"Mixed martial arts" is often abbreviated as MMA.

There are 10 divisions. The heavyweight division maxes out at 265 pounds (120 kilograms).

Many states eventually followed California's lead.

Its first event was held in 1993. The first events had a looser, less regulated format.

The company is at ground zero of the gambling world.

Shamrock headlined more than 15 main events.

Canada decriminalized MMA in 2013, and the UFC is now looking to hold more shows there.

He called it "human cockfighting." More than 30 states wound up banning extreme types of fighting events.

With his immense torso and iron-rod neck, Lesnar's nickname is appropriate.

Testosterone replacement therapy could give some fighters an unfair advantage.

Denver is a hub for plenty of other major sporting events, too.

Shields won in a unanimous decision.

In the early days UFC was considered insanely violent.

His nickname was "The Iceman," and he was recognizable because of his mohawk and tattoos.

Gracie's success in the early 1990s propelled him to fame.

He was born in Brazil and now lives in Los Angeles.

2011 featured a match where Junior dos Santos beat Cain Velasquez.

Fighters used their chosen discipline in hopes of advancing.

His streak lasted 2,457 days, and he is still regarded as one of the best fighters in the world.

Royce Gracie holds the record of 11 consecutive submission victories.

He had surgery to remove parts of his colon as a result of the diverticulitis, or infection of the digestive tract.

In addition to eye gouging, it also banned biting because, you know, it's biting.

She fights in the bantamweight class, which has an upper limit of 135 pounds.

Half of that $220,000 was the bonus for winning the fight.

Rashad Evans beat Quinton Jackson in UFC 114.

Japan hosted its first UFC event in 1997. The country was one of the UFC's first international destinations.

The show on Spike TV immediately seized an audience and snagged more followers for the UFC.

The minimum weight in this class is 170 pounds and the maximum in 185 pounds.

Three hundred thousand people bought that fight on pay-per-view. UFC 52 doubled the previous record for pay-per-view sales.

It surpassed all previous records in 2006. The mid-2000s marked the beginning of the UFC boom.