Looking at it from a world perspective, it's gaining popularity all the time. More venues in foreign lands, more kids interested in martial arts who see the UFC as their Mount Everest. I personally get more interested every year, and I disagree with the other answerer; I see plenty of diversity to keep it real and exciting. If anything, BJJ doesn't get enough credit, ironically, because a lot of fans still want to see rock 'em sock 'em primarily.

If Jones had fought Gustafsson in Sweden, a 50,00- seat stadium would have sold out. Mexico City will be nuts, bigger than the biggest bullfight, coming in second only to a soccer game featuring the Mexico national team. How's that for losing popularity?

Well UFC is starting UFC Asia which should start to gain more fans.. I can say Liddell and Lesnar are not ever going to fight again they retired from UFC.. Liddell was older when he started to fight he was in his mid 30's.. Lesnar found out he has a Nerve disease doctors told him it is best not to fight any more.. some of the older guys are still there and fighting but with the new if you have 30 fighters maybe 10 will make it and out of that 10 five will go on and be great fighters, yes UFC has changed even the old greats say you cant just be tough guy any more you have to be well rounded in the UFC. In UFC 1 guys had no rules and didn't wear gloves this changed when smaller leagues had people get hurt really bad or even some deaths, also Los Vegas boxing commission has control of MMA this is the only way they could progress to what it is now..

It SHOULD be gaining popularity. But some people say it's fake and that turns people down.

I T I S N O T F A K E ! ! !

A little out of column A and a little out of column B.

The UFC is gaining new fans all the time but it's also losing a goodly number because it is no longer pitting different styles, different philosophies, different training methods and different preferences against each other. Now all the fighters train in very similar ways making the UFC kinda boring.

UFC is declining in popularity. Who wants to see two grown men make love on the ground and call it a fight? Also the UFC puts out fights every week. UFC sucks as a venue for MMA also b/c it has too many rules esp. to favor wrestlers. Dana White sucks too for multiple reasons. He's a d_ck. Also the good fighters are getting old and there aren't enough younger fighters to replace them. Who would even want to do MMA for a living? Even if your a top level fighter, the pay absolutely sucks compared to boxing. Ultimately, it will from now on always be around, but two men making love on the ground is not what people want to see.

Is the UFC and MMA in general still gaining popularity. I am a fan, but I feel like, people are losing interest, and with stars like Chuck Liddell, Brock Lesnar, GSP, and Anderson Silva (temporarily at least) out of the game, it seems like it will not continue to gain popularity and remain more a fringe sport. It has moved to primetime, but it doesnt seem like they are that successful, and dana white seems like he is inflating numbers, and making his fighters seem like they are getting paid more than they are.