Stars and Stripes, the independent news media of the U.S. Armed Forces, has added a new weapon to its publishing arsenal: Stripes MMA. Set to debut on February 6, the special issue supplement to Stars and Stripes will be spearheaded by journalist and entrepreneur Donovan Craig, and will cover the world of mixed martial arts, with an emphasis on the sport’s most enthusiastic and fastest-growing fan base: our brave men and women in uniform.

Craig, himself a former professional fighter, is best known as the founding editor-in-chief and president of FIGHT! Media, publisher of FIGHT! Magazine. Craig helped launched FIGHT! from his home base of Atlanta in early 2007 and in less than a year the groundbreaking publication became the market leader and most influential magazine in the sport. During Craig’s tenure, FIGHT! launched a successful video production wing and was twice voted “Best MMA Magazine” by The Underground, the most popular MMA message-board forum on the Internet. Craig left the company in 2010 to focus on other projects, including a branding and consulting company. His first book, "'Always Attack' and Other Life Lessons From The Harsh World Of Mixed Martial Arts"(Victory Belt Publishing) will hit bookstores on April 17.

"We're excited to be working with Donovan Craig, who has a history of providing the best MMA publishing products in the world, on this exciting new project,” said Daniel Krause, international advertising director of Stars and Stripes. “MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world and has a huge following within the U.S. military community that Stars and Stripes serves." The increasingly symbiotic relationship between MMA and the military has skyrocketed in recent years, thanks in large part to heavy advertising by the Armed Forces in MMA-themed publications and television programming as well as two “Fight for the Troops” events staged by the UFC at American military bases.

“The men and women of the U.S. military are among the most enthusiastic and loyal fans of MMA, and the sport of MMA and its athletes have always been great supporters of the military, so this is really a perfect fit with a huge built-in readership,” said Craig. “I'm also beyond excited to be working with such a respected institution as Stars and Stripes to bring the best MMA coverage in the world to the military fan base.”

Stripes MMA will feature interviews and profiles of the biggest stars in the sport, extensive coverage of soldiers who train and who are making waves as professional and amateur fighters, as well as a comprehensive focus on both health & fitness and the “MMA lifestyle”. The debut issue will feature a cover story on Tim Kennedy, the decorated veteran of the Army’s Special Forces who recently signed with the UFC after a highly successful run in Strikeforce’s middleweight division.

The new Stripes MMA magazine will be distributed on military bases around the world and in Stars and Stripes. It will also be available in digital form at Stripes.com

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tags-: stripes.com   donovan craig