The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest and most profitable mixed-martial arts (MMA) promotion in the world today. The promotion is home to the world's top fighters such as Connor McGreggor, Jon Jones, and Ronda Rousey. Since the company's inception in 1993, the UFC has hosted over 300 events all over the world.
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| Jon Jones |
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| Ronda Rousey |
In the early 1990s, an American entrepreneur by the name of Art Davie spoke to John Milius, a film director, and Rorion Gracie, a prominent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who is widely recognized for introducing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the United States, about creating a fight promotion that would showcase various martial arts from all over the world. Davie wanted to named the promotion "War of the Worlds", but once they received the backing of pay-per view company Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) they changed the name to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). At the time, mixed-martial arts was known as "no-holds barred" fighting as it was unregulated with no universal rules set. As a result various states outlawed the sport since they did not want to involve themselves with a sport where groin shots and headbutts were allowed. However as the sport grew regulations were passed and athletic commissions laid out the foundation to the Unified Rules of MMA.
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| UFC 1 Poster |
The Ultimate Fighting Championship changed ownership in the year 2001 when brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta along with business partner Dana White bought the company for two million dollars and created Zuffa, LLC as the parent entity. The company under Zuffa would struggle for profits and legitimacy in the early 2000s, but found success after launching the reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. The show allowed for fighters from all over the country to compete for a six-figure contract with the company while living in the same household for a couple of weeks. The show was well-received, and it paved the way fighters to become household names. Fast forward 15 years, and Zuffa was able to sell the UFC to talent agency company WME-IMG for $3.5-$4 billion, making it the largest ever acquisition of a sports company.
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