MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[Matt Boone]

FROM: http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/19346/ufc-is-unstoppable

UFC is Unstoppable
By Erik Gunther
Tue, July 11, 2006, 2:58 am PDT

The World Cup wasn't the only sporting event kicking up buzz over the weekend. Elbows and knees were also flying at UFC 61—the latest mixed-martial-arts extravaganza. We've already covered how the UFC has kicked traditional boxing to the curb in terms of buzz, and we see no signs of it slowing down.

Buzz on the UFC was up 113% over the past weekend, vaulting the circuit into our top 5 searches overall. Queries for "ufc videos," "ufc 61 results," and "ufc news" grappled their way through the Buzz Octagon.

The main attraction at UFC 61 was the grudge match between beyond-brash Tito Ortiz and living legend Ken Shamrock. Searches on both men were up over 150%, but Ortiz won the battle—both in Buzz and in the cage, scoring more than double the number of searches as Shamrock. "Tito ortiz pictures" and "tito ortiz and ken shamrock video" were especially hot.

Other fighters putting a chokehold on buzz included Tim Sylvia (+211%), who vanquished Andrei Arlovski (+96%); intimidating Brazilian Wanderlei Silva (+444%), who will return to the UFC this fall; and legendary Chuck Liddell (+175%), who is set to throw down at the upcoming UFC 62. We're sure buzz will be beaten to a pulp yet again in late August when the countdown to 62 ends.

[killerinstinct]

I'm glad mma is getting some of the respect it deserves.

[paintstik]

Ditto on that. People are starting to see it for what it really is. A highly competitive combat sport...Not a no rules bloodbath)

[jmack123]

This is great news for the UFC and mma in general. Sooner or later fighters like Ortiz and Liddell will be as well known as boxers like Mayweather and de la hoya.