For immediate release: September 20th 2010
San Francisco, CA (PRESS RELEASE) – STARS the Agency, a leading model talent agency with an almost 30-year history, is excited to announce the launch of its mixed martial arts branch, STARS MMA. Based out of San Francisco, California, the agency is committed to building fighter brands by extending their reach into television, film and print/commercial advertising while managing their fighting careers.
“STARS has had a Sports Management division for years and we have watched the sport of mixed martial arts grow from infancy into a world-renown behemoth,” says STARS the Agency President, Scott Claxon. “With the addition of our new MMA division we hope to enhance fighters’ already promising careers by bringing further diverse media opportunities that STARS has been providing for its model talent.”
Its Lead MMA Agent and former matchmaker of Shine Fight Promotions, Ron Foster, will operate the MMA division of Stars the Agency. An active member of the U.S. Army with a rank of Sergeant-First Class, Foster has competed professionally as a mixed martial artist and has trained at many of the world’s top gyms, including the 808 Fight Factory in Hawaii, Yamasaki Academy in Virginia, and Strong Style MMA in Cleveland, OH.
Holding the rank of brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Foster has always approached the sport from a fighter’s perspective and will continue with the same approach with STARS MMA. Having already worked with world-renowned gyms like American Top Team, Xtreme Couture, H.I.T. Squad, and the Brazilian Top Team in his previous position as the head of talent relations for Shine Fight Promotions, Foster plans to continue many of those relationships while in his role as one of the sport’s elite talent agents.
“I’m very excited about our new business venture with STARS MMA,” Foster said. “My goal is to get the best fighters that I can and help groom them into major stars not just in MMA, but in every way that I can. I have a great team around me and awesome fighters as well; look for STARS MMA to be the break out sports agency for 2011!”
STARS MMA has already developed a working partnership with the famed Chute Boxe Academy from Brazil and will represent certain Chute Boxe fighters in America, including PRIDE veteran Luiz Azeredo and submission phenom Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira.
“So far, we have been very pleased to have STARS MMA helping us with our fighters,” Chute Boxe director Augusto Oliveira said. “Ron is a very hard working person, honest, respectful and he puts all his efforts into everything he does. It’s really a plus to have STARS MMA with us.”
Also part of the STARS MMA stable are fast-rising prospects Chris Lozano and Brian Rogers, both fighting out of Strong Style MMA in Cleveland and James “The Unbreakable Heavy Hitter” Warfield. Lozano, the current NAAFS welterweight champion, has signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator Fighting Championships and will debut with that organization later this month. In addition, STARS MMA created the matchup between Jorge Masvidal and Paul Daley, ranked as the number 2 Top Ten September Tussles To Watch by Sherdog.com.
“Ron is the man,” said Masvidal, fresh off of signing a six-fight contract with Strikeforce. “STARS MMA believed in me when nobody else would. They helped me get the biggest fight and the biggest paycheck of my career, and they helped get me out of a bad contract before that. I’m looking forward to working more with STARS in the future.”
Along with focusing on talent inside of the cage, STARS MMA is dedicated to advancing the sport into the mainstream media. Having worked with veteran actor Danny Trejo and ITN Films on the movie “Vengeance” by placing former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Suga” Rashad Evans and MMA veteran Light Heavyweight Houston “The Assassin” Alexander in roles opposite Trejo, STARS MMA is expanding the opportunities afforded most professional fighters. STARS MMA will aid fighters in branching out into television, movies, commercial/print advertising and modeling prospects.
For more from STARS MMA, visit www.starsagency.com, or follow us on Twitter (@StarsMMA) and Facebook.