Slide 1: In the last few years the Ultimate Fighting Championship has emerged from almost complete disrepute to become perhaps the fastest-growing spectator sport in America. An octagon ring, seen at a match at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, is a signature of the U.F.C.
Slide 2: David Heath, left, and Rento Sobral, right, grapple during their match in Las Vegas. The league's popularity has made it the top pay-per-view television attraction in the country, and its basic-cable offerings have become a major draw, especially among young men.
Slide 3: Patrick Cote lifts Kendall Grove during their middleweight match. Knees to the gut, an elbow across the chin and hundreds of other techniques are all fair game in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Slide 4: The average U.F.C. pay-per-view event now draws roughly 500,000 households, up from fewer than 100,000 just a few years ago.
Slide 5: A fan poses for a photo with the Mickey's Malt Liquor girls before a match. The U.F.C. still seems to be in its infancy in appealing to a broad variety of fans.
Slide 6: Gabriel Gonzaga punches Randy Couture during their U.F.C. heavyweight title match. Ultimate Fighting Championship participants use light, fingerless gloves that are meant to protect the hand but not enlarge the striking area or increase the weight of a punch.
Slide 7: Roger Huerta kicks Alberto Crane during their lightweight match.
Slide 8: Joe Stevenson, left, punches Kurt Pellegrino during their lightweight match.
Slide 9: Randy Couture celebrates his victory over Gabriel Gonzaga following their heavyweight title match.
Slide 10: Fans gather in the lobby in hopes of meeting a fighter during an autograph session before the weigh-ins of the championship in Las Vegas.