Sherdog.com’s Greg Savage
got some face time with UFC 104 main event contender Mauricio “Shogun” Rua during a Los Angeles press stop last week. Among other topics, Rua, who shares an Oct. 24 marquee with fellow Brazilian Lyoto Machida for the light-heavyweight belt, discussed the surge in popularity of his sport in South America.
“People look, ‘Ah, ‘Shogun’!’” he says.
Familiarity with the sport and its athletes is a given in Brazil, but monetizing it is another matter: there’s no structure in place for the UFC to profit from pay-per-view broadcasts there (shows are transmitted on premium television). It’s a lot of foundation work: as the largest country in South America, and with a surging economy, Brazil would seem to have an appetite for combat. But shows like Rio Heroes (an ugly bare-knuckle bit) tend not to last. Sept. 12’s Bitetti Combat, airing live on free television, might open more doors. Until then, the land that birthed mixed martial arts seems unable to keep pace with the rest of the world in exploiting it.