MMA is one of the fastest rising sports in the world today. But over the course of the sport’s short history, it has had many changes.
The UFC, the biggest MMA promotion in the world today, began as a small eight-man tournament.
Generally, each fighter was strong in one form of martial arts as opposed to being well rounded like many fighters are today.
While the concept was suppose to figure out what the best fighting discipline in the world was, it sparked controversy as many saw it as human cockfighting.
Over the years the UFC added weight classes similar to boxing, and fighters began to evolve from masters of one discipline to world-class athletes who trained in many different martial arts.
Other organizations began to rise, and the sport of MMA started to grow across the world.
But as the sport grew and became legalized in more and more places both inside and out of the US, some people still believed it was a bloodsport.
The UFC and MMA as a whole have made huge strides to get the sport into the mainstream. But a few states, including New York, still refuse to sanction the sport.
When UFC president Dana White announced the company had signed a deal with FOX, one of his main reasons for doing the deal was to take MMA to the next level.
Not only does the deal have the potential to bring MMA into the mainstream, but it has the potential to finally open the doors to holding events in New York.
The first two UFC events on FOX alone have pulled big numbers, and featured stars like Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen.
Between the star power the UFC brings to FOX, and other fights and UFC shows being featured on FX and Fuel TV, more people will not only be brought into the sport, but they will be educated on what MMA truly is.
People will also begin to see just how much revenue the UFC can bring to a state or venue.
Although thus far it may seem like New York won’t sanction MMA anytime soon, it will only be a matter of time before legislators change there minds.
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