LFA boss Ed Soares sees Brazilian expansion as longterm play, eyes more international markets

Ahead of this week’s dual Brazilian cards, LFA CEO Ed Soares said the company is just getting started in terms of international expansion.

“It’s always been in our plan,” Soares told MMA Junkie. “The timing and everything worked out for us to do it in Brazil, but yeah, there’s other places I definitely would like to go to. Canada. I would definitely like to go to Mexico, and one big aspiration for us would be to go to Europe. I would love to do an event in Europe. Right now I just have to focus on what’s in front of me and not get ahead of ourselves.”

The promotion’s debut events in Brazil take place this week, with Rio de Janeiro’s Upper Arena playing host to Friday’s LFA 111 and Sunday’s LFA 112. Both cards stream live on UFC Fight Pass, and Soares said he sees the events as the beginning of a longterm commitment to the market, which has a long history in the sport but hasn’t necessarily dominated the top levels of MMA in recent times.

“I feel that mixed martial arts down there needs to be revived, and I feel that we’re the people to do it,” Soares said. “We have great relationships down there. I’m looking forward to doing it. But our plan is to try to do maybe six-to-, who knows, six-to-eight shows there next year in 2022. That would be the goal.

“Obviously the U.S. is very talent rich, but we need to start developing talent in other places, and Brazil just seemed like the right fit for us to do it – and especially when you look at the state of mixed martial arts down there, it really needs it. There’s so many great fighters out there that are just dying for an opportunity.”

UFC Hall of Famer Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will join veteran broadcasters Ron Kruck and Max Soares to call both events, which feature top prospects from across Brazil. Sunday’s card will also crown a new LFA welterweight champion at the conclusion of a one-night, four-man tournament.

Soares, who managed the careers of a number of high-profile Brazilian athletes prior to taking his current role, believes that LFA’s investment in the market can create opportunities that have been difficult to come by for athletes in the region in recent times.

“I feel that there’s a really a lack of opportunity for these fighters, and there’s just so many great talents that are just giving up on fighting and walking away and going and get a regular job because they have to provide for their family,” Soares said. “I just feel that if we’re in the business of developing talent for the next level, we have to think internationally, and we’ve always been excited about doing an international show. It just made sense for us to try to go to Brazil, especially with my relationships, and we’re live on Combate down there in Brazil and, of course, we’re broadcasted in over 200 countries on UFC Fight Pass.”

And Soares isn’t just thinking about Brazil, either. He believes the LFA can help become a top developmental promotion in other international markets, as well, and that the movement will all start with this week’s two events.

“It’s a huge milestone for the LFA and for us to go out there,” Soares said. “I’ve been to many events in Brazil and been involved in many different types of events all over the world, but this is the first international event that we are actually putting on as a company, so I’m very excited about that.”

To see the full interview with Soares, check out the video below.