| If you ask someone on the street today if he | | | | It was The Ultimate Fighter that helped |
| watches MMA, he may answer "no". But if you | | | | introduce the UFC and MMA into mainstream |
| ask him if he knows of the reality show The | | | | culture. The Ultimate Fighter showcased the |
| Ultimate Fighter, you'll see his face light | | | | best up-and-coming MMA fighters. And because |
| up with recognition. The Ultimate Fighter | | | | it was a reality show, it allowed fans to get |
| has helped to catapult the UFC and MMA into | | | | a look at what life is like behind the scenes |
| mainstream culture making it the fastest | | | | for an MMA fighter. This insider's view drew |
| growing sport (MMA schools and gyms have been | | | | people, who hadn't heard of MMA before, into |
| sprouting up all over the country) in the | | | | the sport and into the lives of the fighters. |
| United States. | | | | Allowing viewers to see the training that |
| | | | MMA fighters endure and giving glimpses of a |
| The UFC and the MMA have come a long way from | | | | fighter's personal life really drew people |
| the "no-holds barred" days when political | | | | into the sport. It was a brilliant |
| pressure nearly forced the fighting | | | | promotional feat on the part of UFC's |
| underground. Originally labeled by | | | | management. The UFC not only got a new |
| presidential candidate John McCain as "human | | | | fighter, who had proven himself against his |
| cockfighting," the UFC has made changes to | | | | opponents, but they also attracted new fans. |
| competition rules in order to legitimize the | | | | The viewers of the reality show became |
| sport. And it has worked, as evidenced by | | | | viewers of the sport as they followed the |
| recent pay-per-view numbers. Today, with | | | | Ultimate Fighter's journey to the UFC league. |
| stricter rules and procedures, the UFC has | | | | |
| established its claim that MMA is a | | | | With the success that Spike TV had from The |
| legitimate sport, and the fan base is | | | | Ultimate Fighter, they decided to start |
| exploding. | | | | showing re-runs of older fights. This gave |
| | | | new fans exposure to the history of the sport |
| This explosion is due, in part, to the MMA | | | | and again, added to MMA's popularity. |
| industry's expansion to include live events | | | | Internet gambling on MMA events took off, |
| (sales of UFC tickets for live events | | | | surpassing Boxing in betting revenues in |
| continue rise), pay-per-view, and reality | | | | 2007. No longer a fringe sport, MMA is now |
| television shows. All of this media | | | | featured on major sports websites such as |
| attention has exposed more people to the | | | | Sports Illustrated and ESPN. |
| sport and helped fuel the popularity | | | | |
| explosion. The popularity of the sport was | | | | So what's next for the MMA? The UFC brass |
| first evident in 2006 when an MMA event set | | | | now has its sights set on expanding to |
| an all-time single year revenue record, | | | | worldwide competition. The way that many |
| beating out World Wrestling Entertainment | | | | other cultures tend to follow the lead of the |
| (WWE) and Boxing. | | | | United States makes it quite plausible that |
| | | | the MMA will expand its horizons even further |
| Preceding this record setting event was the | | | | in the coming years. |
| Spike TV reality show, The Ultimate Fighter. | | | | |