UFC 278 is happening Saturday. Can it help Utah’s languishing MMA scene to avoid tapping out?

The state once had a reputation as a mixed martial arts hotbed, but it now has just a single fighter signed to the top combat-sports promotion.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gavin Garcia, 16, trains with his dad Mario at Elite Performance MMA Gym in Sandy on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. Elite Performance mixed martial arts is owned by Jeremy Horn, one of the legendary fighters/trainers in the state.

UFC 278 is happening Saturday. Can it help Utah’s languishing MMA scene to avoid tapping out?

The state once had a reputation as a mixed martial arts hotbed, but it now has just a single fighter signed to the top combat-sports promotion.

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