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.
Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, had its official start in the early 1990s. It developed from an idea proposed by entrepreneur Art Davie who was studying up on an advertising campaign for mixed martial arts, which was primarily an underground sport in the United States. He met Rorion Gracie and became a student of the Gracie's style of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Fast forward a year and Davie comes up with the idea for a huge televised MMA event that would pit fighters with strengths in multiple styles in the world's first Mixed Martial Arts championship. He teamed up with Rorion Gracie and director John Milius to create UFC 1, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship. The event was an enormous success with Royce Gracie winning the first championship.
Kickboxing was the original focus of Strikeforce; however in 2006 they hosted and broadcast the most successful mixed martial arts competition in history, the Shamrock-Gracie fight. This bout held the attendance record for MMA for several years. Strikeforce also has paired up with Showtime, and in 2008, they teamed with NBC to create a weekly MMA series, which helps spread the sport's popularity.
Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of UFC, purchased Strikeforce in 2011. However at that that time, reports indicated that rather than merge the two organizations, they would remain as independent entities. Despite that statement, there have been many changes, and Zuffa terminated most employees at Strikeforce.
Several key Strikeforce fighters also became part of the UFC after the purchase by Zuffa. This has left vacancies in several weight classes, including the women's featherweight division and the men's' welterweight and heavyweight divisions. Strikeforce does have a lucrative television contract with Showtime, which expires in 2014, so for at least the next few years, Strikeforce will continue to be separate from UFC.
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.
The future of MMA, especially the future of Strikeforce, is often a subject of debate. What most MMA experts agree on is that as the sport continues to evolve, the athletes will become more skilled in multiple disciplines, thus continuing to set the bar higher for fighters.
Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, had its official start in the early 1990s. It developed from an idea proposed by entrepreneur Art Davie who was studying up on an advertising campaign for mixed martial arts, which was primarily an underground sport in the United States. He met Rorion Gracie and became a student of the Gracie's style of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Fast forward a year and Davie comes up with the idea for a huge televised MMA event that would pit fighters with strengths in multiple styles in the world's first Mixed Martial Arts championship. He teamed up with Rorion Gracie and director John Milius to create UFC 1, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship. The event was an enormous success with Royce Gracie winning the first championship.
Kickboxing was the original focus of Strikeforce; however in 2006 they hosted and broadcast the most successful mixed martial arts competition in history, the Shamrock-Gracie fight. This bout held the attendance record for MMA for several years. Strikeforce also has paired up with Showtime, and in 2008, they teamed with NBC to create a weekly MMA series, which helps spread the sport's popularity.
Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of UFC, purchased Strikeforce in 2011. However at that that time, reports indicated that rather than merge the two organizations, they would remain as independent entities. Despite that statement, there have been many changes, and Zuffa terminated most employees at Strikeforce.
Several key Strikeforce fighters also became part of the UFC after the purchase by Zuffa. This has left vacancies in several weight classes, including the women's featherweight division and the men's' welterweight and heavyweight divisions. Strikeforce does have a lucrative television contract with Showtime, which expires in 2014, so for at least the next few years, Strikeforce will continue to be separate from UFC.
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.
The future of MMA, especially the future of Strikeforce, is often a subject of debate. What most MMA experts agree on is that as the sport continues to evolve, the athletes will become more skilled in multiple disciplines, thus continuing to set the bar higher for fighters.
About the Author:
Nolan Barias likes writing about mixed martial arts advantages. For more 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 now.
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