Compare global organizations and their impact.
UFC is not the only MMA
story
When most people
consider MMA, they most likely think of the UFC. Certainly, the UFC is the
biggest and most financially successful MMA organization in the world today.
However, MMA as a sport has been influenced by many organizations and not just
one. Different countries developed different rule sets, presentation styles,
and created different superstar fighters. The result is a worldwide combat
sports mosaic where each promotion contributed something different to the
evolution of MMA. Without the existence of those other organizations, MMA would
not have reached its peak as a truly worldwide sport.
PRIDE FC – the Japanese
giant that ruled before UFC
PRIDE Fighting
Championships used to be the top promotion. Before the Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) became the leader, PRIDE FC ruled the day. The promotion was
based in Japan and filled stadiums with 40,000-60,000 fans. That’s where the
legends were born. The presentation was a mixture of elements pulled from pro
wrestling, Samurai culture, Anime, and reality-based fighting. PRIDE didn’t use
cages for fights; they used a boxing-style ring. And their ruleset was totally
different. Soccer kicks to a downed opponent’s head, knees to the head of a
grounded opponent, and stomps were all allowed. There was something that felt
raw, more violent and unpredictable, and different about a pride fight. For a
lot of fans, PRIDE was the ultimate in MMA entertainment.
The culture of PRIDE –
Entertainment + Violence + Icons
The formula for PRIDE’s
success was not purely about rules. It was about creating mythology. Fighters were
treated like godlike warriors, and they would walk out to music, light shows,
smoke, and rather long introductions. PRIDE also loved the “freak show fights” –
huge heavyweight monsters versus the smaller, more technical fighters. It was a
theatre. The legends created while fighting for PRIDE continue to be discussed
and referenced today: Fedor Emelianenko, Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Eua, Rampage
Jackson, and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. Some
of them would later join the UFC and help build that roster. While it was
governed by certain rules, PRIDE was a permanent part of mixed martial arts and
what it could become as a true spectacle sport.
Rizin – the spiritual successor
to PRIDE
When PRIDE was done in
2007, Japanese MMA did not go away. Years later, the Rizin fighting federation
came along, which has a similar style to a “spiritual successor”. Same Japanese
drama. Same festival-like atmosphere. While Rizin promotes the event as a
"mixed martial arts" much like PRIDE did, we notice that there were
some PRIDE elements in Rizin as well. Elite ringside seating, an aggressive
rule environment, and "mega shows" on New Year's Eve were all aspects
that PRIDE had introduced to Japanese MMA. Fighters like Tenshin Nasukawa,
Kyoji Horiguchi, and Floyd Mayweather's exhibition events all produced a level
of spectacle that gathered international attention. Rizin demonstrated that
Japanese MMA did not go away with PRIDE; it morphed into something new under
different leadership and new media streaming strategies. Rizin proves that the
"spirit of PRIDE" is still alive.
Bellator – The American
Rival with tournament DNA
Bellator is North
America’s number two MMA promotion. Bellator was built on the tournaments.
Scott Coker, the president, believes that a fighter earns a title shot based on
a bracket system, not on marketing. Bellator has showcased high-level fighters
such as Michael “Venom” Page, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Michael Chandler, and
Fedor Emelianenko. It has also showcased former UFC stars like Benson
Henderson, Yoel Romero, and Cris Cyborg. Bellator provided fighters an
opportunity when the UFC was no longer behind them. The need to make money in
the MMA sport encourages the UFC to keep its fighters on a path that improves
pay and contract negotiations. Bellator is a factor in that competition.
ONE championship – The Asian
super league of Combat sports
ONE Championship,
located in Singapore, has a specific focus on Asia. ONE is not unique in the
sense of being distinctly not MMA. Rather, ONE also boasts high-level Muay Thai
and Kickboxing divisions. They compete in various cities across Asia, including
Bangkok, Manila, and Singapore. ONE even has a different judging philosophy —
they score based on the fight as a whole rather than specific rounds. So, there
is no “safe play” to win a round. They have also created new global stars —
Rodtang, Angela Lee, Demetrious Johnson (after his UFC era), and Eduard
Folayang. ONE has taken MMA to a new level beyond Western culture, showing that
Asian martial arts tradition still plays a substantial role in modern combat.
One Major Difference —
Each Promotion’s Rule Culture
Various promotions
develop different fighters. UFC applies Unified Rules — elbows are permitted;
knees to a grounded opponent’s head are NOT permitted. ONE allows knees to ground
opponents (in certain formats). PRIDE/Rizin allow soccer kicks and stomps.
These differences create strategy differences. A fighter who may look amazing
in UFC might not do well under PRIDE rules. A fighter who is special under
ONE's long-haul scoring might not be able to cope with the UFC round scoring.
Each organisation developed a "combat identity." The variety of rule
systems, advanced techniques and strategy development globally.
Fighter Opportunities —
More Promotions = More Careers
fighters. The UFC cannot sign everyone. That
is why some fighters feel underpaid in the UFC, because there are other
promotions offering better money, title fights, and star treatment. For
example, Demetrious Johnson left the UFC, became a champion in ONE, and
resuscitated his career. Michael Chandler became a star in Bellator before
making the move to the UFC. Because of other promotions, fighters can make a
living fighting. When a few promotions pay athletes more money, the entire
market value of fighters increases. Competition benefits the athlete, not just
the promoter.
Fans Benefit from
Global Competition
Fans win, too. If UFC
were the only game in town, the sport could get stale, or worse, boring and
predictable. But with Bellator, ONE, Rizin, and others - we have different
cultures to experience, different matchups, different production styles, and
different rules. The sport itself becomes richer. The die-hard fans are
studying all leagues. The casual fans get more opportunities for diversity.
Fans can enjoy the martial arts experience from different lenses - the samurai
vibe from Japan, the Muay Thai violence from Thailand, and the rising stars of
BJJ in several leagues, to the storytelling of the American market through UFC.
MMA has become a buffet instead of a dish.
MMA is GLOBAL, not one
company
UFC is the biggest
brand, but UFC is not the reason MMA expanded globally; it is just one of those
reasons. PRIDE brought MMA to gargantuan heights within Japan; ONE is expanding
MMA in Asia at an unbelievable pace; Bellator has made it competitive and kept
balance in the American scene; and Rizin has kept the Japanese spirit alive.
Each organization has shaped MMA into a global phenomenon, and none of those
organizations is UFC; MMA is not a UFC sport. MMA is a global sport. MMA is not
one company. MMA is a global movement. And that global movement of promotions
is what has made MMA one of the fastest-growing sports on the planet.