Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, recognized as the largest MMA promotion in the world. The UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada and is owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC.

The UFC was started as a tournament to find the world's best fighters irrespective of their style, and was based upon Brazilian vale tudo fighting or No Holds Barred. Although there were a few limited number of rules at UFC 1, the UFC was initially known as no holds barred fighting, and contests were often violent and brutal. Early UFC fights were less sport than spectacle, which led to accusations of brutality and human cock fighting by opponents.[2] Political pressures eventually led the UFC into the underground, as pay-per-view providers nixed UFC programming, nearly extinguishing the UFC's public visibility.

As political pressure mounted, the UFC reformed itself, slowly embracing stricter rules, becoming sanctioned by state athletic commissions, and marketing itself as a legitimate sporting event. Dropping the no holds barred label and carrying the banner of mixed martial arts, the UFC has emerged from its political isolation to become more socially acceptable, regaining its position in pay-per-view television.

With a cable television deal and expansion into new markets within the United States and Europe, the UFC is currently undergoing a remarkable surge in popularity, along with greater mainstream media coverage. UFC programming can now be seen on Spike TV in the United States, as well as in 35 other countries worldwide.

The UFC plans to explore new markets to host events. A date in Canada has just been announced. While other markets being considered include Mexico, Germany, and the state of New York.[3]