The Contender show goes to Thailand

[QuaWee**]

If this has been posted before I'm sorry

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117953718.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2565

Mark Burnett is kicking "The Contender" franchise into a whole new sport.

He's launching skein's first international spinoff, featuring the kickboxing discipline of Muay Thai in Thailand, in partnership with Imagine OmniMedia.

"The Contender Muay Thai" will begin production later this year.

Sixteen fighters will compete for the ultimate prize of becoming "The Contender."

The series will air on Channel 5 in Thailand; discussions also are ongoing with networks in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Executive producers are Burnett and Riaz Mehta. Skein will be directed by ex-world champion Muay Thai boxer David Ismalone.

"Our format will fit perfectly with the international phenomenon of Muay Thai, and we have plans to bring the series to several other countries to orchestrate a true worldwide competition," Burnett says.



http://www.mymuaythai.com/archives/the-contender-coming-to-thailand/

Mark Burnett

 

[Slickk]

there are actually guys with the name Fairtex?

 

[kinderessen]

there are actually guys with the name Fairtex?

Its common and traditional for fighters to adopt the name of the gym they come from. For instance: Buakaw Por Pramuk (sp?) comes from the Por Pramuk gym. Likewise taking Fairtex just means they're from the Fairtex gym.

 

[Libr8r]

this sound fukn unreal ! ! !

cant wait till its on!

 

[Rudy Richter]

Fucking shit.... why does the USA suck so fucking bad when it comes to this. They show it everywhere than here, and then wonder why mma is so big and K1/MT etc. isn't...

 

[Eduardo R.]

Yodsanklai Fairtex
Samkor Kietmonthep
Jomhod Kiatadisak
Naruepol Fairtex
Kaoklai Kaennorsing
Sagatpetch Ingramgym
??? I highly doubt any of those guys will go on this show. Why would a multiple world/stadium champion like Johmod go on a show to become a contender? Either way sucks that we won't be able to watch this in North America, hopefully it finds its way onto the net.

 

[Brando]

"Same format"? As in edited fights with cheesy "POW!!!" noises and 2/3 of the time alloted for fights spent with the camera pointed at their clueless, screaming family members? Damn you, Mark Burnett

 

[IkkussSpikkuss]

MT contender = Greatest Idea ever. I don't think mainstream US will eat it up, but I will. The regular contender kinda sucked anyway if you ask me.

 

[InternetMonster]

Either way sucks that we won't be able to watch this in North America, hopefully it finds its way onto the net.

if the contender is an american show, i think all the subtitles or translations would be annoying

 

[Alarick]

holy shit, I'm actually going to watch the contender!

 

[JayOliver]

"Same format"? As in edited fights with cheesy "POW!!!" noises and 2/3 of the time alloted for fights spent with the camera pointed at their clueless, screaming family members? Damn you, Mark Burnett

Yeah LoL...what sucks is that because of the editing you can't really tell who's winning fights. If they showed the live Thai fights on Versus or something late night they could survive on American TV.

 

[Brando]

Yeah LoL...what sucks is that because of the editing you can't really tell who's winning fights. If they showed the live Thai fights on Versus or something late night they could survive on American TV.

Agreed! I know it is supposed to humanize the fighters, which I think is a good thing, but 40 minutes of sob stories and then one edited fight isn't worth the hour spent watching it. More training footage, and full fights, and I'd be a huge fan