Rough, tough and dangerous!

Dubbed “the most exciting sport in the world,” as well as “the most extreme of extreme sports,” Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a no gloves game of rough and tumble. Eek!

For the UFC illiterate, it’s a bunch of hard-nuts fighting in an octagon shaped cage and knocking the living c**p out of each other. And it’s going to be at the M.E.N arena in April.

Last year’s UFC3 winner was our very own Michael “the Count” Bisping, who is now a big star in the States. Liverpool native Michael, 27, will now be helping to bring the success of UFC over here to the UK.

He said: “I’m very excited; I am fighting virtually in my hometown - I live a 40minute drive away from the M.E.N arena- and I can’t wait.”

A mish-mosh of jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, wrestling and other combat sports, the UFC has re-established itself after almost being close to extinction at the turn of the decade, when it was labeled “barbaric human cock-fighting.” The sport was forced to clean up its act, introducing rules such as no eye gouging, no biting, no groin attacks, no spitting, no fish hooking and no small joint manipulation. Wow.

The newly reformed Ultimate Fighting Championship is now officially America’s fastest growing spectator sport. Tickets for the UFC live events sell out in days and thousands of spectators join the likes of Donald Trump, George Clooney, Pamela Anderson and Cindy Crawford to watch the fights.

The Manchester show is the first of a series of high-profile events to hit Britain this year. Headline match of the night will be Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga.

UFC President Dana White said: “Manchester is the home of sporting legends, so what better place to launch the UFC in the UK. The city always appreciates a great sporting spectacle and we know that is exactly what this line-up of fighters will give them.”

UFC takes place at the M.E.N Arena on Saturday 21st April. Tickets cost between £25-£250 and are available from Ticket Master here.

Lynda Moyo