PHOTO CREDIT: Yahoo Sports
The No-Hold-Barred Days Of The UFC
The UFC hasn’t always been a global phenomenon in mixed martial arts it is today. Since 1993, it has undergone many changes. Although, UFC saw success during its gritty days of the 1990s, at one point it all came to a screeching halt. UFC 12 was the turning point.
When the UFC entered the PPV world in 1993, the company did good business. It was a unique, no-holds-barred style of fighting that was original. The UFC always had the potential to become the household name it is today. Notably, fans still get nostalgic over 1990s UFC MMA. Names like Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, and Tank Abbott are still exciting to mention. Great fights and outstanding fighters are consistently on the card, so why didn’t global success come much sooner for the UFC?
In the early days of the UFC, many people viewed MMA as an unknown. As a new fight sport concept, it eventually met with controversy. Criticized for its violence, the UFC came under scrutiny by U.S. politicians, most notably former senator John McCain.
The Potential Cancellation Of UFC 12
UFC 12 PPV featured Mark Coleman defeating Dan Severn for the first-ever World Heavyweight Championship. Yet the fight was removed from many PPV carriers. To make things worse, when UFC 12 PPV was being set to take place in Niagara Falls, the state of New York banned it. The ban was significant. The UFC did not hold an event in New York until almost two decades later.
Although UFC 12 PPV ended up happening after the event got moved to Birmingham, Alabama, business began to decline. UFC 12 PPV earned 122,000 buys on PPV, the UFC got nowhere near that number in the next several years. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, their audience reach dwindled. The UFC entered a dark era.
Turning A Negative Into A Positive
Eventually, the UFC was able to spin the crackdown on MMA into a positive. They made significant changes to their product. Weight classes were introduced and they banned certain “unfit” fight moves. The rules and regulations were updated and MMA began to evolve into what sports fans see today in the octagon.
The NY ban was a wake-up call for the promotion. Although the no-holds-barred style of the 1990s had appeal as a sensational sport, that style most likely wasn’t going to be viable in the long term. The UFC capitalized on turning MMA into a regulated sport. They earn million in PPV and the changes they made benefit both the fighters and the fans.
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