One of UFC president Dana White’s favorite idioms is that fighting is universal. It smashes through all cultural boundaries. When two guys get into a cage and start going at it, it doesn’t matter where they’re from or what language they speak; it doesn’t matter if they live under a totalitarian regime or a free democracy; it doesn’t matter if they’re rich or poor; everybody watching understands.
MMA is already firmly established in America. The UFC has led the way and paved the road in terms of sanctioning and marketing. And the sport will continue to grow in America, but the real prize for growth potential is world expansion.
There is a world-wide market for mixed martial arts, and that means there’s money to be made by all countries who wish to participate.
In response to this global demand, the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) was created on February 29, 2012. That mission statement of this newly formed body is:
“The purpose of IMMAF is to further the development and recognition of the sport of mixed martial arts, enabling international competition through the organization of national MMA federations around the world.”
The UFC has already invaded Canada, the UAE, Brazil, Japan, Australia and the European markets of England, Ireland, Germany and Sweden. And with plans in the works for China, the Philippines and beyond, an international regulatory body would strengthen the UFC’s position as it seeks to continue its expansion into foreign markets.
It legitimizes the sport as a whole for there to be one set of rules and regulations. It’s not an easy task considering different countries have different laws, interests and community standards. Indeed, just look at the issues the UFC is having getting sanctioned in New York as evidence of that, and that’s in their own country.
By backing the IMMAF, which the UFC brass has already done through press statements and having them present at their inaugural event in Sweden, it will ease the difficulty of sanctioning by spreading the gospel of legitimacy.
Another major objective of the IMMAF is to eventually get MMA included in the Olympics, and that’s something that has long been a goal of the UFC. Lorenzo Fertitta said, “It is our hope that it will also take us one step closer to witnessing the inclusion of the sport of MMA on the Olympic program.”
There was a time, not long ago, when that vision seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream, but with the way things are going now, it feels a whole lot more attainable.
It’s a very wise play for the UFC to support the IMMAF. They’ve been immensely successful thus far without much outside help, but to truly take this thing all over the world, they’re going to need some international muscle.
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