5 fighters who opened up new international markets for the UFC
Despite being close to bankruptcy just over two decades ago, the UFC is now a global phenomenon and stands alone as the world’s biggest MMA promotion.
The UFC has been able to crack a number of markets, breaking into various countries and enjoying incredible growth across the planet. That’s often been down to the rise of a handful of star fighters.
These fighters have tended to hail from countries hardly known as MMA hotbeds, only for the UFC to use their stardom to open those countries up, in turn producing more top-class fighters in the process.
The one and only! GSP gets his Hall of Fame jacket and trophy 🏆 #UFCHOF https://t.co/nGS4tgYdC0
It’s a method that’s worked well for the UFC, but has also done wonders for the sport of MMA across the planet in general.
With that in mind, here are five fighters who opened up new markets for the UFC.
#5. Michael Bisping – former UFC middleweight champion (UK)
The UFC actually attempted to make inroads into the UK during the early period of Zuffa’s ownership of the promotion, but it didn’t exactly go all too well.
UFC 38, which took place in London, was a decent enough show. However, the promotion and the sport of MMA in general remained largely under the radar in the UK. Part of that was to do with the distinct lack of a potential British poster-boy.
Sure, the likes of Ian Freeman and Mark Weir had some mild success, but outside of Lee Murray, whose legal troubles ended up overshadowing his career, no UK-based fighter looked capable of breaking into title contention. That all changed in 2006, when a loudmouthed Brit called Michael Bisping won the third season of The Ultimate Fighter and immediately exploded into stardom.
Not only was Bisping a natural antagonist on the microphone, but he had genuine skills inside the octagon too, even if they needed a little polishing at first.
The effect that ‘The Count’ had on the UFC’s fortunes in the UK was instant, though. His arrival in the promotion coincided with the UFC’s first real television deal in the UK. With the sport of MMA quickly entering the mainstream, the promotion capitalized.
They traveled to the UK in April 2007 for UFC 70, which was largely built around Bisping and ended up drawing a sold-out arena in Manchester.
🏆 The Ultimate Fighter 3
✅ Eric Schafer
Michael Bisping's UFC journey got off to a flyer and he found himself centre-stage at UFC 70 👊 https://t.co/h1K1wQ60cb
The show was a huge hit with fans and in the years that have followed, the UFC has continued to grow in popularity in the UK. The promotion regularly visits the country for events, with British fighters like Leon Edwards and Dan Hardy rising to fame in the process.
As for Bisping, he took the long route to the top of the UFC, but ended up winning the middleweight title in 2016, becoming the promotion’s first British champion.