UFC expansion moving fast, no end in sight
Education has been a goal and a stumbling block in the UFC’s expansion across the globe. UFC 99, the promotion’s…
Education has been a goal and a stumbling block in the UFC’s expansion across the globe.
UFC 99, the promotion’s first trip to Germany, came with controversy and left with little fanfare. The event was a sellout, with over 12,000 fans packing the Lanxess Arena, and there were no picket lines outside.
Several German newspapers ran with headlines from the Clinton administration: there were no rules, death was possible; the UFC signaled the end of civilized society. From the tone, few did their homework.
It seems no matter how much pre-event PR the promotion does, or the safety record it holds under its belt, education is an on-sight proposition. President Dana White has seen it so much, it gets little rise out of him.
When we come into Germany and we know that people are a little worried about the product, it is what it is, he said.