The Ultimate Fighting Championship has propelled mixed martial arts into mainstream public awareness and become an international sensation. Captivating millions of fans worldwide with its combination of athleticism and drama, UFC has quickly become an international juggernaut.
Regular UFC events feature multiple fights among fighters of different weight classes. There are also pay-per-view (PPV) events where champions and challengers square off against one another in epic contests.
Origins
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the premier mixed martial arts organization worldwide. Established by Rorion Gracie and Art Davie in 1993 to showcase Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s effectiveness in real combat situations. Rorion Gracie chose Royce Gracie to represent their family early tournaments; Royce won three out of four tournaments as a result!
Combatants of various martial arts backgrounds face off to determine who will emerge victorious overall. Winning methods range from submission or knockout; fights may also be stopped early by referee or doctor should serious injury threaten an athlete. Additionally, UFC has made strides toward increasing women’s MMA participation; St Pat’s is proud to feature UFC fights at our bar!
Rules
MMA rules govern the sport to ensure fighter safety, including weight classes, judging criteria, and other aspects of fights. Furthermore, certain substances are forbidden and any violation can lead to suspension or fines for athletes involved.
Some rules may seem counterintuitive, such as banning joint manipulation and prohibiting soccer kicks to the face; these measures make it harder for fighters to corner or press their opponents against a cage and unleash their attack.
As part of their fight regulations, mixed martial artists (MMA) must undergo comprehensive medical examinations prior and post fight. This involves blood work, ophthalmologic evaluations, neurological exams and more – this allows officials to ensure fighter safety as well as determine potential medical suspensions.
Formats
Early UFC events featured tournament format fights between masters of boxing, wrestling, judo and kung fu to determine who would become champion. The company promoted these fights as brutal exhibitions of combat to determine the dominant martial art style – an assertion which caused much debate – particularly from United States Senator John McCain who likened these contests to human cockfighting and attempted to ban them altogether.
Later, the UFC adopted rules established by the New Jersey Athletic Commission and moved toward single-fight events, giving credibility to their sport and attracting many cable providers to carry UFC pay-per-views. Furthermore, “The Ultimate Fighter,” an elimination tournament between fighters from different camps was introduced by UFC as part of this move.
Pay-per-view events
UFC fights are unlike traditional sporting events which can be watched over-the-air for free; instead they require a subscription. While this fee may seem steep at first, many fans find its worth worthwhile when watching live action with friends. To reduce cost further, many fight fans opt for buying multiple tickets together so as to enjoy each event collectively.
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers can watch an event on demand after it airs, as well as access other original content such as UFC Countdown, DC & RC and the UFC Fight Library. Furthermore, this app can be used across devices including mobile phones, tablets and TVs and can be accessed anywhere there is internet access worldwide.
Broad appeal
The success of the UFC has propelled mixed martial arts into mainstream consciousness and made it a worldwide phenomenon, drawing fans from all walks of life – athletes and celebrities included! Additionally, its global reach has attracted new MMA promotions – including women fighting as champions and in main events!
Judges denied the UFC’s request to appeal, citing no law or precedent to support plaintiffs’ argument that fighters have an inherent right to increase in compensation in line with revenue growth of their companies. They further noted that plaintiffs relied on regression models that produced nonsensical results – this decision marked a major setback to UFC’s antitrust lawsuit.