Over the past couple of decades the UFC has dealt with competition in the marketplace in one of two ways. Either buy out a rival promotion or lure away their biggest stars. For the most part, this strategy has been successful. Acquisitions of Strikeforce, WEC, and Pride lead to a consolidation of the sport’s top talent under their umbrella. Other competitors such as Elite XC and Affliction shuttered and shriveled away due to financial woes.
But in the past two years the promotion’s priorities have started to shift.