This was a HUGE week for MMA. The UFC gained a blue-chip corporate sponsor in Anheuser-Busch, making Bud Light the league's exclusive beer sponsor for 3 years. ProElite and CBS announced a multi-year partnership to put EliteXC events on broadcast TV (though it reportedly was a time buy and not a rights-fee based deal), a huge breakthrough for the sport.
Both of these developments signify that marketers are starting to see MMA as a legitimate sport and platform for promotion. I think we'll definitely see more networks and sponsors get involved in the next year or so.
You can read more about the UFC-Bud Light deal here and the ProElite-CBS deal here.