WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES.

Byline: JAMES MELROY Staff Writer

About a year ago, I decided it was time to test the waters with my boss and see what he thought about mixed martial arts.

``Huh?''

OK, so that wasn't his response ... but it was close.

To say he wasn't excited about MMA would be an understatement.

In fact, my boss had to get permission from his bosses before we could proceed. I made a few concessions, knowing that I was fighting an uphill battle. I suggested that we limit our coverage to the Press Telegram's Web site, to test the waters, thus not taking up valuable space in the sports section. I also let it be known that my coverage of MMA would not interfere with my other responsibilities at the newspaper.

I agreed to these things because I knew that MMA was still a widely unknown commodity. The only real national media coverage the sport had received came from Sen. John McCain's letter-writing campaign to have the sport banned. The burden of proof that the sport deserved coverage was not just on me, but the sport.

A few months after my initial suggestion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship made its California debut, as fans packed the rafters at what was then still The Pond of Anaheim on April 15. Stories related to the event were the most read items on our Web site, by a wide margin. Shortly thereafter, my boss approached me with a simple question: ``What's next?''

What's next was UFC's pay-per-view from Staples Center the following month, which drew a PPV buyrate of approximately 700,000.

That figure more than doubled UFC's previous high of approximately 325,000. And, once again, the newspaper's Web site was flooded with readers searching for MMA coverage.

In the past few months, MMA has received coverage from nearly every major newspaper in the country. A recent segment on ABC's ``20/20'' focused on the the rapid growth of MMA and its future.

Pay-per-view numbers have been at an all-time high, including an estimated 1.2 million buys for UFC 66 on Dec. 30.

What a difference a year makes.

Part of the reason for the sudden growth of the sport has to do with all of the excitement that took place inside the ring (or Octagon, depending on the organization). A year ago, Andrei Arlovski (heavyweight), Chuck Liddell (light heavyweight), Rich Franklin (middleweight) and Matt Hughes (welterweight) were all UFC title holders in their respective divisions and appeared ready to dominate the year. Today, Liddell is the only one still holding a belt. The others have been replaced by Tim Sylvia (heavyweight), Anderson Silva (middleweight) and Georges St. Pierre (welterweight).

Liddell will face a stiff test this year against newly-signed Quinton Jackson, who handed ``The Iceman'' a rare loss in 2003.

Last year, PRIDE Fighting Championship was UFC's main competition as the premier organization in the sport. However, the Japanese-based company experienced some financial difficulties in 2006, but the roster still boasts arguably the deepest talent pool in MMA. The company did manage to make its debut in the United States with an October show in Las Vegas. The show drew just over 12,000 fans and a live gate of approximately $2 million.

What a difference a year makes.

This is the first of what hopefully will be many columns focusing on MMA. 2007 promises to be newsworthy. Can the sport hold on to its new- found popularity? How well will UFC be received in Ohio, Texas and the United Kingdom, three locations which will play host to the organization's events for the first time? Can PRIDE FC overcome its financial instability and steal some of the national spotlight away from its more well-known adversary? Inside the ring/Octagon, which champions will be up to the task of retaining their titles throughout the year? What will Mirko Cro Cop's defection from PRIDE and signing with UFC mean for both companies?

A year ago at this time, I offered to cover MMA in my free time because I was hopeful that, eventually, it might develop into something that merited consistent coverage. A year later, I've been asked to do a regular column on the sport.

What a difference a year makes.

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Photo:

UFC fighter Matt Hughes lands one of many punches to BJ Penn during the third round of a welterweight bout during UFC 63.

Stephen Carr/Staff Photographer