New Breed Fighters is an organization which may not resonate with Mixed Martial Arts fans as a major player in the sport … right now.  However, what New Breed Fighters is doing currently, may be just as important to the future of MMA, or more so, than what the big boys are doing negotiating fighter contracts, broadcast/cable/PPV rights, and video game deals.

New Breed Fighters is a growing amateur MMA fight organization based in Berlin, New Jersey, which allows first time fighters a chance to grow physically and mentally in the cage before turning pro.  With nine cards in 2008, young fighters get a large number of fights in a short period of time, allowing for rapid growth.

R. Scott Morgan is the CEO of New Breed Fighters and recognized the need for a national amateur organization to foster the future stars of the sport.  Morgan spoke with TriStateFighter.com recently and was candid about his goals for New Breed Fighters, as well as his hopes for the future of MMA at large.

Moody: This past June 21st you had possibly the longest single night of fights in the history of MMA, explain?

Morgan: We had almost eight hours of MMA action. For $35, $50, $125, I don’t know where you could have got a better night of entertainment. For a general admission ticket you paid a little more that dollar a fight. Doors opened at 7pm and last fight went off at 3am.  There was still a good 300 people left at the end. It was the largest MMA event in New Jersey.  It was at the House Of Blues Showboat Casino. We put on 31 fights, highlighted by Nick Pace (update: Nick Pace now is a star in Bellator) defending his title.

Moody: Explain what New Breed Fighters is about.  Why did you start this amateur MMA organization?

Morgan: Why can’t I take these amateurs and put them in an environment where it is going to be for the guy who wants to get to the next level and we will put him in a position where he is going to be better prepared and give exposure to what the next level will be like.  For those who are going somewhere else, I am giving them a taste of something they will experience on the next level. Getting them over the hump emotionally and mentally.  I am sanctioned by the state of New Jersey.  My events are judged by officials of the state. I follow the regulations of the state.

Moody: The Northeast is kind of playing catch up to the rest of the country as far as MMA growth.  This may help fast track some of the talent.

Morgan: What I am presenting is a opportunity for them to deal with some of things outside of the cage.  These kids have been exposed to TV events and radio events.  I feel by presenting the sport that I love, that I am going to make a better mouse trap so to speak. There was time with the UFC, they had hundreds of fighters under contract. You had maybe 20 from the Northeast.  We were not getting our just do.

I expect the top amateur MMA fighter will come from our region, consequently producing the best pro fighter from our region of the country.  I am looking to flip flop things for now.  Once I get to a certain level here, I have aspirations to take it to three other regions around country where I will establish the same thing. Have four regional champions around the country and eventually bring them all together for one large show to develop one national champion for New Breed Fighters.  It is a development program.  We call it “one step closer.”  Once step closer to your goals and dreams.

Moody: Until now with New Breed, many guys in the Northeast maybe went pro too soon, way before they were ready.  I guess you are creating a sub level to the pros where guys don’t have to ruin their record to get experience?

Morgan: A lot of guys go pro too soon and some guys never get a chance to get to the pro level.  They have been beaten numerous times and never that chance at a payday again.

Moody: Ok – Give us a scoop.  Tell us about a couple of hot amateurs on the way up?

Morgan: Nick Pace, he is ready. He probably fought his last time for me in June. He is 6-0. He looked like a pro. He is tremendously prepared on the ground and on his feet. When this kid fights looks it like he is reading a book.  He is a pro.  We recently had the debut of Phil Davis. He just graduated from Penn State University where he was the 2008 197lb wrestling champion.  He is a world class wrestler trying to become a MMA guy. He has only been training for a couple of months.  He turned around got in the ring and knocked out the guy with his hands. It was great debut for him.  He won with his hands.

Moody: On the flip side, you have guys who are working day jobs and chasing the MMA dream?

Morgan: We have a guy named Dave Concepcion.  He is a hard working guy who is in the upholstery business for automobiles.  He works his butt off during the day … and runs a school and trains fighters at night. His school is Team Quiet Storm.  He trains fighters, and runs his business, and his own career at same time, that is the amazing thing.  I admire all these guys.

Moody: You have had numerous events in the past 18 months – so how many times could an emerging amateur fight with New Breed Fighters in a year?

Morgan: If a guy had started with me this year … by the end of the year they can have nine amateur fights.  In 13 months that person can have double digit amateur fights, in a first-class organization.  There was nobody putting on fights with the consistency as we have been putting on.  My fights have been every five-six weeks.  The fighter I get today for the first time is better than the first time fighter was a year ago.

Moody: You are certainly on the grass roots level of the sport.  What do you see as the biggest obstacle to MMA really gaining equal stature as the big four sports in America?

Morgan: At this point in time exposure is not damaging to the sport. What is damaging to the sport is there is no unified sanctioning of the sport. There are states where it is illegal, states where the rules are different. The rules in New Jersey are the best rules that can be adopted for amateurs. My goal, in line with Nick Lembo, the Deputy Attorney General of New Jersey, is to have a nationally unified sanctioned situation where all the rules are the same.  In my opinion, it is the only chance this sport has to become big time. It will always be a backyard garage sport until it is legalized everywhere and we are all following the same rules. If I am watching a football game, no matter what state I am in, the rules are the same. Until we all get on the same page and care more about the sport than we do individually it will never become that way.

Moody: Describe the rules in New Breed Fighters?

Morgan: There is no ground and pound, no punching to head on the ground and no kicking to head when on the feet.  What it causes, is when a guy goes to the ground it causes the guys to work on his Jiu Jitsu. You go into the pros and you need to be as solid with your ground game as with standup. I don’t mean ground and pound - I mean Jiu Jitsu and your defenses.

Moody: So – how do you filter out the fighters. Could I apply to fight if I called you?

Morgan: If you sent me an email. You want to fight. I would ask – name, height  weight, how many fights, how many years training. I ask everything. Who have you fought, where you fought. Was it sanctioned? I would do my best. With first time fighters I will ask as many questions as I can and hope to god these guys are honest with me. Then I will find somebody with similar experience on paper. Best I can do. We do our best.

Moody: So you have had an exciting start at New Breed Fighters.  What does the future look like?

Morgan: Right now I am at a point, Live Nation is after me to give them an idea of what states I am going to next. Harrah’s corporate has shown an interest in me going elsewhere.  I am at a point of setting my sights at establishing a second region.

Moody: Could you ever become a farm system for a bigger organization?

Morgan: Right now we cross promote with the Ring Of Combat. My goals are to someday have the UFC or EliteXC … Especially with UFC - they spend so much time growing themselves internationally and domestically eventually they may realize it would behoove them to have a feeder program that they know is producing professional fighters that they can count on and reach into to give them guaranteed performance instead of them having to hunt them down.

I  am a big challenge guy and I am not a quitter. I will see this to the end win or lose.

For more information about New Breed Fighters. Please go to www.newbreedfighters.com