Image via WikipediaMillions of people around the globe love or hate this sport. It is one of the fastest growing sport business in the world showcasing fighters all over the world fighting in the famous octagon ring.Below is the list of things you need to know about Ultimate Fighting Championship.
1. The number in UFC 119 signifies major pay-per-view events. The 2010 schedule continues through UFC 124 on Dec. 11 in Montreal.
2. Each round is five minutes. Bouts for this event last three rounds. Rest between rounds is one minute.
3. A fighter can win by knockout, submission (physical or verbal tapout), referee stoppage, unanimous decision, majority or split decision, disqualification, forfeit or no contest. A fight can end in a draw.
4. A referee can break fighters and stand them up if they reach a stalemate or don't work to improve their position.
5. Three judges score each round on a 10-point must system. The round winner receives 10 points, the loser nine or fewer. Points can be deducted for fouls.
6. UFC's five weight classes are lightweight (146 to 155 pounds), welterweight (156 to 170), middleweight (171 to 185), light heavyweight (186 to 205) and heavyweight (206 to 265).
7. Fighters' gloves weigh 4-6 ounces, lighter than the standard 8-10 for boxing, because MMA fighters need to be able to use their fingers.
8. It's not anything goes. The lengthy list of fouls includes head butting, eye gouging, biting, hair pulling, groin attacks, striking to the spine or back of the head, throat strikes, kicking or kneeing the head of a grounded opponent, small joint manipulation (fingers or toes) or throwing a foe out of the octagon.
9. Combatants earn at least $7,500 per fight and can make as much as $40,000 to $60,000 in bonus money for the night's best fight, knockout or submission. Some of the more popular fighters have contracts that include a percentage of pay-per-view and earn into seven figures.
10. UFC's biggest name is heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, whose failed NFL bid with the Vikings in 2004 turned him to professional wrestling. He was a WWE champion. Lesnar defeated previously unbeaten Shane Carwin in the UFC 116 main event July 3 in Las Vegas. Lesnar is not on the Indy card. He is scheduled to fight Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 on Oct. 23 in Anaheim, Calif.
11. UFC 119 has four fighters with Indiana ties: Indianapolis welterweight Chris Lytle (39-17-4); heavyweight Matt Mitrione (2-0-0), a 2000 All-Big Ten defensive tackle for Purdue who played six seasons in the NFL with the Vikings and Giants; Indianapolis heavyweight Sean McCorkle (9-0-0); and South Bend lightweight Steve Lopez (12-2-0).
12. The main event is between former heavyweight champion Frank Mir (13-5-0) and Mirko Filipovic (27-7-2). Mir lost his belt to Lesnar in a second-round knockout in 2009. But he also handed the champion his only defeat with a first-round submission victory in 2008. Filipovic is known as "Cro Cop," short for Croatian cop because of his membership in his home country's elite police special forces tactical unit. He's a replacement for the injured Minotauro Nogueira.
13. In addition to pay-per-view, UFC appears on Spike TV and Versus cable networks. The worldwide audience has been estimated at 430 million homes in 130 countries, territories and jurisdictions. The Spike TV contract has been extended through 2011 to present seasons nine through 12 of "The Ultimate Fighter," 12 live fight cards, "UFC Fight Nights" and 39 one-hour episodes of "UFC Unleashed."
14. UFC is owned by the Fertitta brothers, Lorenzo and Frank III, and Dana White, who is president and spokesman. They bought the business in 2001 and have grown it into a $2.5 billion operation.
15. In existence since 1993, UFC has made significant strides with organized rule sanctions and is regulated in 44 of 48 states by athletic commissions. Discussions are ongoing to regulate fights in Connecticut, New York, Vermont and West Virginia. Wyoming and Alaska do not have athletic commissions.
Source: www.indystar.com
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