A successful MMA fighter needs a great cornerman. The corner influences strategy, supports, and instructs their fighter. Not only does the corner celebrate their fighter's victory, but they are also there when the opponent’s hand is raised. The corner rarely gets the spotlight, but they are always in close proximity to the action. A successful promoter needs a great cornerman as well. Mark Pavelich's corner is covered by his wife, Manon Pavelich.  Mark Pavelich has received many accolades as the President of Maximum Fighting Championship and he is the first one to say that a major reason for this success is his cornerman, or rather cornerwoman, Manon Pavelich.

 Fans know all about the MFC president and are getting more familiar with his son, HeatXC frontman, Dave Pavelich – but what about Manon?  Manon is modest and does not boast about all she has helped her husband to accomplish.  After overcoming her initial reluctance to talk about herself, one is amazed by how outgoing she becomes as she discusses, in her charming French-Croatian accent, her business, her friends, and most importantly, her family.

Manon and Mark Pavelich have been married twenty-three years. They first met in Montreal at a restaurant at a time when Manon had yet to learn English. Their language barrier did not stop the couple from falling in love and marrying.  Together they have gone on to proudly raise two children, Dave and Kayla. Their collaboration has also produced the number one MMA promotion in Canada.

 Initially, the two opened a successful entertainment business, but then Mark was bitten by the MMA bug.  Together they opened a gym and launched the MFC.  “I did not like all the fighting at first and would watch movies in my room when Mark watched early UFCs,” admits Manon. “I watched Mark teach at the gym and became fascinated by the sport once I knew the work ethic and amazing techniques that are behind the fight, but I still do not like the blood,” she laughs. 

"I'm nobody", she modestly states.  "I'm just a behind-the-scenes girl". Her husband, and number one fan, disagrees vehemently "Manon is 100% the reason why MFC is the number one show in Canada. She worked out how to make money at mixed martial arts".  Ten years ago, Manon and Mark had to take a hiatus from MFC.  “MMA was foreign to people and was a difficult business,” says Mark, “We needed to make some money, so we went back to the entertainment business.”

 So how did Mark resurrect his faltering MMA promotion?  Mark points to his wife, “Manon figured it out!  She knew I loved MMA and my passion was dying due to the early failures of MFC.”   Manon came to his office one day and declared that she knew how to make money at mixed martial arts.  Her strategy?  “Right now MFC spends 95% of its time on fighters and 5% on sponsors.  If we spend 95% of our time on sponsors, we will be the biggest Canadian show in three years and in ten years we could be top five in the world.”  She was right.  As Mark treated each MFC event “like a professional sporting event, like an Oiler game” and worked the phones for sponsors everyday, Maximum Fighting Championship gradually became the biggest Canadian show.

 Manon, who in addition to raising her family, created a ticket network that sells out every MFC show.  She is involved in most aspects of the business.  She believes in personal service and delivers many of the tickets herself.  “I love to socialize with people even if it is only five minutes.  People are special to me!”  “We have 1800 seats for MFC and Manon has 1800 friends!” claims her proud husband.  She is also a task master and once in a while brings out the whip.  When she heard her husband and son were on MMA forums all day she told them, “Don’t go on there with negative people.  You should be phoning people.”  Manon knows that her husband and her son do their best work when they are talking with their fans, sponsors, and fighters.

 One of the dreams of her childhood was to create her own brand – a perfume, a fashion, a car dealership – something with her name on it and she has proudly accomplished this dream with her family.  “I want my kids to be proud and I want to leave a legacy for them to take over.” Would the MFC have been successful if it was not a family business? “No way, I am the only one who understands Mark. People think he is arrogant but he really is just a perfectionist who loves what he does.  No one but his family could care as much about this business as he does.  Employees cannot care as much as we do.”

 For all the work she does, how does the president of the MFC compensate this remarkable lady?  Manon laughs easily, “Take me out to eat.  I hate cooking!”  Then she adds, “I don’t get paid, but I live well. If my kids are happy and healthy and my husband is happy and healthy, then I am very happy!” 

 Everyman could use a woman like Manon Pavelich in their corner!