The UFC heads into Las Vegas this weekend for a rematch between Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva that has the sports world buzzing. A promotion that was once relegated to backwoods arenas in the deep south is now the talk of Las Vegas.
How did the UFC come so far so fast? From the brink of bankruptcy to a battle with boxing for combat-sports supremacy, the UFC has traveled far and fast in less than two decades.
These are the events that started the MMA explosion, without which Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen wouldn’t be household names. From Royce Gracie to Junior dos Santos, these are the stars and the events that built an industry.