Is UFC the new boxing?

So the debate has been brewing for a few years now, but has hit full steam. Is UFC the new boxing? Once considered too violent, with too few rules, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is drawing record numbers, more fans, and the spotlight of the national sports media. While it's older, "more" sophisticated counterpart, boxing, is drawing the ire of the very same people.

Boxers were once the modern day gladiators, gliding effortlessly in the ring showing their power, both punching and star, for millions around the nation. Fans used to circle radios, watch on closed circuit television, and paid millions for a match, any match, on pay-per-view. While the revenue is still there fans have become increasingly critical of champions and their competition. Even here in Arkansas, fans of Little Rock-native Jermain Taylor were agitated about his most recent title defense against Corey Spinks.

Gone are larger than life athletes like Muhammed Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Robinson or Leonard. We haven't seen fights like the "Rumble in the Jungle" or the "Thrilla in Manilla." In fact, I haven't seen any such bouts in my lifetime.

Enter the UFC in the early-90's to less than hospitable welcomes. When the UFC began it was a tournament-style event. Two fighters, no matter the fighting style, entered the octagon (the eight sided cage fighters compete in), and only one man would leave. That man, if he was able even after winning, would continue on in the tournament. It was all held in one night. What the UFC did accomplish was showing the dominance of Brazilian jui-jitsu with Royce Gracie taking the three of the first four titles. What UFC didn't do early on is get the support of many with the lack of rules. (Note: Early on, the only rules were basically no biting or eye gouging.)

Lawmakers, most notably Sen. John McCain, called the sport "human cockfighting." UFC ultimately went underground and was banned on television in several states. What ultimately saved the UFC was the change in format and the purchase by Zuffa Entertainment in 2001. Since then the UFC has began to work towards the "golden ages" of the sport under the moniker, mixed martial arts.

Now fighters are more well-rounded, they possess skills in boxing, or "striking," wrestling, martial arts, and submissions. UFC has champions in five weight classes: heavy weight, light heavy weight, middle weight, welter weight, and light heavy weight. Pay-per-view revenues in 2006 broke industry records amassing $222,766,000 for the year, more than the WWE and boxing.

Tonight, Saturday, May 26, what is expected to be the biggest event for the UFC to date will take place when light heavy weight champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell looks to avenge the final of this three losses against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. MGM Grand is sold out for the event. ESPNews covered the weigh-in live Friday night, ESPN has featured the bout on Sportscenter and has even started it's own mixed martial arts page (the debut synced with Liddell-Jackson II).

The question remains, will you be watching? Has MMA moved beyond boxing as the combat sport of the future? For my money, UFC is penny-for-penny the best pay-per-view event on television.