UFC forms partnership with trading card company

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Here’s another sign that mixed martial arts has gone mainstream.

The Ultimate Fighting Championships and the Topps Company, long known for creating and marketing baseball cards, have formed a partnership that will allow Topps to produce trading cards with past, present and future UFC fighters. The cards are expected to go on the market early next year.

I can picture the playground scene.... ‘I’ll trade you one Forrest Griffin for a Michael Bisping and Chris Leben, and I’ll throw in my Snack-Pack for the rest of the week!’’

That’s not all. Instead of getting a piece of gum that’s hard enough to chip your tooth, buyers will receive ‘elements’’ of the UFC organization, including match-used gloves and pieces of the octagon.

I just hope they sterilize those things.

-- Dan Arritt