Sam Caplan

While working as a security guard in Philadelphia clubs, Sam Caplan was motivated by colleagues to expand his fight style from Long Fist Kung Fu to include Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and later Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). A longtime fan of Bruce Lee, Caplan started training in 2001 with Master Jeong Jeon Hoon in Pennsylvania's Elkins Park. Four years later, Caplan began MMA training, and, after a few amateur MMA and Muay Thai bouts, decided he could not compete at a high level. Caplan worked for CBSSports.com, Sports Illustrated and America Online, where he wrote about professional sports organizations like Major League Baseball, National Football League and National Basketball Association. Caplan started writing about MMA in December 2006, and was hired by CBSSports.com two months later to cover MMA. He also wrote for 411 Mania and FIGHT! Magazine. Caplan later founded Five Ounces of Pain, which occasionally partnered with CBSSports.com. In October, 2007, Caplan joined Pro Elite as its lead writer/editor while operating Five Ounces of Pain independently. During that time he was a weekly Saturday radio host in Philadelphia, and co-host of "Inside The Cage Radio" podcast. Through his work as a writer, Caplan met TV host Mauro Ranallo, who did fight commentary for Showtime Networks. Caplan worked for CBS and Showtime, where he did fighter research for Elite XC (2007) and later Strikeforce (2009) events. The information was utilized on-air by the likes of Ranallo, Stephen Quadros, Pat Miletich and Frank Shamrock. Caplan knew Jerry Millen, the Vice President of the Russian promotion M-1 Global, whom he interviewed for his website. Through that connection, Caplan did some work for M-1 Global. Caplan later joined Joe Kelly's Titan Fighting first as a matchmaker, and later bought a minority ownership in the company. Caplan and Kelly decided it would be financially prudent to also manage fighters, and became equal partners in 365 Fight Management. After Matt Stansell left as the matchmaker during the first year of live events by Bellator Fighting Championships (2009) , Caplan and two other part-time consultants were hired to form a booking committee. Caplan brought in a fighter he managed, Steve Carl. According to Caplan, he disclosed that Carl was a client, the promotion conducted an "independent review", and decided Carl's fight resume was good enough. In December 2009, Caplan interviewed with Bellator's President Tim Danaher and Chairman/CEO Bjorn Rebney for the position of Vice President of Talent Relations. Rebney had decided to have one person in charge of matchmaking. Caplan was hired in February 2010 before the promotion's second season of live events. As a condition of full-time employment, he sold his ownership in 365 Fight Management to Joe Kelly. Caplan had a clause in his Bellator contract which permitted him to do some outside consulting through his firm, Combat Sports Media (CSM). He continued with Titan Fighting in a non-matchmaking role, and remained with Bellator MMA until August 2014 when his contract was not renewed. It was among the changes made by Spike President Kevin Kay who brought in Scott Coker to replace Danaher and Rebney. After Bellator, Caplan became co-owner of the regional promotion, Matrix Fights, and teamed with journalist Jason Floyd to launch and co-host the "MMA Insiders Podcast".