Mixed martial arts: Roveta showing fighters the money

What started as a hobby for Robert Roveta has turned into a company that this year will gross more than $1 million — a figure that could double in 2009.

Growing up in Salt Lake City and attending Cottonwood High School, Roveta was always actively involved in sports, but little did he know that his hobby could turn into a living. Roveta is the founder of Denaro Sports, a firm that represents, markets, manages and promotes athletes, specializing in mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters.

"I got interested in MMA when I took over a TV show there in Salt Lake that was called the Ultimate Combat Experience," said Roveta. "It was the early 2000s, and it was on UPN at like 11:30 on Sunday nights. You know, like right before all the infomercials started. Well, it must have done all right in the ratings because it just slowly moved up in the time slots, and eventually it was on in prime time.

"The show had its own little niche following, and people started talking more about it. It was me and just a couple of other camera guys running around the bars where they had fights back then, and then I would edit and produce the show."

Those were humble beginnings. But Roveta looks back on the time as the foundation for where he is now.

"I learned a lot about the business and how cutthroat things could be," he said. "I was working like 70 hours a week for not much pay, but I was learning the industry. There really wasn't much money for the fighters either. With how that was going, I could never imagine being where I am today."

Where he is now is in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas.

"If you are going to be an actor, you move to Hollywood. If you want to be involved in MMA, you have to come to Vegas," Roveta said.

Before moving to Nevada, he spent nearly the next two years in Portland, Ore., where he produced another MMA show called Sportfight. While working with many of the movers and shakers of the Portland fight scene, Roveta made several important contacts. He eventually was approached by a couple of the fighters wanting to know if he would represent them. They wanted him to negotiate their next fights and book the venues, take care of the basics so they could devote themselves to full-time training without worry of the business side of things.

With the paltry pay the athletes were making at that time in 2003, Roveta doubted he could devote much time to helping the athletes monetarily.

Times have changed.

"One thing I know is that this sport is here to stay," said Roveta. "It has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. the last few years. It has gone mainstream, and the guys can finally make a decent living. When you get to the higher levels, the fighters are well-compensated.