Once upon a time in 1993, an event was staged, pitting practitioners of various martial arts against each other in a no rules event.
Dubbed as The Ultimate Fighting Championship, it was the only event of its kind on American soil.
As more attention was focused on the sport, it began to grow to meet the rising demand. Organizations like King of the Cage were born, and as more fighters and fans came to the sport, the pie began to split into smaller portions.
The sport grew not only on our shores, but worldwide.
Still, the UFC fought to remain in the lead, and after some tough battles with rival companies, it remains firmly atop the heap.
So much so that now, most people know the sport not as MMA, but the UFC.
Who were some of these rival companies that the UFC either devoured or knocked out of competition?
Read on to see.