Boxing has experienced too many scandals, and professional wrestling is fake.
While you may disagree with either of those sentiments, they both offer reason enough to follow the Ultimate Fighting Championship for fans of fighting. This version of world's oldest sport has captured the interest of millions, and its exploding fan base could make it the preferred variety of professional pugilism -- a place in pop culture presently held by boxing.
Since its inception in 1993, the UFC has grown slowly but surely, recently even developing a spin-off reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter."
With fights frequently aired in conjunction with episodes of "The Ultimate Fighter," awareness, and more critically, appreciation of the UFC has grown exponentially. The only obstacle that remains to UFC's ever burgeoning popularity is that several premier matches, including most championship bouts, are still aired on pay-per-view television.
Similar to the stars of professional wrestling, many of the UFC's stars have an appeal entirely separate from their weekly successes and failures.
Top competitors range from life-long martial artists with incredible speed and technique to ferocious brawlers with a talent for quick knockouts. The gamut of competitors is part of the allure of the league.
Whether you are a fan or simply a casual observer of the UFC, the next two weeks promise plenty of excitement. The pool of UFC fighters has grown along with the organization's fanbase, and some outstanding new competitors now challenge established performers in every weight class. On this Thursday's "Fight Night Live," the headlining bout between Diego Sanchez and Karo Parisyan is a perfect example of a battle between an established winner and an untested challenger.
Sanchez is the middleweight winner of the first "The Ultimate Fighter" series and has proven that the reality-show-style selection process was no fluke: he's undefeated in his brief mixed martial arts career, with a record of 17-0.
He will face the younger but more experienced Parisyan, who brings a grappling-oriented, wrestling-based style to the ring. If the fight meets expectations, Parisyan will have to counter plenty of upright attacks, while Sanchez will have to keep the fight from ending on the floor. Though good wrestling skills are a big advantage in UFC fights, more balanced fighters have trained to escape fight-ending pins, chokes and holds.
Thursday also brings a bout between Chris Leben and Jorge Santiago. The fight is a comeback opportunity for Leben, who seeks to regain his reputation as a nightly contender following an embarrassing loss one month ago. The chance for a return to the winner's bracket will be strong motivation for Leben, who gains another shot at the middleweight title if he wins.
Finally, an intriguing match pits "The Ultimate Fighter" finalist Jason Von Flue against Joe Riggs. While Von Flue does not look like a professional athlete, his unorthodox fighting methods and resourcefulness will test Riggs's renowned punching ability. While both welterweight fighters have suffered previous losses, the fight presents an opportunity for either fighter to rise up in the UFC ranks.
The premier event this month is UFC 62 on Aug. 26, when light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell will risk his championship belt and title against Renato Sobral. The younger Sobral has an incredible arsenal of ground techniques and submission holds, but Liddell is known for rising to the occasion and often lands seemingly endless arrays of power punches.
The bout aims to draw a large crowd and a significant television audience. With several opportunities to catch UFC matches in the next month, the league hopes to gain adherents and continue its rise to the forefront of the professional fighting scene.
