what it takes to make it.

http://www.jobbi.com/about_user.php?id=58851849467

When his online campaign has been success and Jeff is in the UFC just remember who featured him in a blog first. It’s only a ten hour bus trip for me from here to Philadelphia, PA. I’ll get out to Harrisburg somehow and shake Jeff’s hand myself because he would certainly deserve it.