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Richard Piatt ReportingA new sport that combines boxing, wrestling and showmanship with reality TV is attracting attention in Utah. It's called 'Ultimate Combat.' And today boxing legend Thomas "Hitman" Hearns was in Salt Lake City to promote it.
It is a relatively new spectator sport--as brutal as boxing, even a street fight. But Ultimate Combat's promoters say it's more than that too.
Mike Stidham, 'Ultimate Combate Experience' Creator: "You step into the ring and it's him against you. And there's nothing that can compare to that. There's a very small fraternity of people who know what it's like to be in that ring with an opponent and it’s something really special."
At a Kearns gym there are workouts for boxing, wrestling, kick boxing, and the martial arts. There is offense and defense, and sometimes a little showmanship along the way.
It's all getting popular enough to attract seven-time boxing champ Thomas "Hitman" Hearns to Utah to help promote Ultimate Combat's TV show. Hearns predicts its popularity will grow.
Tommy Hearns, Boxing Champion: "I think it'll definitely pick up because people like challenges. People like differences. People like a brawl, and ultimate fighting is a brawl."
One of the main differences about the ultimate combat is that it's a number of different sports in one inside the ring. And that means the athletes have to be in condition on a number of different levels.
Tommy Gun, a regular on the show, says they don't just take people off the street.
Tommy 'Gun', Ultimate Combat Athlete: “People are told to come in to the gym and train for this because it’s a contact sport; it’s like football.”
Critics say it's too violent and raw for a mass audience. But it's hitting a chord with a lot of people who like the different combat experience.
'Ultimate Combat' matches are taped on Saturday nights at club AXIS.
