| Mixed martial arts rapidly has moved into the | | | | While big-money players backed heavy favorite Liddell, |
| mainstream and, by several accounts, increasingly is | | | | who opened at minus $2.80 after being unbeatable |
| pushing boxing against the ropes, even in the city that | | | | over the past three years, underdog bettors held a |
| has delivered some of pugilism's biggest punches. | | | | majority of tickets. |
| The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a | | | | They were amply rewarded, as well as stunned, when |
| six-year-old league that originally was an early 1990s | | | | Jackson quickly disposed of Liddell with an unexpected |
| brainchild of a California man who wanted to find the | | | | first round knockout. |
| world's greatest fighters. | | | | Vegas bookmakers were pleased with the handle, |
| It also has roots in Las Vegas and is based there as | | | | though they acknowledged mixed martial arts still has |
| well. | | | | a ways to go to reach the wagering levels of big-time |
| Zuffa, LLC, controls the UFC and its principal owners | | | | boxing. |
| include Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta of Station Casinos, | | | | "I've said it before and I'll say it a million times, boxing |
| Inc. | | | | needs to make some changes," MGM-Mirage book |
| Wagering-wise, mixed martial arts previously mainly | | | | boss Robert Walker told the Las Vegas |
| was a province of offshore sportsbooks, primarily | | | | Review-Journal, likening the May 5 Oscar |
| Bodog.com, one of the sport's major promoters. | | | | DeLaHoya-Floyd Mayweather boxing megabout to a |
| Bodog chief Calvin Ayre is a big mixed martial arts fan | | | | mini-Super Bowl. |
| and the Antigua site was on the ground floor when its | | | | Mayweather won that match in a split decision. |
| popularity began to proliferate. | | | | Walker noted a particular need for open scoring. |
| Stateside betting has grown more gradually. | | | | "I think that's what's so attractive about the UFC," he |
| Currently, mixed martial arts is enjoying craze status -- | | | | continued. |
| at Sin City betting windows as well as with fans --as | | | | "It rarely goes to decision and it's usually not |
| its appeal spreads across the USA. | | | | controversial. |
| UFC fighters suddenly are national magazine cover | | | | "It's just so much better from that standpoint." |
| boys, barnstorming the country and creating rock-star | | | | Jeff Sherman, a supervisor at the Las Vegas Hilton, |
| atmospheres, outdrawing some of music's biggest | | | | agrees with Walker's assessment. |
| names while its pay-per-view numbers explode. | | | | Sherman, who began posting the UFC when he was |
| Online forums are filled with posts that rival those of | | | | at the Palms three or four years ago, says the public |
| baseball, poker and the NBA Playoffs in number. | | | | views mixed martial arts as being more action-packed |
| "We've been at the tipping point for a while now," UFC | | | | than boxing. |
| President Dana White, also an owner, said recently. | | | | "The perception is the fighters just get in a cage and |
| "We finally got to the point where we couldn't be | | | | go at it," Sherman said. |
| denied anymore." | | | | "It's quick and they (bettors) like that there are a lot |
| Mixed martial arts, for the unintiated, is an intense | | | | fewer decisions |
| combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary | | | | "We have a lot of people here who are interested in |
| forms of fighting that include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, | | | | it." |
| boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and others to their | | | | Saturday night's MGM match drew "a ton" of handle, |
| strategic and tactical advantage in a supervised match. | | | | according to Sherman. |
| Considered brutal in its early stages, the sport | | | | "It does any time Liddell fights," he said. |
| struggled for about a decade before modifications and | | | | "The undercard did well also." |
| rule revisions eventually led to acceptance | | | | Walker and Sherman concur the sport's popularity |
| Fighters compete in octagonal-shaped cages, using | | | | hasn't even begun to peak. |
| sanctioned equipment. | | | | "It's escalating greatly," Sherman observed. |
| Nearly 15,000 turned out at the MGM Garden Arena | | | | Added Walker: |
| last weekend for the UFC's light heavyweight title bout | | | | "UFC is the new thing and I don't see it subsiding. |
| between Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell -- mixed martial | | | | "I think it's going to get better. |
| arts' marquee attraction -- and Quinton "The | | | | "People know about these fighters. |
| Rampage" Jackson, including many high rollers who | | | | "It's huge right now. |
| flew in just for the fight. | | | | |