HDNET FIGHTS CANCELS FEB. 15 EVENT

HDNet Fights has cancelled its Friday, Feb. 15 event at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, its president, Guy Mezger, confirmed on Thursday. The fledging promotion, which hosted editions in October and December of 2007, will hold its next event in early spring or summer.

“We’re taking the time to build a little more infrastructure that’s all our own,” said Mezger. “Right now, we share a lot of it with HDNet and the [Dallas] Mavericks.”

Owned and funded by billionaire sports aficionado and Dallas Mavericks kingpin Mark Cuban, HDNet Fights flurried its way onto the fight scene as both a promoter and broadcasting option for events worldwide with its HDNet channel in late 2007.

HDNet broadcasted five live events in just three months, including the return of number-one ranked fighter Fedor Emelianenko (27-1, 1 NC) against 7-foot-2 South Korean giant Hong Man Choi (1-1) at “Yarennoka” on New Year’s Eve in Saitama, Japan. HDNet was said to have paid a $1-2 million price tag for Emelianenko, who has committed to the recently formed M-1 Global promotion.

A new date for HDNet Fights will be dependent on availability of the American Airlines Center, also owned by Cuban.

“The availability of our venue is tough in March and April,” said Mezger.

The former UFC and Pancrase fighter said the extra time off will allow HDNet Fights to fulfill obligations with its newest MMA partners, the International Fight League, New Jersey’s Ring of Combat and Northwest leader Sportfight. Mezger said his unit is also in talks to team up for another “Yarennoka” event from Japan, tentatively scheduled for March.

HDNet television has already pledged itself to broadcast 24 MMA events in 2008. It is currently available in six million homes.