February 12, 2007
On February 9, 2007, UFC President Dana White appeared on TWF Rampage in Sacramento, California. Fans had been buzzing all week as to why he was there. White didn't waste any time letting them know.
The TWF and UFC had forged a union to work together with their respective forms of competition and entertainment. Of course, this wasn't the first time the two companies had worked together, with the TWF at one time even using the "UFC" title as one of their belts. This of course led to the Toughman division being created.
This time, the partnership will allow both companies to do what they do best and, maybe the part the fans are most excited about, it will allow for some cross-over competition.
For the TWF, the Toughman division will be making it's return. Matches in the toughman division will work as follows:
- Each bout will have a 15 minute time limit.
- The only way to win is to make your opponent tap out or win by knockout.
- If the match goes 15 minutes, a panel of 3 licensed judges will determine the winner.
The TWF plans to make the Toughman division more of a special attraction now and then rather than a regular, weekly event, but we will see how things go.
For the UFC, they will be able to use the TWF for further exposure. Mixed martial arts has acheived an all time high in world wide popularity, and Dana White is very pleased with the new merger.
"I think it's great. The people here know what they're doing, and most fans of pro wrestling are also fans of MMA, so it's gonna be the best of both worlds", said an elated White.
And what about the possibilities of cross-over competition? Can you imagine some of the stars in the TWF trying their hand against someone like Tito Ortiz or Chuck Liddell? Somewhere down the road, you may be able to witness that very scenario.
