Ultimate Fighting Championship History
History - Facts - Top Fighters
Ultimate Fighting Championship is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts organization, currently recognized as the major MMA promotion in North America. Founded in 1993, UFC events were originally eight- or sixteen-man tournaments conducted by the organization Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) in association with WOW Promotions (headed by Art Davie and Rorion Gracie)
It started as a tournament to find the world's best fighter no matter of their style. The UFC was based upon an adaptation of Brazilian vale tudo fighting. Frequently, violent and brutal with a minimal set of rules, the UFC's brand of vale tudo, initially known as no holds barred fighting, allowed the fighters of various disciplines to prove which martial arts style prevailed above others in realistic, unregulated situations.
Some of the first fights in the UFC, while accomplishing the goal of determining which style was best, were less sport and more show which led to accusations of brutality by opponents. Political pressures eventually led the UFC into the underground making the pay-per-view providers nixed UFC programming. Some competitors were also rumored to have bolstered their credentials in traditional martial arts in order to legitimize their presence.
With a cable television deal with Fox Sports Net and legalization of MMA in California, the UFC is currently undergoing a remarkable surge in popularity, along with heightened media coverage. UFC programming can now be seen in the United States, as well as in Britain, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. And since January 2001 the UFC is owned by Zuffa, LLC and managed by President Dana White.
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