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In the main event at , threw his name into the hat for another shot at the title by stopping Croydon star Jimi Manuwa.
The London card made over ?1 million in gate receipts and thanks to Gustafsson?s rising profile, there?s clearly room for a European charge.
Indeed, later this year the UFC will visit Berlin (May 31), Dublin (July 19), Stockholm (October 4) and Istanbul (November 2) as they take their brand on a worldwide tour.
So, as the world?s biggest MMA promotion aims to break new ground in Europe,wholesale nfl jerseys,cheap nfl jerseys, let?s look at five reasons why they?ve got it right so far.
Star appeal
After a valiant , not only did Gustafsson confirm his status as the world?s second-best light-heavyweight, he became Europe?s flagship fighter in the process. ?The Mauler? later won a worldwide fans? vote to grace the cover of EA Sports UFC.
Alexander Gustafsson is an essential piece of the UFC jigsaw in Europe
Then there?s trash-talking . The Manchester ace, 35, is always a big draw and back in 2009,cheap authentic nfl jerseys, UFC 105 in Manchester made a total gate of over ?1 million when he and Dan ?The Outlaw? Hardy appeared on the undercard.
Garry Cook
Besides those battling it out in the Octagon, Garry Cook,wholesale nfl jerseys, UFC Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of EMEA, should be crucial in building the UFC in Europe.
Cook wants to make the UFC a staple event of every major city in the region, while also keeping a consistent yearly calendar. The O2 Arena in London has already been confirmed to host another show on February 28 2015.
Television deals
Meanwhile . The station showed UFC Fight Night London on Saturday from 9-11pm, while the event was the first in UFC history be screened with delayed live coverage on free UK television.
Granted,wholesale jerseys, presenter Mark Pougatch was in at the deep end but The London card was screened in countries all over Europe, in Denmark, Sweden and Croatia to name a few.
Improving crowds
Logic says that by increasing television coverage,wholesale jerseys china, fans will eventually flock to the arenas in the long-run. Saturday?s showpiece drew 14,604 punters to the O2, which,wholesale jerseys, interestingly, is the highest crowd at a UFC show in Europe since April 2012.
Brad 'One Punch' Pickett is another star amongst the 'Brit pack' of UFC fighters
That night, Gustafsson thrilled 15,428 Swedish fans at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, knocking out Brazilian Thiago Silva in the main event of UFC on Fuel TV 2. Meanwhile, eight of the UFC?s last ten visits to Europe have attracted over 10,000 fans.
Talent pool
For every Brad Pickett and Ross Pearson,wholesale jerseys china, there?s a Luke Barnatt or a Nico Musoke working their way up the undercards. Straight Blast Gym?s Dublin base and Allstars MMA in Sweden are both churning out promising Europeans at every turn, and the growth of these stables will be key to the UFC?s continued expansion in Europe.
So which prospects could make the step-up within a few years? Promotions such as Cage Warriors, M-1 Global and BAMMA feature a wealth of talent across the continent. Take Welshman Brett Johns for example. The 22-year-old ground wizard is already the Cage Warriors 135lb champ, while Paris-based Tunisian, Mansour Barnaoui, 21, clinched and defended the BAMMA lightweight strap in 2013.?
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