Mixed Martial Arts on the Rise
Winslow Burton
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Sports
One of the greatest sporting events of 2007 took place on March 3, when Randy "The Natural" Couture came out of retirement to challenge the current Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight belt-holder, Tim Silvia, for the title.
At 43 years old, Couture was the underdog, fighting a man 15 years younger and 11 inches taller than him.
The defending champion Silvia, at 6' 9" tall, had successfully defeated his previous four challengers with little difficulty. But on March 3, standing toe to toe with Couture, spectators saw the elder of the two become champion again.
Only 10 seconds into the first round, Couture landed his very first right hook, which sent Silvia to the mat. Couture then dominated the rest of the fight, stripping the title from Silvia with a humiliating victory.
Reigning heavyweight champion Couture is the oldest ever UFC champion. He once held the belts in two weight divisions, simultaneously, and now is the only champion to have won the same belt a total of three times.
"After great fights like that, it is easy to see why UFC has such a loyal and growing fan base," said Chris Rogers, an avid mixed martial arts fan. "This sport has become so much more popular in the last year, to the extent that, even many boxing fans now prefer watching UFC bouts than regular boxing matches."
UFC excitement has spread and caught on locally. Ultimate Combat Experience (UCE) events are being held in Utah at the E Center. The UCE is also held every Saturday night at the Sandy Station and broadcasted on UPN Z24 TV. Recent television ratings and ticket sales have confirmed that the world of mixed martial arts is currently enjoyed by a growing number of local and TV spectators.
Projected Pay-Per-View sales for the UFC event last Saturday were $25 million. With a target audience demographic of 18- to 34-year-old males, the UFC appeals to a new generation of sports fans.
At 43 years old, Couture was the underdog, fighting a man 15 years younger and 11 inches taller than him.
The defending champion Silvia, at 6' 9" tall, had successfully defeated his previous four challengers with little difficulty. But on March 3, standing toe to toe with Couture, spectators saw the elder of the two become champion again.
Only 10 seconds into the first round, Couture landed his very first right hook, which sent Silvia to the mat. Couture then dominated the rest of the fight, stripping the title from Silvia with a humiliating victory.
Reigning heavyweight champion Couture is the oldest ever UFC champion. He once held the belts in two weight divisions, simultaneously, and now is the only champion to have won the same belt a total of three times.
"After great fights like that, it is easy to see why UFC has such a loyal and growing fan base," said Chris Rogers, an avid mixed martial arts fan. "This sport has become so much more popular in the last year, to the extent that, even many boxing fans now prefer watching UFC bouts than regular boxing matches."
UFC excitement has spread and caught on locally. Ultimate Combat Experience (UCE) events are being held in Utah at the E Center. The UCE is also held every Saturday night at the Sandy Station and broadcasted on UPN Z24 TV. Recent television ratings and ticket sales have confirmed that the world of mixed martial arts is currently enjoyed by a growing number of local and TV spectators.
Projected Pay-Per-View sales for the UFC event last Saturday were $25 million. With a target audience demographic of 18- to 34-year-old males, the UFC appeals to a new generation of sports fans.
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