NEW Round 5 Interview with Round 5 President and Co-Founder!

"Ultimate Collector" Series 2, Kimbo Slice, Round 5's Future, and More!

They said it couldn’t be done, and Round 5 has proven them wrong…twice.

The stigma surrounding MMA action figures/collectibles is nothing new to the folks of Round 5. While some have come before them, for the most part Round 5 was blazing a trail few had ever walked on when they announced their plans for mass-distribution of a statuesque, collector-centric, super-deformed line of Mixed Martial Arts action figures. But Round 5 was undeterred and released their collectibles, and the brand has continued to grow in size and fan appreciation ever since.

Most recently, Round 5 has partnered with Jakks Pacific, one of the biggest toy companies in the world. Instead of splintering the fan base down the middle and forcing fight fans to fight a war for their wallets, the two major toy companies have firmly staked their claims as collector-centric (Round 5) and mass-market (Jakks Pacific) and the partnership has worked wonders for both. Those that doubted Round 5’s ability to capitalize on this working partnership were resoundingly silenced, as Round 5 recently released “Ultimate Collector” Series 1 to rave reviews, a new line in a new style that features stars currently fighting in the #1 Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the world, the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

With Series 1 flying off of store shelves and collectors already seeing price increases on the secondary market, Round 5 is riding their highest wave of momentum ever, and have recently announced “Ultimate Collector” Series 2. The series boasts such names as Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and the polarizing ratings-machine Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson.

I recently had the opportunity to once again sit down with Damon Lau, President and Co-Founder of Round 5, in order to discuss “Ultimate Collector” Series 2, the future of Round 5, the status regarding Round 5’s distribution deals, and more. MMAFigs.com is proud to present our third official, exclusive interview with Damon Lau!

PdW2kX of MMAFigs.com (MF): With only one official fight in the UFC, why has Kimbo Slice been given the Round 5 treatment over others?

Damon Lau, President and Co-Founder of Round 5 (DL): I wouldn't say that we considered Kimbo over others, but to us, Kimbo is a character of high interest to fans, and is popular amongst a wide range of consumers.  We are trying to create a well-rounded lineup of characters that fans want.  We have had many requests for a Kimbo figurine, so we made it.

MF: “Ultimate Collector” Series 1 has proven very popular, so popular in fact that the MMA collectibles community has already seen instances of price gouging on certain websites. Will Round 5 make any more Series 1 figures in order to alleviate demands and hopefully cut down on price gouging, or is it every collector for himself/herself?

DL: I think people enjoy having an item that they feel will increase in value over time.  That said, we did a limited quantity of UFC Series 1 in December, and the series will be widely available at retail across North America soon.

MF: Series 1 had an exclusive variant for each figure, is this something that will follow into Series 2? And if it does, what kind of accessories will we be looking at?

DL: Yes, we will have some variants.  The accessories we add are always very signature items, 100% authentic, and that will be the case with Series 2.  Although we can't discuss exactly what those are at the present time, we are working with some of the biggest MMA brands like Tapout and Silverstar to create these authentic elements.  The packaging will also be special for the Limited Editions.  Though we can't reveal them yet, we will also be releasing some characters that will be completely different, not just a variant, in the coming months.

MF: Will Toys “R” Us remain the exclusive home to the Ultimate Collector series, or will Series 1 and/or Series 2 be released in other major stores?

DL: We will be releasing UFC Series 1 in other major retailers throughout North America in the coming weeks.  We'll have details soon.  There is a list of outlets on www.Round5MMA.com, on the Where to Buy tab.

MF: Now that Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz are being re-released in the new Ultimate Collector style, what other figures can we expect to see given the same treatment?

DL: Tito and Randy were released over two years ago; the re-releases have significant changes.  We will be releasing close to 30-35 characters this year, so there will be some re-releases, but the current figurines are a different style and a different product.  Randy is a pioneer of the sport, and Tito is still a big attraction, so they are good candidates for a re-release.

MF: Round 5 has occasionally drawn criticism for its inaccuracies regarding the facial characteristics of a fighter not matching its Round 5 counterpart. How do you respond to this?

DL: This line is a stylization of the person; it's not meant to be an exact representation. We capture the essence of the character, but with a specific stylization. The technology and detail is better than ever in the new Series, with a more realistic look.

MF: Since Round 5 is based in Canada, what do you consider most important: expanding the line in Canada or in the United States? Or do you hold both equally as important?

DL: They are equally important. We make the product available throughout North America, but when working with retailers we sometimes don't have control of when items hit the shelves.   I don't look at a difference between Canada, the U.S. or Brazil, for that matter. Consumers everywhere are equally important.

MF: Has there ever been any sort of negative reaction from fighters given the Round 5 treatment?

DL: Not to date.  We have actively worked with many of the athletes in previous series to make the representation theirs, which has added to the figurines' authenticity.

MF: There exists a certain contingent of fans that think that Round 5 and MMA action/collectible figures as a whole undermine the integrity of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Neither I nor anyone at MMAFigs.com endorses this opinion, but what do you say to those kinds of nay-sayers?

DL: I don't look at it that way.  The integrity of the sport is determined by the fans, and the fact that the product is successful at retail and popular among fans, not just the die-hards but a growing base of fans, shows how the sport is developing.  It paves the way for bigger things.  The opportunities for merchandising, which drives businesses like collectibles and apparel and equipment, those businesses makes the UFC and MMA not just a sport that you watch on Saturday night, but a bigger part of fans' lives.

MF: What are Round 5’s current goals?

DL: Basically, our current goal is to create quality, desirable products and make them available to collectors across North America and around the world.  By the end of the year, we will have so many figures and lines available that fans of all levels of interest will find lots of options.  Round 5 pledges to always stay real to the sport and speak to MMA fans and collectors alike.

As a fight fan and action figure collector who places both hobbies on the same high pedestal, I wish Damon Lau and all those at Round 5 all the best and hope that this line and any other Round 5 line continues to grow and evolve. As Mr. Lau said, opportunities for marketing can help make a sport bigger than just something you watch occasionally. Successful marketing has made many sports synonymous with a fan’s everyday life.

Mixed Martial Arts as a whole will continue to benefit with the involvement and hard work of Round 5, so I would like to take this time to thank Damon Lau for agreeing to this interview and for helping to release some of the finest Mixed Martial Arts collectibles ever put onto the collector’s market.

And remember fight fans, MMAFigs.com is your #1 source for UFC action figures and news, views, previews, and reviews.