Even though it is rarely covered by the conservative mainstream media, MMA is now known by many sports fans.
Just a few short years ago however, there was a fully developed campaign to drive the sport from existence. Since then, the sport has gone from strength-to-strength, with high-profile events taking place most weekends around the globe.
The problems started around the time of the early UFCs. The sport gained increased media attention for its rough style of fighting. Fuelled by the UFC’s own marketing machine with statements like ‘The Are No Rules’, the establishment recoiled at the unfamiliar form of combat.
MMA was pushed off TV screens, with the end goal of erasing it from existence. US Senator John McCane memorably described the sport as “human cockfighting” and campaigned for the UFC to be banned nationwide.
This pressure proved to be extremely successful, with cable TV companies dropping MMA from their listings as a public relations disaster. Overall, 36 of the 50 states in the USA enacting legislation banning all kinds of ‘UFC-style fighting’. Starved of TV revenue and exposure, the sport drifted into a state of near terminal decline.
With the UFC promoting just three events in 1998, times were bleak for the fighters and followers of MMA. Meanwhile, there were rumblings in the far east.
Japan has a rich history of martial arts. Combat sports are extremely popular in Japan with a number of organisations promoting MMA events which actually pre-dated the UFC. Inspired as a link between professional wrestling and MMA, Pride Fighting Championships was conceived and began to dominate the world of no-holds-barred combat.
Taking place in a ring rather than a cage, Pride proved to be an extremely enjoyable alternative to the UFC and in its ten-year run produced some of the most memorable confrontations in MMA history. Its closure in 2007 was lamented by many and is often regarded as a peak which has yet to be surpassed.
As Pride was beginning its downward slide, the UFC however was ascending. A tightening of the rules, increased regulation and campaigning new owners had lead to a gradual relaxation in the restrictions placed on MMA promotions.
A new reality based TV show entitled The Ultimate Fighter proved to be an unexpected hit among those under 40 and resulted in an increase in the newly restored PPV TV market. Since then MMA (the UFC in particular) has gone from strength to strength promoting 48 events across the globe in 2014 alone.
With the eagerly anticipated UFC Fight Night taking place in Sydney at the beginning of November, fans are looking to see who will be the next Australian fighter to break into the upper echelons of the sport. It has been a rocky road but it can be assured that from almost going out of business to selling out the Allphones Arena, the UFC is here to stay.
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