Writing About Fighting: A Critical Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of The Ultimate Fighting Championship from 1993-2006

Abstract

Given the increased popularity of Mixed Martial Arts ( MMA ) in the United States and abroad, the purpose of this study was to investigate newspaper coverage of the most profitable MMA organization in the U.S., the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ), from 1993-2006. To better understand how the print media framed this controversial sport, a critically informed content analysis of 320 newspaper articles was conducted. Drawing from critical sport studies and media theory (Lowes, 1999; Rowe, 2007; Trend, 2007), the researchers analyzed how various categories of newsprint coverage have shifted over the 13-year period. One clear conclusion was the ability of the mainstream print media to effectively contour the popular discourse of this sporting practice, often playing a key role in the public's appraisal of the UFC during various points in its brief history. Moreover, the mainstream press often served to unwittingly promote the UFC through a lack of critical journalistic practices.