After the organization cleaned up the fights, it was time to start getting officially recognized by fighting associations. The improved image played well with the athletic commissions, as did the petitions for sanctioning made by other clean MMA organizations. It wasn’t until September 30th of 2000 that the International Fighting Championships hosted the first MMA sanctioned event in New Jersey. 2 months later it was the UFC’s turn. Their first sanctioned event also took place in New Jersey under the State Athletic Control Board’s “Unified Rules”. The Ultimate Fighting Championships had lost legal battles and suffered financially, but now it was a legitimate sport.

The time seemed right for new leadership. Two casino executives and a boxing promoter placed and won a bid to buy the UFC for $2 million in 2001. That same year, the organization successfully secured the sanctioning of the Nevada State Athletic Commission and returned to Pay-per-view. Slowly but surely, popularity was growing. It gained a spot on Fox Sports Net, which aired it as the first American mixed martial arts match in 2002.

Today.

Thanks to better promoting, bigger ticket events and the necessary funding, the UFC aired its own reality TV show on Spike TV called The Ultimate Fighter. It was slotted just after a large wrestling event and the UFC show quickly rose to the top for the station. Spike TV then began airing promotional half-hour teaser shows to promote UFC pay-per-view events. All of the widespread attention exploded its popularity. In 2006, the massively hyped event UFC 61 earned near 775,000 pay-per-view buys, the second highest in US history. The UFC, it seems, has officially arrived.

So what’s next for the growing organization? They’re thinking about expanding internationally. First stop: Mexico.