The driving forces behind UFC

He named White as UFC president, and they shrewdly grew the sport by accepting rule changes, including banning knees to the head of a downed opponent, to win states' approval. UFC's popularity also surged with the hit reality TV series, "The Ultimate Fighter," which Fertitta bankrolled, and catapulted UFC into the mainstream and made stars out of fighters Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar and Tito Ortiz.

UFC also packaged adrenaline-pumping montages in its arenas and on the Internet to lure 20- and 30-year-old fans to mixed martial arts. In 2006, the Liddell-Ortiz UFC fight reportedly generated more than 1 million pay-per-view buys. UFC controls about 90% of the mixed martial arts business, puts on fights monthly and the sport is approved in 38 states, up from seven when the Fertittas bought it.

Richard Schaefer, chief executive of retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, has watched UFC grow. "As far as which is the bigger sport, why does it matter? They can coexist," Schaefer said. "We just set our pay-per-view record two years ago, and UFC was around then. . . To say they're the best franchise in sports . . . I'd rather own the New England Patriots or the Lakers or Manchester United or Golden Boy Promotions."

David Carter, a professor at the USC Marshall School of Business, has also studied UFC's rise. "Before they took over, the sport was wayward. They've been tactical -- very targeted and methodical -- in getting media coverage, marketing the sport effectively, with savvy lobbying . . . distributing international content, introducing video games . . the creative ways [UFC] delivers their content is something other leagues look at."

The Fertitta brothers were raised in Las Vegas by their father, also named Frank, who ascended from a card dealer to casino owner banking on the idea that locals would flock to a casino off the famed Strip. Lorenzo got a master's degree at New York University in 1993 and then went to work at his father's Station Casinos as the company grew rapidly at the start of this decade, expanding with resorts such as Red Rock and Green Valley Ranch.

Sports were part of their life. Lorenzo's father took him to Leon Spinks' upset over Muhammad Ali in 1978. He was hooked and recalls the thrill of watching heavyweight boxing champions Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson make ring entrances in their prime as music blared. The kid was taking notes. Then at 27, Lorenzo became a Nevada State Athletic Commission member and was assigned to supervise boxing cards.