Mixed martial arts continues to increase in popularity all over the world and M-1 Global is doing its part to help grow the sport by promoting events in countries big and small.

In March, M-1 brought the M-1 Challenge to Bourgas, Bulgaria in what served as the country’s largest MMA event to date. The country has a rich history in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling but the sport of MMA is still rather new. It was so new that many of the fans in attendance did not exactly know what they were watching at first. However, as the event went on, the capacity crowd began to pick up on the nuances of the sport.

Thanks in large part to former UFC fighter and ex-Bulgarian national wrestler Jordan Radev, there is already a hardcore MMA fanbase in the country. One of the leading outlets catering to that fanbase is www.MMABG.com, a MMA content website owned and operated by the Bulgarian MMA Federation.

M-1Global.com recently caught up with Jordan Petkov, the man who operates www.MMABG.com for a one-on-one interview to get his thoughts on the rise of MMA in Bulgaria.

M-1Global.com: Can you tell me something about yourself and how you got involved in MMA.

Jordan Petkov: The web site www.MMABG.com is owned by the Bulgarian MMA federation. It was founded in February of 2008. Our main target is to develop and make famous MMA in Bulgaria.

Our president is mister Ljuben Jubrilov, a businessman from Bourgas, closely connected to martial arts. We have made seven gala contests in different cities – Bourgas, Yambol, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora and Sveti Vlas. We are preparing another big contest in our old capital – Veliko Turnovo (May 31) and then another contest for beginners. Thanks to the efforts of our president, Bulgaria became a part of the big M-1 family in August of 2008.

M-1Global.com: You are owner of Bulgaria’s biggest site, how did you come up to start a website?

Jordan Petkov: Our web site represents the face of the federation. We decided that it will be a good idea to represent our sport better. Our page is the most visited portal in the field of MMA. It has existed for six months, but it has already become a leading source of information.

We aim at the users’ complete satisfaction. Our video and shop sections are being created now and there will be an English version too. Thanks to our mutual work with M-1 Global, we will present online all the episodes of M-1 Challenge and M-1 Selection in order to promote all the events in front of the Bulgarian audience.

M-1Global.com: MMA is one of the youngest sports these day, how did the sport begin in Bulgaria start?

Jordan Petkov: We are building the foundations of MMA in Bulgaria, We started asking foreign contestants to make seminars and to train our trainers and contestants.

M-1Global.com: The M-1 challenge had its second event of 2009 in Bourgas, Bulgaria. How was the reaction that the M-1 came to Bulgaria?

Jordan Petkov: It was a great advertisement for our sport in Bulgaria, something that hasn’t been done by anyone before here. We invested a lot of efforts and we did everything to make it perfect. The Bulgarian audience was highly pleased.

M-1Global.com: Unfortunately, Bulgaria lost against a very good team, how was the response in the M.M.A. community in Bulgaria?

Jordan Petkov: After we lost from the USA team by a 0-5 score there was a heavy period of discussions, yet we kept working over the National team, the practices went on, and we just fixed some of our mistakes and the result is evident.

M-1Global.com: Bulgaria’s second fight was against Benelux and the team performed well by winning 3-2 against last year’s finalist Benelux. Can you discuss your thoughts on the result?

Jordan Petkov: We are very happy for the success of our boys against the team of Benelux. We started showing our real power. We hope for the best in the future contests. The practices are at full heat and we are seriously looking forward to our meeting with the Finnish team in South Korea.

M-1Global.com: Who would you say is the most popular fighter in Bulgaria right now?

Jordan Petkov: The most popular MMA fighter is Jordan Radev. He is also the trainer of the national team. He has a lot of experience and the ability to teach it to the younger teammates.

M-1Global.com: What do you think about M-1 Global and the M-1 Challenge?

Jordan Petkov: One of the most serious organizations in the field of MMA on a world level. We are honored to be able to work with such a partner.

M-1Global.com: Do you expect a bright future for MMA for Bulgaria?

Jordan Petkov: There is future for MMA in Bulgaria. We have the national contests, made in the M-1 tradition. We take part in the M-1 challenge and in 2010 we will start the national contest of MMA, named M-1 Selection, Bulgaria. We are working over signing a contract with one of the most popular televisions in Bulgaria. We hope that we are a respected and honored member of the big M-1 family.