A MARTIAL arts publishing firm launched in the North- East five years ago has established itself as a global brand.

Fighters Only Ltd now publishes mixed martial arts magazines in the UK, US, Canada, South Africa and Germany, as well as exporting them from the North-East to more than 20 countries around the world.

It is also launching publications in China and Australia, as well as an iPad application and will broadcast an internet radio show from Las Vegas.

The Newcastle-based company recently secured a distribution deal with Time Warner for the US’s biggest retail outlets, including Walmart, K-Mart and Sears.

It also has an expanding range of branded clothing and equipment, and will soon be hosting its second annual Mixed Martial Arts Awards in Las Vegas, which will be broadcast on US and Canadian TV.

Since receiving an initial £100,000 investment in 2006 from regional fund management firm NEL Fund Managers Ltd, followed by £175,000 in 2008 to help fund expansion, the firm has doubled turnover and increased staff numbers to 20, four of them in the US.

Managing director Rob Hewitt said: “NEL’s investment gave us the momentum we needed to put our carefullyconstructed business plans into action, and we’ve not looked back since. As the sports’ popularity increases in new territories, there’s every chance for us to move into these markets and repeat what we’ve done elsewhere by publishing localised magazines, either under licence or ourselves.”