Shawne Merriman to debut AI-driven 'virtual sponsorship' at Lights Out Xtreme Fighting 27

Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman said Lights Out Xtreme Fighting will introduce an artificial intelligence–driven "virtual sponsorship" system at Lights Out Xtreme Fighting 27, a change he called a "game-changer" for combat sports advertising.

Merriman, who has helped grow the regional promotion, told Fox News Digital the technology will allow advertisements seen by viewers on Lights Out Sports TV to change every fight and enable companies to buy sponsorship time on a per-minute basis.

"We’re doing our first commercial use of AI virtual sponsorship," Merriman said. "People watching at home on Lights Out Sports TV will see ads change every fight. This is something that we’ve been working on for a long time. We’ve been working behind the scenes for six months and now we’re bringing it to commercial use."

Merriman said the promotion partnered with PTF Lab to implement the virtual sponsorship system. Under the plan, sponsors will be able to purchase shorter, less expensive time slots and appear in dynamically inserted advertisements during live broadcasts, Merriman said.

"Now, companies can sponsor fights on a per-minute basis. They’re buying time for less cost. And everybody will be able to get to see it for the first time. I’m really, really excited about that because this is gonna be a game-changer in combat sports and everybody gets a chance to see it for the first time live," he added.

Lights Out Xtreme Fighting 27 is scheduled for Sept. 20, 2025, at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California, with the broadcast beginning at 5 p.m. local time. The main event will pit Tyrell Fortune against Demoreo Dennis; promoters said the card will include four other prominent bouts.

Merriman framed the move as part of a broader strategy to help regional promotions increase revenue without heavy capital investment. "There’s a lot of regional promotions that are struggling right now, and we’re one of the ones that are extremely successful because we figured out ways to bring incremental revenue without having to raise a bunch of capital," he said. "So, we’re very lean as a company. I got a great staff and then I’ve always thought outside of the box when it comes to growth – and this is it."

Organizers said the virtual sponsorship rollout will be visible to viewers of Lights Out Sports TV during the live broadcast. The promotion did not provide third-party verification of the technology's effectiveness or details about data use, targeting or the technical operations behind the ad insertion.

Lights Out Xtreme Fighting has positioned the AI feature as a tool to broaden sponsorship access and lower entry costs for advertisers, which the promotion says will help sustain and expand regional fight cards. The company encouraged fans and potential sponsors to tune in to Lights Out Sports TV on Sept. 20 to view the debut of the system and the full fight card.

Promoters have scheduled additional information about sponsorship opportunities and broadcast details to be released ahead of the event, and Merriman urged interested companies to engage with Lights Out Xtreme Fighting for participation options.

The announcement comes as promoters across combat sports explore new revenue streams and broadcast technologies; Lights Out Xtreme Fighting's Sept. 20 event will serve as an early public test of the company's AI-driven sponsorship concept.