One of the most fascinating stories in sports is the rise of mixed martial arts (MMA). It went from being regarded as a brutal bare-knuckle sport populated by only tattooed-up jacked fighters to becoming a hugely significant part of pop culture populated by some of the world’s most admired athletes. This shift occurred as a result of the sport’s evolution from what was once thought to be a ruthless bare-knuckle sport.
The sport’s growth has been at a dizzying rate that no other activity can hope to match. Some of the world’s most prominent athletes, including Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Khabib Nurmagamedov, and Rhonda Rousey, owe a debt of gratitude to the sport’s early stars, including Royce Gracie, Chuck Liddell, and the Shamrock brothers, among others, who paved the way for them. When it comes to combat sports, many people believe that mixed martial arts (MMA) will eventually overtake boxing as the most popular fighting sport. Sports fan debates about which sport is superior are always heated, but when it comes to combat sports, MMA may one day overtake boxing as the most popular fighting sport.
MMA VS. Boxing
The MMA industry has always had a market of spectators who want to see more than just fists fly, and they have always had a pool of athletes ready to walk into the octagon. Athletes competing in a wide range of sports, such as wrestling, judo, and jiu-jitsu, were previously unable to find a path that would allow them to pay their bills while also rewarding their ability. There are many Olympians among them. Before the arrival of mixed martial arts organizations such as the UFC, the only sport with a chance of gaining mainstream attention was boxing.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) had no weight classes and few rules when it first started. However, these aspects of the competition have gradually improved over time, with one of the most significant shifts occurring after Zuffa acquired the UFC. Zuffa, which was owned by Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, Frank and Lorenzo, completely altered the organization’s trajectory and propelled the UFC to new heights.
Although many organizations, such as Bellator, One Championship, and the now-defunct Pride FC, contributed to the global rise of mixed martial arts (MMA), it was the UFC that led the sport to become the fastest-growing sport in the world, ranking third in the world. They were aware of the steps that the UFC needed to take to be successful. Because of their ambition, events were held all over the world to pique the interest of audiences in other countries. They rose to prominence thanks to effective marketing and promotion, particularly on social media.
This is especially true when trash-talking Conor McGregor videos or big knockouts like Jorge Masvidal’s knee against Ben Askren go viral, as it is unavoidable that it will pique people’s interest in the sport. They even succeeded in reaching out to a younger audience with the 2005 premiere of The Ultimate Fighter, a mashup of combat sports and reality television. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is widely regarded as one of the most innovative sports organizations, having been among the first to recognize the potential of subscription-based viewing models such as UFC Fight Pass.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is responsible for the evolution of a respectable and fruitful adaptation of mixed martial arts (MMA) rules, allowing the promotion to transition from lawless brawls to technical and entertaining fights of toughness and talent. Furthermore, they have been successful in recruiting what is widely regarded as the world’s best combatants, giving them a significant advantage over their competitors. As a result of all of these changes, the UFC is now valued at between $9 and $10 billion.
The shift in betting figures is yet another sign that mixed martial arts competition is gaining popularity over boxing. UFC fight odds are more closely followed by sports fans than boxing odds. This is undoubtedly due to the activity’s increased popularity, but it is also due to a technical feature that may provide gamblers with better outcomes. The truth is that fans of mixed martial arts (MMA) have a better chance of seeing decisive clear-cut results from knockouts rather than leaving it up to the judges, which has led to some distrust in boxing.
They are both fighting sports, so it’s easy to see how they end up in the same conversation. It may be unfair to compare the two, but you can see how they end up in the same conversation. Boxing is a combat sport in which competitors use only their hands. As a result, boxing athletes develop world-class skills not only on offense but also on defense during the stand-up portion of the match. In contrast, mixed Martial Arts (MMA) allows competitors to use any form of martial arts, not just their hands.
In MMA, as in boxing, a victory can be earned by knockout or by a unanimous decision of the judges, but the sport also recognizes submission victories. While many fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) would not fare well in a boxing ring, as demonstrated by the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, the situation would be the same if boxers competed in the cage, as demonstrated by the fight between Randy Couture and James Toney. Because mixed martial arts (MMA) incorporates all aspects of combat and is widely regarded as a more effective form of self-defense, an increasing number of fans are becoming interested in the sport.
The UFC and mixed martial arts gained popularity around the year 2014 when fighters like Conor McGregor became well-known after saying the now-famous phrase “We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over.” His speech may speak for more than just his fan base, but rather for the entire sport. It should also be noted that co-commentator Joe Rogan’s podcast’s success has played a significant role in the podcast’s rise to prominence.
Boxing has several well-known fighters, including Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Deontay Wilder, to name a few. In contrast to the UFC, we do not get to see fights between major competitors, particularly in the heavyweight division. The Joshua-Fury fight has yet to take place. You can draw whatever conclusions you want from the fact that YouTube boxing has significantly increased the popularity of boxing among younger audiences, even though it attracts a large number of new fans to the sport.
Unlike boxing, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) only gives out one championship belt per weight class. This means that the majority of the time, fans get to see the best fighters in the world compete against each other, which invariably leads to more unexpected bouts. Both MMA and boxing are fantastic sports in their own right, but which do you think will grow in popularity? The majority of clues point to MMA at this point.