XARM (partially lost internet combat sports series; 2008-2012)
XARM's logo.
Status: Partially lost
The XARM fighting league was a fight promotion founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-creator Art Davie. XARM stood for Xtreme Arm Wrestling, a sport that mixed arm wrestling with aspects of mixed martial arts, such as striking and jiu-jitsu. Intended as a sport for consumption on digital media platforms, two series of XARM were produced. The first of these series was produced between 2008 and 2009, with an intended run of 17 episodes on the now-defunct Ripe TV platform.[1] A second series would be produced in collaboration with Machinima in 2012, with 3 events ultimately being held before cancellation.[2] A mobile game for IOS and Android would also be produced.[2]
XARM would not prove successful, and with the closure of Ripe TV in 2009 and Machinima Inc. in 2019, much of XARM has been lost, although some clips have been preserved.
XARM 1: 2008-2009
XARM was devised by Art Davie, one of the co-founders of the UFC in 1993. The sport would be announced in November 2008 as a collaboration with video platform RipeTV.[3] The initial series would comprise a month-long heavyweight tournament leading to a heavyweight championship fight with the winner claiming a prize of $10,000.[3] Per the rules, contestants would be chained to a small arm-wrestling table with their wrestling arms taped together.[4]
Contestants could utilise strikes including punches and kicks as well as submissions.[4] Bouts would last three one-minute rounds and the winner would be determined by KO, TKO, or decision, with judges awarding up to 10 points in the areas of effective aggressiveness (scoring clean strikes), arm wrestling pins, and “table generalship” (which contestant controlled the bout).[4] Davie believed that the small circumference of the fighting area and the short length of episodes would make XARM an ideal sport for mobile phone users, and that the lack of “boring” ground grappling would make the sport more appealing.[4][3][5]
17 episodes in total were uploaded Ripe TV between October 2008 and January 2009, including 7 episodes of “Boot Camp”, showing competitors preparing for the tournament, 11 episodes of the tournament itself, and a “Best of XARM”.[1] Many of those competing in the tournament had limited or no combat sports experience.[2] The tournament was ultimately won by Homer Moore, a UFC veteran and former WEC title contender.[6]
XARM was not well received. As noted by critics, many bouts degenerated into “little more than two burly men swinging madly with their free arm while leaning backwards to avoid being clobbered”.[2] Jospeh Bonsignore writing for Bleacher Report would state that XARM “sets combat sports back ten years, noting that these criticisms were shared by MMA veterans such as Bas Rutten and Robbie Lawler during their discussion of the event on “Inside MMA”.[7] The poor quality of on-screen talent Gary Cruz and Jennifer England has also been criticised.[8][9]
XARM would not hold another event for three years. Ripe TV would be taken down in 2009 when its parent company Ripe Digital Entertainment shut down.[10]
XARM 2 2011-2012
In 2011, Davie, along with partners Alan Winters and Wyndham Chow, would announce a return for XARM. Once again stressing their belief that XARM was “the first sport really created for digital media”, one that is “designed to deliver rapid-fire entertainment”, the trio would announce that they had support from Endemol USA (producers of reality shows such as Big Brother USA) and were collaborating with TV producer SallyAnn Saldano (founder and president of 495 Productions, a California based firm responsible for Jersey Shore).[11][12]
In 2012, XARM would reach an agreement with Machinima Inc. to produce online content, including a Boot Camp series following the competitors in training as well as regular footage of XARM events.[13] XARM would also publish a mobile game for IOS and Android, debuted at the NY Games Conference on September 5th 2012.[14]
XARM began uploading content to the Machinima Prime Youtube channel on September 2012. It’s unknown how many episodes were uploaded – the latest screenshot available of XARM’s Youtube series page shows the most recent upload being Boot Camp 5.[13] These episodes reflected the shift towards reality television, with a greater emphasis on personal conflict and drama.[9]
Three XARM events are known to have been held, with a wider range of competitors, with weights ranging from 145lbs to 265lbs as well as female competitors competing for the first time.[15] The rebooted XARM also saw a greater number of experienced fighters – of the 20 competitors set to compete in XARM 2, 14 had prior MMA experience including former UFC veterans Jake Paul and James Irvin.[15] XARM 3 was held at the Soboba Casino Resort in San Jacinto, after which no further events were held.[16] The last activity recorded on any XARM social media page was on 01 May 2013, when the company posted a Facebook status declaring that that XARM received a favourable response MIPTV media market event in Cannes.[16] There has been no further news on any future XARM events, and the company website has since expired.
AVAILABILITY Much of XARM has been lost. The first run of XARM on RipeTV was largely lost when the video platform was closed in 2009. XARM’s second run on Youtube was likely lost with the closure of Machinima in 2019, with the channels contents being deleted.[17]
Clips from both runs still exist. From the first run, four full episodes from the main championship are available on youtube, as are highlights of other fights.[18][19][20][21] A boot camp episode featuring UFC veteran and former arm wrestling champion Gary Goodridge is also available, as is a promo for the series.
Far less is available from the second run. Some highlights are available in compilations, as is an audience video from the 3rd XARM event.[22] A single episode of boot camp has been uploaded by Martyn Watts, a creative director likely involved with production.[23] Numerous images taken at the live events are available on the companies Facebook page. The mobile game has since been removed from the app store. Several videos of gameplay footage are available online on Youtube and the companies Facebook page.
Videos
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Schedule for 08-09 series of XARM
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 BJPenn.com article on XARM
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Launch announcement on XARM website
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 ESPN article on the announcement
- ↑ Art Davie, quoted in Wrestling Colin’s “The Short, Sad History of XARM” video (quote begins 0:29)
- ↑ MMA Underground post by Rage in the Cage matchmaker John Petrelli confirming Moore’s victory
- ↑ Joseph Bonsignore’s article on XARM for Bleacher Report
- ↑ Wrestling Colin, “The Short, Sad History of XARM”
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 MMA Youtuber Beige Frequency’s “The Forgotten Sport of XARM”
- ↑ Digital Media Wire article on the shutdown of Ripe Digital Entertainment
- ↑ John Morgan article on the relaunch of XARM for MMA Junkie
- ↑ John Morgan article on Saldano’s involvement for MMA Junkie
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Archived copy of XARM’s series page on Youtube as at September 2012
- ↑ Post by Tumblr user Neatocode detailing the premiere
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 John Morgan article on XARM 2 event or MMA Junkie
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 XARM Facebook page
- ↑ MachinimaPrime channel as at December 2022 showing all contents deleted
- ↑ Rick Vardell V Bond Lapua
- ↑ James Cordrey V Frederick Steen
- ↑ James Cordrey V Andy Flennoy
- ↑ Highlights from XARM 08-09 and 12-13
- ↑ XARM 3 audience video
- ↑ XARM 11-12 bootcamp