The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the largest Mixed Martial Arts promotion company in the world, which hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport and produces events worldwide. Based in the United States, the UFC has eight weight divisions and enforces the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.Dana White serves as the president of the UFC while Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta control the UFC's parent company, Zuffa, LLC.

The first UFC event was held in 1993 in Denver, Colorado. The purpose of the event was to identify the most effective martial art in a real fight between competitors of different fighting disciplines, including Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Karate and other styles. In subsequent competitions, fighters ventured outside their base style to utilize effective techniques from other disciplines, which indirectly helped create an entirely separate style of fighting known as present-day mixed martial arts.

With a cable-television deal and expansion into Canada, Europe, Australia the Middle East,Asia and new markets within the United States, the UFC as of 2011^[update] has gained in popularity, along with greater mainstream-media coverage. As of 2001^[update] viewers can access UFC programming on pay-per-view television in the U.S., Brazil, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Italy. UFC programming can also be found on FX, Fuel TV, and Fox in the U.S., on ESPN in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as in 150 countries and 22 different languages worldwide. UFC also carries a mobile site for on-the-go users and a Sports Bars page for fans to find places showing the pay-per-view. It is also available on the Roku streaming player.

Dustin Glenn Poirier (born January 19, 1989) is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter, currently competing as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is currently ranked #7 in the Featherweight Division by ESPN.

Poirier turned professional in 2009, quickly compiled a record of 7-0, competing mostly in regional promotions across the Southern United States.

Poirier was defeated in his first WEC fight by Danny Castillo via decision on August 18, 2010 at WEC 50.

Poirier defeated Zach Micklewright via first round TKO on November 11, 2010 at WEC 52.

In October 2010, World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As part of the merger, all WEC fighters were transferred to the UFC.

After the UFC/WEC merger, newly crowned UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo was set to make his first defence against No. 1 contender Josh Grispi at UFC 125. Aldo then had to withdraw from the bout due to a back injury on November 23, 2010. Poirier agreed to step in and face Grispi at the event on January 1, 2011. Poirier won the fight by unanimous decision.

Donald Anthony Cerrone (born March 29, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist and Muay Thai kickboxer who fights out of Albuquerque, New Mexico and currently competes as a lightweight in the UFC.

Donald started his career in Commerce City, Colorado at a gym called Freedom Fighters, winning his first 25 Muay Thai bouts. Cerrone began training with Jon JonesRashad Evans, Nathan Marquardt, Keith Jardine, Georges St. Pierre, Leonard Garcia and other skilled MMA fighters at Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting Gaidojutsu school in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He was featured on the Versus television series TapouT, where he was sponsored before his fight with Anthony Njokuani. Cerrone won the fight in the first round with a triangle choke.

Cerrone was signed to fight in the WEC. His first fight in the promotion was against Kenneth Alexander. Originally a win via submission in 0:54 seconds of the first round, the decision was changed to a no contest when Cerrone tested positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide.

Eddie Alvarez is an American mixed martial artist, and former Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight champion. Alvarez also competes for the Japanese DREAM promotion, and fought once for ProElite's EliteXC promotion. On his way to proclaiming himself the best lightweight outside of the UFC, Alvarez has beaten the likes of Roger Huerta, Josh Neer, Pat Curran, Toby Imada, Shinya Aoki, Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri.

Of Puerto Rican and Irish descent, Alvarez was born and raised in Kensington, Philadelphia, a rough neighborhood with a reputation for violent crimes and an abundance of street narcotics.

Known in MMA for his boxing prowess, Alvarez was a wrestler at Northeast Catholic High School. He was a two-time National Prep All-American, and placed 6th in both 2000 and 2001 at the National Prep School Wrestling Championships in the 145 lb weight class. After high school, Alvarez immediately pursued a professional career in MMA with his first fight coming after only eight months of formal training.