(Let me preface this by saying I won’t be making any reference to bad rappers. Apart from Richard Blackwood. What was all that about?!)

It’s not often I’m a sentimental old fool, but there’s a time and place for everything – well, almost everything – and this is one of them. As anyone reading this will (or should) know, we’ve just released our first print edition of Your MMA Magazine. If you didn’t know, then where the hell have you been? And why aren’t you clicking this link immediately to go buy it?

We try to show our appreciation to everybody whenever we can, but there’s been such an influx of positivity since we put the magazine out that some people have probably been missed out. Consider this a broad way of us saying ‘Thank you very much’ to all of you that have had kind words, constructive not-so-kind words, given us feedback, bought a magazine, subscribed, told your pals to subscribe, advertised, stocked the magazine, contributed and generally just made a pretty monumental task that little bit easier and worthwhile.

If we were doing this to make millions, do you really think we’d be a) putting a print magazine out in this market and b) solely focusing on UK MMA? Of course not. It’s not a mega bucks market, but it is something we’re passionate about, and it’s others that share this passion that have helped us get it off the ground.

UK MMA gets a bad rap from a lot of places and it’s justified in some cases, but we wouldn’t all still be in or around this game if there weren’t enough positives and redeeming characteristics for us to be here. Amongst the snakes, bandwagon hoppers and leechers, there are genuinely good folks who care about the sport, want it to be safe, to grow and to move forward for the greater benefit.

In my four years working full-time in the industry (and years before training, competing and going to shows) I’ve met some great people that are still here today helping out and supporting my projects, just as I try and support theirs. If you keep the right people around you and be wary of the chancers, then you’ll get positive outcomes from your involvement.

Your MMA Magazine has been a labour of love; a tough slog but I’m proud of it. It’s only going to get bigger, better, slicker and generally more awesome too. With the support we’re getting that can happen. Without it, I’d probably just be writing a fanblog in my mum’s basement whilst sitting in my own bodily fluids. That doesn’t sound too dissimilar to right now actually, except I get to put it on an awesome site like this and in print.

Anyway, the jist is, thanks for the support UK MMA! If you want to keep supporting us then use your social media mediums to tell your friends about issue 1 and keep letting us know your thoughts on www.twitter.com/yourmma and www.facebook.com/yourmma. We don’t take it for granted.

Peace out,

Jay
@JayFurnessMMA

P.S Here’s the cover if you haven’t checked it out yet, enjoy: