PROMOTION OF THE YEAR: Ultimate Fighting Championships
The year started at UFC 81 when Brock Lesnar lost in a spectacular debut against Frank Mir. A month later, Anderson Silva climbed atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a dominant victory over Dan Henderson. Fans were then treated to Wanderlei Silva’s explosion over Keith Jardine, Lyoto Machida’s patient domination of Tito Ortiz, and Sean Sherk falling short to lightweight champion B.J. Penn at UFC 84.
July brought a conclusion to the Ultimate Fighter 8 as Forrest Griffin edged out a close and controversial decision win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The following month, the UFC invaded Canada for the first time as Georges St. Pierre rolled an overmatched Matt Serra while setting the North American indoor attendance record for an MMA event.
The end of the year built on an already successful campaign. Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar met at UFC 91 and saw the company return to the million PPV mark for the first time since UFC 66. The year end show, our readers’ choice for card of the year, featured two title bouts and a grudge match between Silva and Jackson. The event has been rumored to have also exceeded the million buy mark.
There’s no denying that 2008 exceeded any and all expectations. The beginning of the year put Zuffa against a wall. EliteXC was growing and landed on network TV, T-shirt company Affliction entered the foray with big money contracts, and creditors were concerned the UFC’s aggressive expansion strategy would backfire. By the end of the year, EliteXC is all but dead, Affliction looks to be on its last legs, and the UFC’s European expansion appears to be payin off.
Oh, and they destroyed the WWE and HBO’s Championship Boxing in PPV buys in the process.
3rd PLACE: Dream
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: Dana White
What can be said about Dana White that hasn’t already been said about Lex Luthor or Bill Gates or Alexander the Great? The UFC figurehead continued to provide the grease and oil for the UFC machine. Additionally, White increased his own exposure by appearing on the cover of Men’s Health, in a photo shoot for Rolling Stone, and running the interview gamut for UFC 91 and 92.
White really endeared himself to the internet with the innovative idea of producing a video blog. The vlogs gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at what White does leading up to a fight night. In addition, we get to see fighters in a more natural setting. The vlogs have lost a bit of their initial luster, but still serve a great purpose of hyping up fights.
White really becomes an anti-hero when you consider his flaws, of which he has many. Most notable is his propensity for putting himself ahead of the fighters. Zuffa has pushed the UFC brand over its fighters, and White has pushed himself as the UFC. For better or worse, you’re left with the promoter being more noteworthy than the talent that makes him money.
White also did little to temper the notion that he is a hot-headed, foul mouthed kid from Boston running a multi-million dollar industry. He’s still rarely seen in a business suit and only curbs his sailor tendencies when he appears on ESPN, etc. We also witnessed the two day odyssey with the not-quite-fired Jon Fitch over his image rights. That’s not to mention his on-going spat with former champion and friend Tito Ortiz.
But that’s what makes White the Personality of the Year. He has become the single most important person in a meteoric industry. Comparisons, though not perfect parallels whatsoever, can be made to Don King who self-promoted himself to the same levels he did his fights.
With his goal of making the UFC the biggest sport in the world within five years, we should expect to see a lot more of the bald headed beast in the coming years.
2nd PLACE: Brock Lesnar
3rd PLACE: Kimbo Slice