Shawne Merriman’s MMA Promotion Scores Major ESPN Deal
Former NFL star Shawne Merriman has achieved a significant milestone for his mixed martial arts promotion, Lights Out Xtreme Fighting (LXF). The company recently secured a multiyear media rights agreement with ESPN, dramatically expanding its reach throughout Latin America. This landmark deal grants ESPN exclusive regional broadcasting rights to LXF events in English, Spanish, and Portuguese across South American and Caribbean countries. For Merriman, who transitioned from his successful football career to building this fighting promotion, the partnership represents a major step forward in his vision to create something meaningful in the combat sports world without directly challenging established giants like the UFC.
“Since launching Lights Out Xtreme Fighting, our mission has been to build a platform for fighters and fans,” Merriman explained when announcing the deal. He emphasized the significance of reaching Latin American audiences, noting that “Latin America has some of the most passionate fight communities in the world. Showcasing our athletes through ESPN and Disney+ takes the Lights Out experience to an entirely new stage.” The partnership will kick off with LXF 29, featuring Pablo Caballero facing Corvan Allen for the flyweight world title, while Eduardo Alvarado and Shane Torres will compete in the co-main event. This inaugural broadcast under the new agreement will set the tone for what promises to be an exciting chapter in the promotion’s development.
Merriman’s approach to building LXF reflects a thoughtful strategy that differentiates it from other MMA organizations. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, he made it abundantly clear that competing with UFC was never his intention. “We never looked to compete. We’re creating. We don’t want to compete with the UFC. We don’t care,” Merriman stated frankly. This philosophy stems from his realistic assessment of the MMA landscape, where he believes no promotion will surpass the UFC’s dominance. Instead of engaging in what he sees as a futile spending war with deeper-pocketed organizations, Merriman has positioned LXF as something distinctly different—an “incubator” for talent that can eventually progress to bigger promotions.
The former NFL linebacker’s vision for LXF embraces its role in the wider MMA ecosystem rather than trying to stand apart from it. “We are successful because we’ve been more efficient, and we are an incubator,” he explained, describing LXF as “a hub for this technology, this data and these great fights, and for guys to go into the UFC when they become champions for Lights Out Xtreme Fighting.” This pragmatic approach shows Merriman’s business acumen, recognizing that creating value within a niche can be more sustainable than attempting to overthrow established industry leaders. The ESPN deal validates this strategy, demonstrating that there’s significant interest in what LXF offers even as it positions itself as a developmental league rather than a direct UFC competitor.
The new ESPN partnership represents a significant vote of confidence in Merriman’s promotion and could substantially elevate LXF’s profile. For a relatively young organization founded by an athlete from another sport, securing distribution through one of the world’s largest sports networks is no small achievement. ESPN’s commitment to broadcasting LXF events across multiple languages and platforms including Disney+ signals their belief in the product and its appeal to Latin American fight fans. This regional focus may prove to be a shrewd move, allowing LXF to build a dedicated following in markets that have historically embraced combat sports with tremendous enthusiasm.
As Lights Out Xtreme Fighting enters this new chapter, the ESPN deal exemplifies how former professional athletes like Merriman can successfully leverage their name recognition, business connections, and understanding of sports to build viable enterprises after their playing days. Rather than attempting to replicate his NFL fame in a new arena, Merriman has created something that complements the existing MMA landscape while carving out its own identity. His clear-eyed assessment of LXF’s place in the combat sports world has guided the promotion toward what appears to be a sustainable path forward—one that now includes international broadcast distribution through a major media partner. For fighters looking to gain exposure and for fans seeking fresh MMA content, Merriman’s promotion seems poised to deliver on its promise as a platform where emerging talent can shine before potentially moving to bigger stages.
