Fightland is a website covering mixed martial arts (MMA).[1] Launched in September 2012, it is part of Vice Media, Inc. network channels.[2] Vice Media states that Fightland is a joint venture with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).[3] The New Yorker describes it as a vertical in which the UFC is sponsoring the whole website, and in general, concludes that "Vice's sponsored material can feel like a strange beast, neither advertising nor regular content but something in between."[4]

fightland.vice.com
Available inEnglish, Spanish
OwnerVice Media
URLfightland.vice.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationYes
Launched2012
Current statusDefunct

Fightland has been criticized by Cagepotato and Deadspin for not being transparent to their readers that it is funded by the UFC, and that it is operating as a marketing arm or acting as a shill.[5][6] The UFC, Vice Media and Fightland refused to comment on the subject when asked.[7] At UFC 164 weigh-ins, UFC president Dana White wore an official Fightland T-shirt.[8][9]

Fightland editor-in-chief is Michael Hresko.[10] A notable writer for the website is MMA analyst Jack Slack.[11] Other notable writers include Peter Carroll[12] and Tom Taylor.[13]

Fightland was a 2014 World MMA Awards nominee for the "MMA media source of the year" award.[14]

On May 15, 2023, Vice Media formally filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as part of a possible sale to a consortium of lenders including Fortress Investment Group, which will, alongside Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital, invest $225 million as a credit bid for nearly all of its assets.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "The cult of Vice - Columbia Journalism Review". Cjr.org. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  2. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (2012-05-03). "Vice Media unveils slate, Ultimate Fighting deal". Variety. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  3. ^ "Network | VICE Media LLC". Company.vice.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  4. ^ Widdicombe, Lizzie (2013-04-08). "The Bad-Boy Brand". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  5. ^ Marchman, Tim (August 30, 2013). "Vice's Artsy MMA Site Is Pretty Much A UFC Front". Deadspin.com. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  6. ^ "CagePotato.com Presents: The 2013 Potato Awards - Page 6 of 8". Cagepotato.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  7. ^ "Shill 'Em All, Part 2: The MMA Media's Race to the Bottom". Cagepotato.com. 2013-08-26. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  8. ^ "UFC 164: Official Weigh-In". YouTube. 2013-08-30. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  9. ^ Staff, Fightland (2014-04-30). "Win a Fightland T-shirt! | FIGHTLAND". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  10. ^ "Articles by Michael Hresko | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  11. ^ "Articles by Jack Slack | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  12. ^ "Articles by Peter Carroll | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  13. ^ "Articles by Tom Taylor | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  14. ^ "2014 World MMA Awards nominees". MMA Fighting. December 22, 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  15. ^ Whittock, Jesse (15 May 2023). "Vice Media Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
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