Combat Biz Is Hard

The recent BYON Combat Showbiz event made one thing clear. Promoting fights is not a glamorous path. It is a difficult, unpredictable, and often unprofitable business that demands more than most people ever see. Fans watch the lights, the walkouts, and the drama inside the ring. What they do not see is the long list of problems that pile up behind the curtain and the financial strain that shadows every decision a promoter makes.

In reality, combat sports promotion is a high risk practice. Expenses begin long before fight week. Promoters have to secure a venue, pay for equipment, lighting, sound systems, medical teams, licensing, and security. Fighters come with their own costs, from purses to accommodations. Marketing becomes another major bill, because selling a combat event is not just about the fights. It requires storytelling, constant engagement with audiences, graphic production, and hours of promotional content. Every post and every clip is money spent before a single ticket is sold.

BYON’s latest show highlighted how volatile this field can be. A main event draw between Ronal Siahaan and Putra Abdullah may be great for narrative buildup, but it creates uncertainty for promoters. A fight that ends without closure can frustrate the crowd, trigger backlash online, and reduce confidence in future shows. When reactions online turn negative, sponsors hesitate and potential partners question whether they want to be associated with the next installment.

Crowd reactions at BYON also showed how quickly the mood can shift. Judging controversies sparked long discussions, and each complaint reflects added pressure on the promotional team. Fans do not realize how difficult it is to manage expectations in a sport where judging criteria differ across associations. Promoters carry the blame even when the rules are not theirs to design. Once frustration spreads, the brand absorbs the damage, and it can take months to rebuild trust.

Profit margins in this business are extremely thin. Ticket sales help but rarely cover the full cost. Live streaming revenue, merchandise, and sponsorships are supposed to fill the gap, yet none of them are guaranteed. A single bad card, a single delay, or a single controversy can affect the next event’s turnout. BYON has built a strong fanbase, but even with that following, one messy night can lead to financial and reputational setbacks.

Promoters also face a unique challenge in Southeast Asia. The industry is still growing. Many fighters are still recruited through direct messages, not through formal agencies. Contracts can be fragile. Cancellations happen often. Medical issues appear without warning. All these disruptions cost money. Every replacement fight is another negotiation, another round of paperwork, and another adjustment to the promotional plan.

People often think combat sports promotion is lucrative because they see packed arenas and viral highlights. The truth is far less glamorous. It is a constant balancing act between ambition and survival. BYON’s latest event proved how quickly things can tilt. One night of chaos can erase months of work, and one unresolved fight can reshape the next card.

Combat sports are exciting because anything can happen. For promoters, that same unpredictability is the source of both opportunity and danger. This business rewards those who endure, but it punishes mistakes just as quickly. BYON’s experience serves as another reminder that behind every successful show is a team absorbing financial risk, public pressure, and operational problems that almost never reach the spotlight.