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Ultimate Fighting Championships

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, currently recognized as the largest MMA promotion in the world. The UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada and is owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC.

The UFC was started as a tournament to find the world's best fighters irrespective of their style, and was based upon Brazilian vale tudo fighting. Although there was a limited number of rules, the UFC was initially known as no holds barred fighting and contests were often violent and brutal. Early UFC fights were less sport than spectacle, which led to accusations of brutality and "human cock fighting" by opponents. Political pressures eventually led the UFC into the underground, as pay-per-view providers nixed UFC programming, nearly extinguishing the UFC's public visibility.

As political pressure mounted, the UFC reformed itself, slowly embracing stricter rules, becoming sanctioned by state athletic commissions, and marketing itself as a legitimate sporting event. Dropping the no holds barred label and carrying the banner of mixed martial arts, the UFC has emerged from its political isolation to become more socially acceptable, regaining its position in pay-per-view television.

With a cable television deal and expansion into new markets within the United States and Europe, the UFC is currently undergoing a remarkable surge in popularity, along with greater mainstream media coverage. UFC programming can now be seen on Spike TV in the United States, as well as in 35 other countries worldwide. (Credit: Wikipedia).

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Lesnar stops Mir, St. Pierre wins at UFC 100 - 11th July 2009

Brock Lesnar defended his heavyweight title in his uniquely brutish style at UFC 100 Saturday night, capping the sport's landmark weekend with a second-round stoppage of Frank Mir.

Georges St. Pierre defended his welterweight title with a showcase of his inimitably well-rounded mixed martial arts skills in an unanimous decision over Thiago Alves, while Dan Henderson knocked out Michael Bisping with a single punch in a middleweight upset as the UFC rolled its odometer into triple digits on a celebratory night for the proliferating sport.

Lesnar (4-1) ended the main event with a relentless series of right hands into the face of Mir, who handed Lesnar his only loss nearly 18 months ago.

Lesnar, a hulking former pro wrestler with a mercurial temperament, then taunted his opponent while Mir was rising from the ground. He added a two-handed obscene gesture to the booing sellout crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, putting an entertaining but unflattering end on the highest-profile show in the sport's history.

There were no theatrics or poor sportsmanship from St. Pierre, the classy Canadian star considered the UFC's pound-for-pound best. He was the superior fighter from the start, winning every round on every scorecard while steadily punishing his Brazilian opponent with punches, kicks and repeated takedowns in his third title defense.

Nearly 16 years after MMA pioneer Royce Gracie won three fights in one night to triumph at UFC 1 in Denver, the sport reached a centennial of sorts before a frenzied sellout crowd in the UFC's hometown. The arena was packed well before the main bouts, including some fans who apparently paid more than $40,000 online for resold tickets.

The league has grown from a bit player in a fringe pastime to an estimated $1 billion company, and the weekend's festivities reflected its success despite the widespread skepticism it still faces from other sports fans and some states' lawmakers.

The 100th showcase was broadcast live in 75 countries, and thousands of fans without tickets for the event packed into closed-circuit shows all along the Strip. Tens of thousands attended the first UFC Fan Expo, immersing themselves in the lifestyle built around the sport.

Lesnar, who turns 32 on Sunday, again moved upward in the eclectic trajectory of a former college wrestler who performed in the WWE and briefly suited up for the Minnesota Vikings before embarking on an MMA career just over three years ago.
Mir (12-4) beat Lesnar with a knee bar at UFC 81, forcing Lesnar to tap out 90 seconds into his second UFC fight. Lesnar, whose name recognition and menacing approach earned him lightning-quick shots at the sport's biggest prizes, recovered by beating Heath Herring and then stopping Randy Couture last November to claim the heavyweight belt.

Lesnar used his 265 pounds to take position on top of Mir early, and Lesnar stayed on top throughout a dull first round, throwing punches that mostly did little. Mir made a bit of headway in the second, but was trapped against the octagon by Lesnar, who kept throwing right hands until Mir's defense wilted.

"Keep booing! Keep booing!" Lesnar yelled to the largely unsympathetic crowd.
After dominating the first 14 minutes with several takedowns, St. Pierre (19-2) knocked Alves onto his back with a punch late in the third. But St. Pierre also injured his groin in the third, and Alves (22-5) managed to gain position for the only time in the fight.

St. Pierre escaped and nearly finished it with a rear naked choke on Alves, who lost for the first time in eight fights.

"When I was on my back, he pushed my leg down," St. Pierre said. "It could have been a very bad night for me."

In the undercard showdown between the veteran fighters who served as coaches on the past season of the UFC's popular television show, Henderson (25-7) flattened Bisping with a spectacular right hand in the second round.

Henderson, a Californian who traded verbal barbs with Manchester native Bisping over the past several months, pursued Bisping (18-2) around the octagon during a largely stand-up fight until Bisping's defense slipped. Henderson then landed another heavy right hand while Bisping was senseless and defenseless on his back before the referee tackled him.

"What happened?" Bisping asked Wolfslair Academy training mate Rampage Jackson as they walked to the locker room afterward.

2007

UFC to be shown on Australian television via Foxtel - Main Event TV

Press Releases

Ultimate Fighting Championship® Events Launch in 2007 Australia on MAIN EVENT

Zuffa, LLC and MAIN EVENT Television today announced that the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization's live pay-per-view events will return to Australian televisions and will betelecast throughout the country on the MAIN EVENT channel in 2007, commencing with UFC 67: All OR NOTHING at 2.00pm EDT on Sunday, February 4, 2007.

The highly popular UFC events, featuring the world's most recognizable mixed martial arts fighters, are taking the world by storm with sell-out crowds and incredible pay-per-view telecasts.

Based in Las Vegas, Nev (USA) the UFC is entering its fourteenth year of operation as a professional mixed martial arts organization, and is currently expanding to the United Kingdom and Europe.

Available to FOXTEL, AUSTAR and OPTUS residential subscribers, MAIN EVENT is the place for pay-per-view events. The addition of the Ultimate Fighting Championship events brings subscribers the best combat sports events available.

"We are pleased to bring the world's most exciting live sports event - the UFC - back to fight fans throughout Australia," said (UFC President Dana White. "Through MAIN EVENT all of our pay-per-view events will now be available to all of our fans in Australia. We look forward to bringing them all the best fights as they happen, as well as new and exciting ways that they can experience the UFC."

"We are delighted to have secured the Ultimate Fighting Championship events for MAIN EVENT - they are a fantastic addition to the wide range of pay-per-view programming offered by the channel to our subscribers," MAIN EVENT Channel Manager David Spencer said.

UFC 67: ALL OR NOTHING features the UFC Middleweight title bout between Anderson "The Spider" Silva and Travis Lutter, as well as the UFC debuts of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Marvin Eastman and Mirko "Cro Cop" vs. Eddie Sanchez.

Silva (17-4), fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil, defeated Rich Franklin by first round KO at UFC 64 to become the new UFC Middleweight Champion. He is an extremely well-rounded fighter with phenomenal striking skills and is looking to make Lutter his first successful title defense. Lutter (12-3) has fought all over the world including Brazil, Denmark, Japan and England. He made his UFC debut with a victory over Marvin Eastman at UFC 50 in October 2004. During The Ultimate Fighter 4, Lutter used his world class Jiu- Jitsu skills to dominate all three rounds against Team Mojo's Pete "Drago" Sell and punch his ticket to the finals in Las Vegas. There, he submitted Canadian Patrick Cote by armlock at 2:18 of the first round.

Mirko "Cro Cop" is considered worldwide as one of the top heavyweights in mixed martial arts today. Notorious for his devastating striking skills - especially his high kicks -- which he used to knockout Aleksander Emelianenko and most recently Vanderlei Silva, Mirko "Cro Cop" storms into the UFC ready to battle anyone who dares to oppose him. Eddie Sanchez is a freestyle fighter with heavy hands who always comes to bang. Undefeated with a 8-0 mixed martial arts record, Sanchez is confident that if he lands his right hand the fight will be over and he will have a marquis win over Mirko "Cro Cop" on his record.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is known and respected for his raw strength, power slams and equal striking ability. He marches into the UFC with a motive and a plan to capture the UFC light heavyweight crown. He is prepared to wipe out all the top 205-pounders the UFC puts before him, and blaze a path to a much desired title shot. Marvin Eastman is a mixed martial arts veteran who is recognized for pushing the pace and for using his striking power to score ferocious knockouts. He will step into the OctagonT ready to do battle with Jackson and establish his name as a top fighter in the UFC.

UFC 67: ALL OR NOTHING will take place live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV (USA) on Saturday, February 3, 2006. Each month commencing in February, 2007 MAIN EVENT will broadcast UFC PPV Events Live from the USA commencing at 2.00pm EDT with a full replay at 6.30pm EDT.

Dates and full details on each UFC PPV Event can be found at www.mainevent.com.au

About The Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® brand is the world's leading professional mixed martial arts organization and offers the premier series of MMA sports events. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the UFC® organization produces approximately eight live pay-per-view events annually that are distributed through cable and satellite providers. In addition to its U.S. distribution, UFC fight programs are distributed throughout the world including broadcast on WOWOW, Inc. in Japan, Globosat in Brazil and Bravo in the United Kingdom. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit www.ufc.com

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, UFC® Fight ClubT, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, ZuffaT, The OctagonT and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC or other respective owners.