| The UFC was on the verge of its demise with | | | | now it was a legitimate sport. |
| no rules, no audience, no cable access and | | | | |
| U.S. Senators calling for its break-up. It | | | | The time seemed right for new leadership. Two |
| was time to step back and re-evaluate the | | | | casino executives and a boxing promoter |
| situation. People are interested in the idea | | | | placed and won a bid to buy the UFC for $2 |
| of MMA, but not in seeing the type of fight | | | | million in 2001. That same year, the |
| that has 2 fighters fighting in pools of | | | | organization successfully secured the |
| their own blood. The first step was to add | | | | sanctioning of the Nevada State Athletic |
| protective rules. Weight classes were | | | | Commission and returned to Pay-per-view. |
| introduced - heavy weights, middleweights and | | | | Slowly but surely, popularity was growing. It |
| lightweights. The number of unacceptable | | | | gained a spot on Fox Sports Net, which aired |
| striking areas on the body were increased to | | | | it as the first American mixed martial arts |
| include the back of the neck, pressure points | | | | match in 2002. |
| areas and the back of the head. Protective | | | | |
| gloves were mandatory and there were now | | | | Today. |
| 5-minute rounds, all of which helped the UFC | | | | |
| legitimately begin calling itself a sport, | | | | Thanks to better promoting, bigger ticket |
| rather than an underground cage fight. | | | | events and the necessary funding, the UFC |
| | | | aired its own reality TV show on Spike TV |
| After the organization cleaned up the fights, | | | | called The Ultimate Fighter. It was slotted |
| it was time to start getting officially | | | | just after a large wrestling event and the |
| recognized by fighting associations. The | | | | UFC show quickly rose to the top for the |
| improved image played well with the athletic | | | | station. Spike TV then began airing |
| commissions, as did the petitions for | | | | promotional half-hour teaser shows to promote |
| sanctioning made by other clean MMA | | | | UFC pay-per-view events. All of the |
| organizations. It wasnt until September 30th | | | | widespread attention exploded its popularity. |
| of 2000 that the International Fighting | | | | In 2006, the massively hyped event UFC 61 |
| Championships hosted the first MMA sanctioned | | | | earned near 775,000 pay-per-view buys, the |
| event in New Jersey. 2 months later it was | | | | second highest in US history. The UFC, it |
| the UFCs turn. Their first sanctioned event | | | | seems, has officially arrived. |
| also took place in New Jersey under the State | | | | |
| Athletic Control Boards Unified Rules. The | | | | So whats next for the growing organization? |
| Ultimate Fighting Championships had lost | | | | Theyre thinking about expanding |
| legal battles and suffered financially, but | | | | internationally. First stop: Mexico. |