(This article originally ran at Argus Leader)

From unsanctioned stain to its proper place as the world’s fastest growing sport, mixed martial arts has exploded in South Dakota over the past few years.

As evidence of its meteoric rise, this summer Sioux Falls will usher in a new era for professional sports in the state.

UFC President Dana White confirmed to Argus Leader Media that the world’s premier MMA promotion is coming to Sioux Falls on July 13 for UFC Fight Night 91 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. The event will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1. Ticket information will be released at a later date.

“We’re coming here in July,” White told the Argus Leader from his ringside seat at Friday night’s RFA 37 at the Sanford Pentagon.

The announcement comes less than three years since the state formed its first regulatory MMA commission, which put an end to dangerous underground promotions that had drawn ire from politicians and the public alike.

The image of MMA on the local level has transformed in short order with power agents Dave Martin and Ed Soares leading the way. Martin, based out of Sioux Falls, and Soares, RFA president and co-founder of famed Brazilian fighting team Black House, teamed up to bring the state’s first promotion to the Pentagon in Aug. 2014.

“You have to remember what was happening back in 2008-09 — the ‘Wild West’ years. It was embarrassing,” Martin said. “It wasn’t a sport. It was literally a street fight in a cage. That’s why I think you had some in this community who hated MMA. … Bringing in that first fight with Ed, we just wanted to do it the right way. To have everybody learn what MMA is all about and to get over that black eye the sport had.”

Even before the RFA’s second Sioux Falls promotion in April 2015, Soares and Martin had piqued White’s interest.

“I guarantee you that within the next 12 to 18 months, that the UFC could potentially come here,” Soares told the Argus Leader while attending the Summit League basketball tournament at the Premier Center in March 2015.

While that turned out to be prescient, there was a final hurdle to cross: Lifting decade-old Sioux Falls ordinance which prohibited MMA bouts from being held at city-owned properties, including the 12,000-seat Premier Center.

Spearheaded by Christine Erickson, the Sioux Falls City Council repealed the ordinance in October, clearing the way for a potential UFC event in town.

Add in three successful RFA events — Friday night’s was the fourth — and the help of several local sponsors, and suddenly the city had clout in the sport where none existed a few short years ago. The emergence Next Edge Academy, which shares space with Martin in the downtown-based gym, has provided high-level training for fighters under the guidance of MMA veteran and Brazilian jiu jitsu blackbelt, Bruce Hoyer.

The pieces have fallen neatly into place — and at a remarkable pace.

“I really didn’t anticipate it coming along this quickly,” Martin said, “but I just think it’s because of the fan base. I always knew it was here and knew there were talented fighters here. We just didn’t have the opportunity to showcase it.”

White agrees with that sentiment and spoke glowingly about MMA in South Dakota, citing a devoted fan base and growing talent pool. As to whether fighters with local connections will compete at the July event — that’s still up in the air. But, White has a history of pairing athletes with hometown crowds.

“Obviously it would be fantastic to come back here with some South Dakota guys, but we’ll build the card before we get here,” White said. “I love giving opportunities. It’s everybody’s dream to dight in the UFC in their hometown. So, obviously I like making that happen.”

South Dakota fighters gave White a firsthand look at RFA 37, and didn’t disappoint. David Michaud — a UFC alum from Pine Ridge — dominated his welterweight match, winning via submission, while Sioux Falls’ Bryce Logan won his lightweight match. In the evening’s co-main event, Devin Clark won the inaugural light heavyweight championship with a third-round TKO (injury) of Brazil-based Rafael Viana.

Clark is a prime candidate to get a call up to the UFC, and the roughly four months before the July card would provide ample time for training camp.

“Dana came back and talked to me a little bit. He gave me a little bit of good news, said I might be expecting a call,” Clark said. “Maybe to get something happening this summer.”

Webster native and four-time all-american wrestler Logan Storley bullied his way to a TKO victory as well. Clark and Storley appeared on the televised portion of the promotion (on AXS TV), which serves as the UFC’s unofficial developmental league.

“Without events like this, we couldn’t do what we do,” White said. “We need events like this. These events are the backbone of the sport.”

Though the Pentagon’s 3,200 seat capacity is a perfect fit for the RFA, a UFC event requires the ample space afforded by the Premier Center. The live gate revenue for comparably sized UFC venues commonly reaches millions of dollars. And tickets don’t last long — the recently-billed UFC Fight Night in Canada’s capital city of Quebec sold out in less than two hours.

For more on UFC Fight Night 91, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.