Superstar ... The UFC is hoping to have big-name fighters like Anderson Silva fight at Etihad Stadium. Source: AP
Ultimate Fighting Championship officials want to hold between four to six events in Australia each year and stage a star-filled title fight in front of 60,000 fans at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium.
The UFC has bold plans for Australia. The world's biggest mixed martial arts organisation held a successful Queensland debut on Saturday at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
UFC director of international development Marshall Zelaznik said while the company only had one event booked in Australia next year, they hoped to schedule more.
"The event will be in December. We are holding venues throughout the country and we will see how the schedule works out," Zelaznik said.
"But we are always looking and juggling our calendar. We could get another one here. We had two this year.
"We know this market could take four to six events (each year). It is just a matter of getting them here."
Zelaznik admitted the only way to get a legitimate UFC superstar on an Australian card, such as a George St-Pierre or Anderson Silva, would be to hold a stadium show under the roof at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium.
However, in Victoria MMA fights are not allowed to be staged inside a caged fence and must be held in a traditional boxing ring.
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Victoria's opposition Labor Party said on the weekend it wanted to overturn the State's ban on cage fighting.
The party wants a national code on combat sports and the introduction of a safe alternative to a boxing ring for MMA events.
Zelaznik said while he was optimistic for the ban to be overturned, a resolution was not likely any time soon.
He said in 2014 the UFC wanted to stage a pay-per-view event at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium.
"We could close the roof at Etihad and get 60,000 in there for a pay-per-view," he said.
"It won't be next year but 2014 is likely, maybe the year after. That's the way to get a pay-per-view in Australia.
"We are continually optimistic. The fans have been great and supportive. We will not give up the fight."
The UFC will also stage another series of The Ultimate Fighter reality show in Australia next year and it could feature Australian fighters only or an Australia v New Zealand concept.
The scheduled December show is likely to be the series' finale.
"The next series will have the same schedule as we had this year," Zelaznik said.
"We don't know if it will be the Smashes or even a country versus country show.
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"We are working with the people at FX to see how it will work.
"The FX officials here were very happy with the numbers."
The UFC on FX 6 event at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre broke the arena's all time gate record, racking up $900,000 in ticket sales alone.
Zelaznik revealed nearly half of the crowd were from interstate or overseas.
"One of the things we are proud of is how people travel to UFC events around the world and almost 50 per cent travelled for this event," he said.
"56 per cent of tickets came from Queensland.
"We had 16 per cent from New South Wales, 11 per cent from Victoria and 10 per cent from outside Australia.
"It is a testament to what our fans are willing to do."
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