Biography
Mike Afromowitz left his native Long Island in New York to earn an Economics degree at Boston's Brandeis University. After working in events promotion, he would later achieve success in the combat sports business. Afromowitz was a practitioner of the martial art founded by Bruce Lee, Jeet Kune Do. When he returned to New York in March 1999, Afromowitz started researching and training in Muay Thai. He attended Muay Thai events to observer fighters from the gym he attended. After determining the sport had a void in coverage, Afromowitz started a bi-weekly newsletter, "Muay Thaimes". After watching a DVD of an event by the kickboxing promotion K-1 USA, he contacted Scott Coker, the promoter behind the event. In addition to leading the American side of Japan's K-1, Coker owned the kick-boxing promotion Strikeforce. Coker hired Afromowitz to write K-1 USA fighter biographies and other information for the company's website. Afromowitz also took on tasks involving Strikeforce. Afromowitz did most of his work from New York to remain close to relatives. He frequently travelled to meet Coker at the San Jose, California headquarters of Strikeforce. In December 2005, California legalized professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), and Coker was granted the right to promote the first card sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). CSAC was acquainted with Coker from his years as a licensed kickboxing promoter. While Coker turned Strikeforce into a MMA promotion, Afromowitz was involved with organizing its first MMA card. Headlined by Frank Shamrock and Phil Baroni, "Shamrock vs. Baroni" took place on March 10, 2006, attended by a then record-breaking audience at HP Pavilion. As Strikeforce (2006) grew to be a major MMA promotion-with events on Showtime and CBS-Afromowitz's duties expanded, included securing sponsorships and working in public relations. Afromowitz worked for Strikeforce until he held the title of Director of Communications. Months after UFC owner Zuffa purchased Strikeforce in March 2011, Afromowitz and other Strikeforce staffers were relieved of their positions. In July 2011, Coker introduced Afromowitz to Scott Kent, the owner of the Muay Thai-oriented Lion Fight Promotion. Kent placed Afromowitz in charge of the marketing and public relations for Lion Fight Promotion. In 2012, Afromowtiz's former Strikeforce colleague Shannon Knapp helped launched the all-women fight promotion, Invicta Fighting Championships [us] (Invicta FC). Through his company, Witz End Communications, Afromowitz returned to the MMA industry and did publicity work for Invicta FC's early events. In 2013, Afromowitz joined Combate Americas (2014) as Chief Operating Officer. Oriented towards a Hispanic MMA fan base, Combate Americas was founded by UFC's co-creator Campbell McLaren. Afromowitz moved on to _World Series of Fighting_ [us] where he handled public relations.
