Boomer

UFC goes Mainstream

10-3-2006

I happened upon a front page article on MSNBC dot com yesterday morning about the UFC.

From the first paragraph of the article to the very last word I had a T-rex smile on my face, as I am a fan of the UFC.

The article details the exponential growth of the UFC and how it has exploded over the last 4 to 5 years on air.

It has been the biggest asset to Spike TV which some of you may or may not know is the all MALE network. Their investment in the UFC vision has paid off huge for them.

Here is an piece of the article.

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"With input from the Nevada and New Jersey state athletic commissions, White adopted new rules and has so far persuaded 22 states to sanction mixed martial arts. He ponied up for the film rights (he won't say how much). Then he enlisted reality-TV producer Craig Piligian to develop "The Ultimate Fighter," a show in which 16 aspiring MMA athletes live and train together and fight for a six-figure UFC contract and a shot in "the octagon," where the bouts take place. One of cable TV's most testosterone-soaked shows, it's now in its fourth season. "These athletes represent the toughest of the tough," says Kevin Kay, Spike TV's general manager. "Our viewers want to be them." The show brought so many young men to Spike TV that the network has since added five more UFC programs to its lineup. Live fights are also popular: August's UFC 62 at Mandalay Bay in Vegas generated a $3.1 million live gate, more than any WWE event this year."

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If you believe what is said in the article, and I do, the UFC is ready to take over boxing and WWE wrestling as the number one sport of it’s class. Boxing is, in reality just as brutal a sport going 12 rounds, 4 times as many rounds as UFC bouts do. I remember going into a Hooters bar a couple of weeks ago. There were around 100 people crammed in the place.

There were a couple of major football games on and then there was a UFC fight on also.

However the majority of the TVs were all tuned into the UFC fights instead of the football game. People were going pretty wild over it. You’d hear a big chorus of Ohhs and Whoas whenever a fighter got slammed to the ground or a major hit connected.

The article is great, even though I wish it were longer, it’s short and makes it’s point.

There is also a fight on October 10th between Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, which has been building for the longest time and is one of the most anticipated, if not thee most anticipated UFC fight of the year. It’s a Certified Pay Per View Event, but it will be broadcasted on Spike TV for Free.

Just thought I’d give you guys the heads up, cause I’m sure some of you would be interested.

If you plan on watching the fight make sure you watch the 5-10 minute recaps they do before the match so you can see the history and bad blood between the fighters, and you’ll see the stakes on the line.

Enough of me babbling, here is the link, so you can read the article it yourself.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15079908/site/newsweek/

Bill Weintraub

Re: UFC goes Mainstream

10-3-2006

Thanks Boomer.

Boomer is the author of, among many other excellent articles and stories, UFC Ultimate Fighter.

We also have an essay about UFC as a cultural phenomenon written by Naked Wrestler and titled MAN-PHOBIA: Fired for being into UFC.

And he's not kidding.

They're both great articles.

With great pix too.

Ck em out guys.

Bill

COCKRUB WARRIORS RULE

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