Mixed Martial Arts has always been popular in Southern California. It was the focus of a recent column in the Orange County Register.

Dana White and the UFC know this, which is the reason the organization worked so hard for so many years to get sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission.

And it is already paying off.

This past April, the UFC made its California debut at Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. The event sold out weeks in advance. Just two weeks ago, fans packed the STAPLES Center to watch Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes destroy UFC legend Royce Gracie.

The next four consecutive UFC events will take place in Las Vegas. But after that, it’s pretty obvious that the UFC will be a familiar sight throughout Southern California for years to come.

Because, according to Dana White:

Southern Cal has always been a hotbed for mixed martial arts. Even the fights we were doing in Las Vegas, people were driving in from Southern Cal. It’s always been huge in Southern California.

Step-by-step, the UFC is getting closer to “World Domination.”