THQ has announced that it has singed the rights to games based on the UFC. The agreement lasts through 2011 and will apply to PC, handheld and console platforms.

"Ultimate Fighting Championship and THQ represent the perfect marriage of rich content and proven development capabilities," said Kelly Flock, executive vice president of worldwide publishing, THQ. "The UFC brand has seen tremendous growth in recent years with wild popularity among the core gaming demographic. This relationship serves as an extraordinary addition to THQ's world-class license portfolio as we continue to expand our competitive sports offering."

"Interactive is a critical opportunity for us to expand the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand," said Dana White, UFC president. "Our goal for the UFC games is to give our growing, global fan base the opportunity to experience the most exciting live sporting event in the world — the UFC. THQ's unparalleled development and pedigree in the fighting/action-sports genre, in addition to their leading position as a global publisher, makes them our best partner to deliver on this objective."

Gamers with long memories probably can think back to an extremely highly regarded UFC title back on the Sega Dreamcast. Hope is high that THQ can develop something as good.