Mixed Martial Arts or MMA has a rich and long history from all corners of the world as mixing various fighting styles is not a new idea. Still, it has been most popular under the increased following of the UFC. While there are numerous MMA competitions today the Ultimate Fighting Championship attracts the largest audiences. For avid fans or those who are just getting into the sport here are six facts you need to know.
Big business
Zuffa purchased the UFC for $2 million in 2001 and sold it for $4.2 billion in 2016. That is 15 years of great business. Since then the sport has continued to grow with stars like Conor McGregor continuing to attract an audience.
Most knockouts
Considered by many to be the greatest UFC fighter of all time, Anderson (Spider) Silva holds the record for most UFC knockouts (10).
Abu Dhabi Interest
The state of Abu Dhabi owns 10% of the UFC so we can expect more of the flagship fights to move away from Vegas and New York towards Abu Dhabi in years to come.
The Octagon
The eight-sided ring is now synonymous with MMA and UFC. The Octagon was inspired by the 1980 film of the same name starring Chuck Norris.
UFC ban
New York famously had UFC banned for many years. The ban was lifted in 2016 and has since held a number of key events including Masvidal Vs Diaz and McGregor vs Alvarez.
MMA began in 648 BC
The first mixed martial art is believed to be Pankration, a competition that featured in the Olympic games at the time and was founded in Greece, meaning ‘All Power’.
This is just a quick list of the most incredible facts about the UFC. If you want to add something to the list, leave a comment below.
