After Almost a Decade of Zuffa Ownership, UFC's Brand Stronger Than Ever

As the 2000s decade comes to a close, it will be remembered for many things. Terrorism, war, and economic hardships certainly highlight the history of this decade twenty and thirty years from now. But in terms of MMA, the 2000s could go down as the most important decade in its history.

It seems so much more than just 10 years ago that the UFC was struggling to survive as it was banned from television and arenas around the country. The sport of MMA was at a tipping point, and the UFC's January 2001 sale to Zuffa undoubtedly saved the sport.

The introduction of the The Ultimate Fighter reality show, securing sanctioning in Nevada, and the creation of the unified rules of MMA all pushed MMA from a dying taboo sport to the mainstream of sports and eying the top slot of martial sports.

The move into mainstream coincided with the prime of several Hall of Fame careers and infamous rivalries. Champions like Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, BJ Penn, and Matt Hughes clashed in epic matches, and all the time the UFC perfected its hype machine around these exciting fighters.

The results were stupendous, and while other promotions put on excellent shows, the UFC's Couture v. Liddell trilogy, Liddell and Ortiz matches, Hughes run of dominance rivalry with Joe Riggs and his upset at the hands of Penn made it difficult to top the UFC in terms of excitement from 2002 to 2006.

During this decade, the strong fan base created by the TUF and the great matches put on by Liddell, Ortiz, Couture, and Hughes helped the UFC outlast its rivals, including PRIDE FC, Elite XC, and most recently Affliciton.

The UFC was mainstream, had a solid fan base, and a strong group of superstars, but at the end of 2006 and 2007 was the UFC's strength of brand. It started in November 2006 when Matt Hughes lost his rematch and his belt to Georges St Pierre, never to reclaim the title again. 

A few months later, a Rampage Jackson right hook sent Chuck Liddell tumbling to the canvas, relieving him of his belt and starting a string of knock outs that have basically ended the career of the Iceman.

Tito Ortiz's only fight of the year was an inspiring draw with then a very one dimensional Rashad Evans, and then was sidelined the rest of the year by injury.

Randy Couture turned in an excellent year, with dominating wins over Tim Sylvia and Gabriel Gonzaga, but at the end of 2007 MMA fans were informed that due to a dispute between Couture and Dana White that Couture was leaving the UFC.

In the span of one year the biggest stars of the UFC had been seriously dimmed. Lesser promotions have collapsed from the equivalent of one of these events, but the UFC is the only promotion to ever survive the setbacks or loss of four major draws in a single year.

But instead of crumbling, the UFC was able to transition a new generation of stars. Some where homegrown and well-known like GSP, some were stars that burst on the to scene for many fans like Lyoto Machida and Brock Lesnar, and some reenergize their career like BJ Penn, who bounced back with a 5-1 record after losing back to back bouts in his return to the UFC.

The ability to seamlessly transition from a declining set of stars to a rising set of stars is what sets promotions and sports leagues apart from one another. The NHL struggled in the years following the retirements of Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky, as did to a lesser extent the NBA with the retirement of Michael Jordan.

Transfer of interest from one star to another as been a serious problem for boxing, which has been unable to transfer the interest that was generated by Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, or Mayweather and Pacman to a larger interest in boxing for the majority of sports fans.

Olympic sports experience this problem, because people do not tune in for the less popular sports unless there is star power drawing them there. Americans like to watch stars unless the sport and league they are watching is an established brand, like the NFL, where they can except that the athletes they are watching are the absolute best in the world, the action is interesting and even the mediocre players have something to offer and the stars of tomorrow are playing today in the league. 

Making prospects an exciting event in themselves is something the NFL has mastered. Does any group of young players enter any league with as much pomp and curicstance as a 1st round draft pick? A single, untested player can become a teams biggest draw for a season and if he plays well, he is the talk of the nation.

The UFC was very smart in that while it had the mainstream attention they not only cashed in on their superstars but they also made their prospects a big part of the excitement. The Ultimate Fighter House is a celebration of the search for new talent (and the effects of alcohol on 20-something tailor trash, but mostly the talent thing), and anytime a serious fighter is making his UFC debut he is paired with a serious fighter so if he wins he already has a memorable, statement win.

The UFC puts a premium on exciting matchups for contenders and this also helps the prospect, giving him several highlight reel fights during the developmental period and then once he is deem ready is given a contender-ship test and then a title shot.

Moving forward into the new decade we can already see the UFC building the stars of the 2010s in Jon Jones, Anthony Johnson, Dan Hardy, among others. And the UFC and its fans can rest easy in the fact that the once the process is there, it normally is there to stay. Even people in the mainstream media with no connection to MMA have stated that MMA is here to stay, due to solid business practices and an exciting product.