In the world of Mixed Martial Arts, two organizations tend to stand out from the rest in terms of competition. Ultimate Fighting Championship and Strikeforce are both huge names in the sport, and both have had a huge influence on the development of MMA.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship, known as UFC, began in the early years of the1990s and was developed by Art Davie, an entrepreneur and advertising executive who was studying up on the underground sport of mixed martial arts while working on a campaign. During his research, he met Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Rorion Gracie and started taking classes from Gracie.
Within a year of that, Davie proposed to Rorion Gracie and filmmaker John Milius that the three of them create and televise a mixed martial arts championship, an event featuring the world's best fighters showcasing a variety of fighting disciplines. The first event, known as UFC 1, was a huge success, and interest in MMA began to grow exponentially.
Strikeforce, which was a kickboxing organization in its earliest days, hit the world of MMA with the Shamrock Versus Gracie bout, which was a record-breaking event with the highest attendance of any mixed martial arts event in history. Strikeforce also sponsored a weekly MMA show on NBC, bringing mixed martial arts on to mainstream television where it gained an even larger audience.
In 2011, the company which owns UFC bought Strikeforce, and many worried that Strikeforce would simply be merged into the UFC. Its new owners, Zuffa, LLC., promised that the two would remain separate although they did lay off most of Strikeforce's employees and make a few other changes, as well.
In addition, since the purchase, many division championships at Strikeforce have been left vacant by fighters who moved over to UFC. Currently, in the men's division, there are vacancies in the light heavyweight and welterweight divisions. The women's featherweight division also remains vacant. Strikeforce's contract with Showtime, however, has been extended until 2014, which indicates that for at least the next few years, the organization will continue to be a major player in MMA.
Both UFC and Strikeforce follow the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, although there are a few differences. A Strikeforce bout takes place in a hexagonal cage where UFC bouts occur in an octagonal cage. Strikeforce also forbids fighters from taking an elbow to the head of an opponent who was on the ground; however, that rule was changed when Strikeforce was purchased by Zuffa.
Worldwide, the sport of mixed martial arts continues to increase in popularity, especially in the United States thanks greatly to the work of UFC and Strikeforce promoters. In the future, many sports analysts predict that the competition will be even better as fighters better hone their skills in multiple styles of martial arts. Like other young sports, as time passes, the competition becomes more impressive year after year.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship, known as UFC, began in the early years of the1990s and was developed by Art Davie, an entrepreneur and advertising executive who was studying up on the underground sport of mixed martial arts while working on a campaign. During his research, he met Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Rorion Gracie and started taking classes from Gracie.
Within a year of that, Davie proposed to Rorion Gracie and filmmaker John Milius that the three of them create and televise a mixed martial arts championship, an event featuring the world's best fighters showcasing a variety of fighting disciplines. The first event, known as UFC 1, was a huge success, and interest in MMA began to grow exponentially.
Strikeforce, which was a kickboxing organization in its earliest days, hit the world of MMA with the Shamrock Versus Gracie bout, which was a record-breaking event with the highest attendance of any mixed martial arts event in history. Strikeforce also sponsored a weekly MMA show on NBC, bringing mixed martial arts on to mainstream television where it gained an even larger audience.
In 2011, the company which owns UFC bought Strikeforce, and many worried that Strikeforce would simply be merged into the UFC. Its new owners, Zuffa, LLC., promised that the two would remain separate although they did lay off most of Strikeforce's employees and make a few other changes, as well.
In addition, since the purchase, many division championships at Strikeforce have been left vacant by fighters who moved over to UFC. Currently, in the men's division, there are vacancies in the light heavyweight and welterweight divisions. The women's featherweight division also remains vacant. Strikeforce's contract with Showtime, however, has been extended until 2014, which indicates that for at least the next few years, the organization will continue to be a major player in MMA.
Both UFC and Strikeforce follow the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, although there are a few differences. A Strikeforce bout takes place in a hexagonal cage where UFC bouts occur in an octagonal cage. Strikeforce also forbids fighters from taking an elbow to the head of an opponent who was on the ground; however, that rule was changed when Strikeforce was purchased by Zuffa.
Worldwide, the sport of mixed martial arts continues to increase in popularity, especially in the United States thanks greatly to the work of UFC and Strikeforce promoters. In the future, many sports analysts predict that the competition will be even better as fighters better hone their skills in multiple styles of martial arts. Like other young sports, as time passes, the competition becomes more impressive year after year.
About the Author:
Nolan Barias likes writing about mixed martial arts advantages. For further information about a San Diego mixed martial arts gym or to find local coaches teaching jiu jitsu in San Diego, please visit The Arena MMA site today.
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