By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News
ccarlton@dallasnews.com

Addison-based Sun Sports & Entertainment wants to emerge from the shadow of the Ultimate Fighting Championship – and that includes the shape of its fighting cage.

"We don't use an octagon because we feel there is nowhere to hide in a circle," said CJ Comu, the CEO of Sun Sports who hopes to establish his company's niche in mixed martial arts before year's end.

The Art of War 3 fight card scheduled for American Airlines Center represents a significant step forward. It's the first pay-per-view card and the middle stage of a three-part plan.

The initial step was a live arena show, Art of War 1, which drew a respectable 6,722 in March at American Airlines Center. The final step will be a Las Vegas event later this year, since Sin City is the fighting equivalent of Broadway.

The Sept. 1 event at AAC marks the first Sun entry into pay-per-view, the sport's lifeblood.

"This is a pay-per-view business," Comu said, estimating that 20,000 home buys represents the break-even point. Sun moved the event from June 30 to Sept. 1 to avoid a potential pay-per-view conflict with an Evander Holyfield-led boxing card.

Art of War 3 features a budget of more than $1 million, including a fighter payroll of $440,000, Comu said.

To further differentiate itself from the dominant UFC, Art of War 3 will debut a team concept, one it plans to use in other cards.

This one will feature U.S. fighters against a Brazilian contingent. Other future opponents for the U.S. include China and Canada.

The task is difficult. The recent success of the UFC has spawned numerous imitators, usually with a gimmick. None has emerged as a real threat to the UFC.

Enter Sun, which built a niche as a one-stop sports marketing company.

Comu and business partner Buckeye Epstein want to take advantage of the UFC's business model and become a viable alternative.

"It's an eight-lane freeway. It is wide open, and we want to be at least second to market," Comu said. "We don't mind being No. 2. We think there's a 10,000-pound gorilla ahead of us."

Art of War also emphasizes a party atmosphere, focusing on the experience and not just the fights.

At the same time, it doesn't shy away from the violence inherent in mixed martial arts.

"There is going to be blood at Art of War," Comu said. "If fans are turned off by blood, this might not be the event that they want to come to. This is hard-hitting action. This is a fiercely competitive sport, and you have two dynamic people in the ring looking for a win."