Showtime’s participation has been a major boost for MMA in the United States
June 28, 2010 11:00 a.m.
"There was a period not so long ago when televised mixed martial arts was considered the keystone to yanking the sport out of the shadows," Josh Gross writes, adding, "Five years after The Ultimate Fighter performed its magic on Spike TV, that notion has been affirmed, to the point that MMA fans have so many options these days they’re as likely to stumble upon a bout as they are a baseball game. Among the numerous networks lending support to MMA, perhaps none outside of the UFC-affiliated Spike TV has meant more in the U.S. than Showtime, which dipped its toe in the space in 2007 and is a major reason CBS has aired the sport five times."
