MMA Facts
FACTS
STATE BENEFITS
The surging popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has meant sell out events
at arenas across America, welcome news not just to arena owners and their
employees but to the cities and states that are reaping the rewards in jobs,
tourist spending and sales tax revenues.
At a time when the country is facing difficult economic times, the additional
revenue is a great benefit for cash‐strapped states and cities. MMA events could
contribute to much‐needed tourist dollars and tax revenue. MMA events regularly
break arena records for concession sales, merchandise sales and ticket prices.
• The City of Columbus gained significant economic benefits from March 2007’s
UFC® (Ultimate Fighting Championship- a national fight promotion company) 68. It was the largest gate in Nationwide Arena history and it set the record for the highest North American attendance figure for a mixed martial arts event ever. Approximately 40 percent of attendees (8,000) visited from outside of Ohio, a boon for hotels and restaurants in Columbus. According to the Ohio Athletic Commission, the single MMA event produced $11 million in external
economic activity for the city.
• At UFC® 67 in Las Vegas, 72 percent of attendees came to Las Vegas from outside
of Nevada, indicating that the primary purpose of their trip was for the event and
underscoring the tourism boost MMA offers.
• MMA events have among the highest average ticket prices of any sporting
event. UFC® ’s August 2007 event in Las Vegas sold out the Mandalay Bay and
had an average ticket price of over $340.
• Unlike other arena events, MMA attendees arrive early and stay late, meaning
record concession and merchandising sales and corresponding sales tax revenue.
At most boxing events, arenas are lucky to be a quarter‐filled during the
under card fights. For UFC® bouts, they are often close to full hours before the
main event.
(Courtesy of www.mmafacts.com; MMA FACTS/Info About The Sport of Mixed Martial Arts)
THE SPORT
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) was originally launched in the United States by the
“first family of Jiu‐Jitsu.” They brought together the very best martial artists
from the various disciplines to compete against each other on a level playing
field. The goal was to determine which of the disciplines was best. Could a
boxer beat a wrestler? Could a kung fu champion beat a karate master?
The first Ultimate Fighting Championship® event was held at McNichols Arena
in Denver, Colorado in 1993. The undersized Royce Gracie beat bigger, stronger,
and faster opponents with his Gracie Jiu‐Jitsu to win the tournament. The fledgling
sport became an overnight sensation.
The shows became must see TV for fans, but in the early years, the lack of state
regulation and significant set of rules led to the show being taken off cable television.
After a series of relatively dark years, the Las Vegas based Zuffa LLC took over the
company in 2001. They implemented a set of unified mixed martial
arts rules, and suddenly MMA was no longer a spectacle, but a legitimate sport.
As the sport has evolved, so have the athletes, and they well know that one particular
style will not work in competition on a consistent basis. This means Mixed Martial Artists
must learn a variety of martial arts including boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, and jiu‐jitsu to effectively spar with their opponents.
Under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, athletes compete for three, five minute
rounds, with championship matches waged over five, five‐minute rounds. Scoring,
like boxing, is done on a ten‐point system, with the winner of the round receiving
ten points and the loser nine points or less. Unlike boxing, MMA matches are
scored not only for effective striking attacks, but for ground fighting effectiveness,
submission and takedown attempts and defense, as well as ring generalship.
Bouts end via knockout, referee, corner or doctor stoppage, or submission.
When a bout ends by submission, the fighter either verbally or physically “taps
out,” signaling that he has had enough.
Mixed martial arts athletes are experts in virtually every discipline – from Tae
Kwon Do, Judo and Kung Fu to Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do and Sambo – employed
in the sport. For an athlete to truly be successful he needs to have a base in the
following:
Boxing
An Olympic sport since 1920, boxing is the sport
of fighting with the fists.
Brazilian Jiu‐Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu‐Jitsu has its roots in Judo and was
created in the 1920’s in Brazil by MMA pioneers
Carlos and Hélio Gracie. They modified the practice of
judo with moves that require less strength and
are more effective against larger opponents.
Freestyle Wrestling
An Olympic sport since 1904, contestants struggle
hand to hand in an attempt to throw or take
down their opponent without striking blows.
Greco‐Roman Wrestling
An Olympic sport since 1896, Greco‐Roman
wrestling is similar to Freestyle wrestling, the
only difference being that Greco‐Roman wrestling
rules forbid attacks below the waist.
Jiu Jitsu
An ancient Japanese martial art that encompasses
throwing, joint locks, striking, and weapons
training.
Judo
An Olympic Sport since 1964, Judo is a Japanese
martial art founded in 1882 by Jigoro Kano.
Derived from Jujutsu, Judo emphasizes throws
and forbids striking in competition.
Karate
Karate is the name used to identify many Japanese
and Okinawan martial arts known for powerful,
linear techniques. Practitioners are
trained in striking, grappling, locks, restraints
and throws.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing is a martial art combining boxing
punches and martial arts kicks.
Tae Kwon Do
An Olympic sport since 2000, Tae Kwon Do is a
Korean style martial art known for its flashy
kicking techniques. It is one of the most practiced
martial arts in the world.
(Courtesy of www.mmafacts.com; MMA FACTS/Info About The Sport of Mixed Martial Arts)
THE HISTORY
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has a rich history and tradition dating back to the
Olympic Games in Athens. About 80 years ago, a Brazilian form of MMA known
as Vale Tudo sparked local interest in the sport.
In 1993, the UFC® organization brought MMA to the United States. The goal
was to find “the Ultimate Fighting Champion” through a tournament of the best
athletes skilled in the various disciplines of martial arts, including karate, jiujitsu,
boxing, kickboxing, grappling, wrestling, sumo and other sports. The winner
of the tournament would be crowned the champion.
The sport became an instant hit, but it drew controversy because it was unregulated
and, although its owners enforced their rules, it also used the slogan
‘There Are No Rules!’ creating concerns for fighter safety.
In 1998 after widespread criticism UFC® lost all cable pay per view distribution
and was spiraling toward ruin.
In 2001 three fans of the sport saw past their unfortunate record and saw the
potential of a real sports league where no one discipline dominated, rather
athletes would have to cross train in all disciplines to win. Brothers Lorenzo and
Frank Fertitta joined with their friend, a boxing manager, Dana White to form
Zuffa LLC and buy the Ultimate Fighting Championship® franchise. They were
determined to turn MMA into a sanctioned and regulated sport that would protect
the safety of the fighters while preserving the integrity of the athleticism
that the sport required.
Zuffa’s number one goal was cooperation with and operation under the guidelines
of the State Athletic Commission to establish UFC® as a legitimate and
sanctioned sport that could find its way into the mainstream sports scene. In
May 2001, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board drafted and adopted
rules known as the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts under which the sport is
now governed.
The rules include: licensing, medical examinations, approved gloves, weight
classes, time limits, rounds and mandatory drug testing. Zuffa secured sanctioning
in Nevada in 2001 and shortly thereafter, in September of the same year, UFC®
returned nationwide to cable television’s pay‐per-view.
As a result, the UFC® organization now offers twelve to fourteen live pay‐per-view
events annually through cable and satellite providers. MMA programming
is also distributed internationally, including broadcast on Viewer’s Choice in
Canada, MAIN EVENT in Australia, Globosat in Brazil and Setanta and Bravo in
the United Kingdom.
The biggest of the MMA organizations, UFC® is regulated and recognized by the
world’s most prestigious sports regulatory bodies including the California, Florida,
Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania State Athletic Commissions.
The UFC® organization strives for the highest levels of safety and quality in all
aspects of the sport.
(Courtesy of www.mmafacts.com; MMA FACTS/Info About The Sport of Mixed Martial Arts)
MYTHS vs. REALITY
There are many myths associated with Mixed Martial Arts. Some of the most
common of them are addressed here:
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is unregulated and uncontrolled.
Mixed Martial Arts is one of the most regulated and controlled sports in the
world. With imposed time limits, set numbers of rounds, mandatory judges, five
weight classes and over 31 other rules governing how the bouts are fought, organizations
strive for the highest safety standards. The UFC®, the biggest of the
organizations, only holds bouts in states where the sport is regulated . MMA is
recognized by the world’s most prestigious sports regulatory bodies including
the California, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania State Athletic
Commissions.
MMA is dangerous and its fighters are put at a serious risk of injury each time
they enter the Octagon.
MMA fighters are given more care and precaution than athletes in any other
sports organization in the world. With supervised fights, pre and post‐fight
MRIs, four ringside doctors and two ambulances in case of emergency at each
event and mandatory steroid testing – these organizations reach the highest
levels of safety and quality in all aspects of the sport. Safer than boxing, no organization
fighter has ever suffered a serious injury or death.
MMA is a steel cage death match.
MMA is an intense, strategic sport that demands world class athleticism from its
fighters. The athletes use interdisciplinary forms of fighting that include jiu‐jitsu,
judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and others to their strategic and tactical
advantage in supervised matches.
Mixed martial artists are nothing more than street fighters.
Mixed martial artists are some of the best athletes in the world. Before taking
up MMA many of the athletes were college All‐American’s and Olympic champions.
To stay competitive, all of the athletes are trained in a variety of martial
arts disciplines including judo, wrestling, boxing, karate and jujitsu. UFC®, the
biggest MMA organization, boasts that a significant majority of their fighters
have college degrees.
MMA has only one rule, prohibiting eye gouging.
MMA is governed under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts which were
created by the most prestigious state sports regulating bodies in the United
States. In addition to the five weight classes, the imposed time limits, and set
number of rounds, there are 31 other rules that govern how the sport is played.
In fact, most of the rules are derived from the rules governing Olympic wrestling,
boxing and martial arts.
MMA is much more harmful than other fighting sports like boxing.
MMA is much safer than boxing. Since its inception in the United States there
have been no serious injuries or deaths in any of the major, sanctioned MMA
organizations. Unlike boxing, in which fighters sustain repeated blows to the
head for up to 15 rounds, MMA bouts last only 3‐5 rounds and much of the
fighting takes place on the mat as wrestling or grappling. In addition, unlike boxing
gloves, MMA gloves are not weighted.
MMA is a fringe sport that appeals only to young men.
In the past five years, MMA has seen a meteoric rise in interest from nearly
every age and demographic, adding to its cache as a mainstream sport. UFC®
nearly always sells out arenas where their events are held, and regularly breaks
gate records across the country. Additionally, UFC®’s reality show, the Ultimate
Fighter™ often beats the ratings of NBA and baseball playoffs. Mainstream
sponsors and partners are eager to form relationships with MMA, including Viacom,
Showtime, Harley‐Davidson, Bud Light, the U.S. Army and all the major
cable companies.
(Courtesy of www.mmafacts.com; MMA FACTS/Info About The Sport of Mixed Martial Arts)
THE FANS
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is breaking all stereotypes when it comes to its fan
base. Long‐regarded as a fringe sport with a fan base of young men, MMA is
quickly being embraced by a much larger and more diverse fan base.
More women
In 2007, at UFC® 67 in Las Vegas and UFC® 69 in Houston, a third of the attendees
were women, according to research leader Harris Interactive. In Houston,
roughly half of all groups in attendance included a mix of men and women.
More middle‐class
Attendees reported mean incomes above $70,000 in Houston and above
$85,000 in Las Vegas. A majority of attendees (60% in Las Vegas and 84% in
Houston) reported that they were attending their first event, signaling the rapid
influx of new fans.
Setting attendance records
At arena after arena, MMA events are setting attendance and gate records.
• UFC® 75: CHAMPION vs. CHAMPION, which took place Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007
at 02 Arena in London, England was attended by 16,000 people (sellout crowd)
and grossed a gate of over £1,356,859.50 (Approx. $2.6 million). The fight was
the most watched UFC® event ever, garnering 4.7 million viewers on Spike TV.
The fight card drew more Men 18‐49 than anything else on television, broadcast
or cable, including heavy sports competition from college football on ABC and
ESPN, NASCAR on ABC, and the U.S. Open Women’s Final on CBS.
• UFC® 68: THE UPRISING, which took place March 3, 2007 at Nationwide Arena
in Columbus, was attended by over 19,000 people and grossed a gate of more
than $3 million. It was the largest gate in Nationwide Arena history and it also
set the record for the highest North American attendance figure for a mixed
martial arts event ever.
• UFC® 83, which took place in Canada, was the fastest sell out and largest live
audience for a North American mixed martial arts event.
Celeb Fans
Mixed martial arts has become a must‐see event for Hollywood stars. The following
are some of the famous faces who have appeared at recent MMA
events.
Red Belt
And now comes the first feature‐length film about mixed martial arts. Acclaimed
writer/director David Mamet’s Red Belt is due in theaters this spring.
Mamet (best known for indy hits like Glengarry Glen Ross and The Spanish Prisoner)
has been a fan of MMA for years. “I’ve become fascinated by the art and
science of jiu jitsu,” says Mamet.
(Courtesy of www.mmafacts.com; MMA FACTS/Info About The Sport of Mixed Martial Arts)
For More Information:
Contact: William Fuller
100 Factory Street, 4E
Nashua, NH 03060
(603) 731-5182