Ever since the UFC’s parent company, Zuffa LLC, purchased the promotions largest competitor, Strikeforce, the organization has heard the cries of “monopoly.” UFC president Dana White claims that the people that use that term to describe the UFC are far from correct.
“People always say ‘monopoly.’ The people who say that don’t know enough about the sport,” White told USA Today. “If you go state to state and called the athletic commission in every state where we’re sanctioned and ask them how many MMA events were held there this year and how many times did the UFC come, the answer is going to be once or zero. We’re not a monopoly. We’re just the best. We do what we do the best.”
White makes a good point, there are numerous local MMA events that are presented by small local promotions.
Just because one promoter is bigger and has more capital to invest in their promotion does not make them a monopoly.
Strictly defined, the UFC is not even close to being a monopoly, they don’t have exclusive ownership, nor do they have exclusive possession. As White and UFC chairman Lorenzo Fertitta said during a recent media call, anyone can get in the business.
The UFC is doing all it can to become the face of MMA and that just boils down to good business. When you think football, do you think NFL or football? It’s the same with baseball and basketball, you think MLB and NBA and White wants you to think UFC instead of MMA.
As much as some would like you to believe otherwise, White is correct, the UFC is not a monopoly.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com