Asia set for mixed martial arts "revolution"

(Reuters) - It has been branded "human cockfighting" by Senator John McCain and bloodlust unbound by its critics, but mixed martial arts has evolved from ''no holds barred'' brawls to become one of the world''s fastest growing sports.

It has fought hard to gain credibility, regulatory backing and global appeal by introducing a comprehensive list of rules, stringent doping procedures and embarking on a educational campaign to win hearts and minds.

Now sanctioned in more than 40 U.S. states, the sport is experiencing explosive growth in viewership and participation. Its top athletes are winning mainstream recognition, hefty salaries and lucrative sponsorship deals.

George St-Pierre, the UFC''s welterweight champion, inked a multi-year deal with sports apparel maker Under Armor Inc in November and earlier this year became the first MMA fighter to sign with Gatorade.

MMA gyms are springing up worldwide and the UFC is staging events in Europe, Canada and Australia.

Chatri Sityodtong, managing director at the new Evolve Academy in Singapore, said that MMA''s massive growth lay in a primal fascination with combat -- "a reflection on humanity, the caveman instinct."

However, it did not deserve its reputation for violence, he said.

"This is the greatest misconception about the sport of MMA," said Chatri. "If it was such a violent, dangerous sport the safety record should be worse than boxing .... worse than skydiving, worse than all these other adrenaline sports. Yet it''s safer."

''BLOOD AND ILLEGALITY''?

While boxing has a far longer history, the ''sweet science'' has a much poorer safety record, with studies in the Journal of Combative Sport putting the number of ring-related deaths at more than 10 per year worldwide.

The death of Sam Vasquez in 2007, however, is the only fatality from a sanctioned MMA bout in North America, though there have been three other deaths in Mexico, South Korea and Ukraine.