by Aki Kuwabara, Inside Fights, Special to FOXSports.com

Last month, a front-page article about UFC 99 in one of Germany's largest newspapers has spurred a series of negative reactions.

Child protection services in Cologne, the host city of UFC 99, requested a ban on minors' attendance at the card; UFC's local promoter agreed to the demand.

Cologne's city council has tried to ban the event in the past months, claiming it was too violent, according to another report. Negative publicity was exacerbated by an article from another major German newspaper that contained erroneous information that everything is legal in UFC fights except biting and eye gouging.

Adding fuel to fire, a well-known German boxing announcer joined the chorus, pontificating that the UFC is "trying to sell brutality as something impressive."

By most accounts, the uproar of negative publicity seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to the perceived violence of MMA: It hints at the same old issue that has saddled the UFC since the "dark age" of MMA in the U.S.

"It's the same thing we've battled everywhere," UFC President Dana White said, "It was even worse when we started in UK. Television, politicians, venues, they were all against us. They tear it down. It takes time."

The problems in Gerymant are another reminder of mixed martial arts' struggle for acceptance as a legitimate sport.

In the U.S. — even with the explosion in popularity that has catapulted MMA to near mainstream status — some in general public, as well as in media, still cling to the outdated image of savagery for the early days of the UFC. MMA also has yet to achieve legality in several states/provinces in the US and Canada.

Dana White and Co. acknowledge that the current spate of condemnation leveled against MMA in Germany simply comes with the territory.

White added, "It's still there, but it's nothing new. This is what we do. I remember when we went to the U.K. ... dealing with stuff right up until we went to the event. It's all part of the process."

While Germany is Europe's richest economy, its MMA scene is still in infancy. Given the current MMA vacuum, UFC has a tough job in establishing itself there.

The general lack of recognition of MMA, partially due to the absence of media coverage of the sport, leaves Germany a fallow ground for a major MMA event.

Eurosport, a European sports satellite and cable network, has broadcast PRIDE FC and several European MMA events and a company called Martial Arts X-treme had a short-lived foray on German TV with a MMA-themed program.

Recent years have seen the emergence of various promotions, such as the Outsider Cup, Shido, and Gorilla Fight Events.

These, however, seem to be the exclusive enclaves of a small number of enthusiasts. While one or two significant MMA-related Web sites in Germany cover these promotions and their fighters, their presence remains in the shadow of major media coverage.

MMA in Germany is therefore undergoing the same stage of development where the sport found itself in the U.S. during the late '90s. There are hard-working fighters ready to make names for themselves and a small group of fans and supporters. Yet MMA struggles to break out of obscurity and gain legitimacy as a sport.

The future of MMA in Germany shows signs of promise. Boxing (and its curious offshoot, chess boxing) enjoys immense popularity and Germany has produced outstanding athletes in amateur wrestling and other combat sports.

Thus, the tradition and receptivity toward combat sports forms a favorable foundation for MMA to thrive.

The challenge lies in achieving wider acceptance and providing better opportunities for competition to aspiring fighters: Herein exists the opportunity for UFC to facilitate the growth of MMA in Germany and, in the process, corner the market. Having secured a deal with a TV network in Germany, UFC has taken the first step.