The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has become a global phenomenon, but its roots trace back to a single night in 1993. Fighting is what we live for.
The UFC's first event, UFC 1, took place on November 12, 1993, at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. This event marked the beginning of a new era in combat sports, introducing a wider audience to the world of mixed martial arts.
Here's a look back at that historic night:
UFC 1: The Beginning
"The Ultimate Fighting Championship" redirects here. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (later renamed UFC 1: The Beginning) was the first mixed martial arts event by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The event was the lowest profile by the contemporary standards. The venue was less than half-packed, and the grand prize of the tournament was as big as a regular sparring partner's biannual salary. Major martial-arts observers and columnists did not bother to show up; the press neglected the event, and Black Belt mentioned it only several months later.
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They did not come up with a 16-man tournament, as the big-name martial artists, mainly kickboxers, namely Dennis Alexio, Benny Urquidez, Jean-Yves Thériault, Rick Roufus, Stan Longinidis, Maurice Smith, Bart Vale, Hee Il Cho, George Dillman, Gene LeBell, Rob Kaman, Peter Aerts, Ernesto Hoost, Masaaki Satake, were among the others "publicly invited" by Art Davie,[7] but had shown no interest in participating.
Davie placed advertisements in martial arts magazines to recruit fighters. They wanted it to look brutal on television, so John Milius, one of Rorion Gracie's students and a Hollywood veteran who had directed Conan the Barbarian, decided the fights should take place in an octagonal cage fenced with chain link.
Campbell McLaren, a SEG executive, wanted people to consider the championship a live, televised version of Mortal Kombat, a popular fighting video game, in which victorious fighters got to "finish" their opponents through moves such as ripping their spines out of their bodies.
Rules and Format
The tournament featured fights with no weight classes, rounds, or judges. Unlimited five-minute rounds with one-minute rest period in between. Knockout, tapout, or corner stoppage (indicated by towel) are the only determination methods.
The three rules - no biting, no eye gouging, and no groin shots - were to be enforced only by a $1,500 fine. The match only ended by submission, knockout, or the fighter's corner throwing in the towel, although the referee stopped the first fight at 26 seconds.
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Commentary Team
The major accomplishment though for the promoters was to gather a celebrity commentary team for the event. The commentary team for the pay-per-view was Bill Wallace, Jim Brown, and Kathy Long, with additional analysis from Rod Machado and post-fight interviews by Brian Kilmeade.
Alternate
Jason DeLucia was an alternate for the event, having defeated Trent Jenkins in the alternate bout.
Each UFC event contains several fights. Most of the "numbered" events have taken place on pay-per-view, though there have been a few exceptions for reasons such as tape-delay.
In July 2009, the UFC held its unofficial 100th "numbered event"; however, officially, despite being called UFC 100, it was actually the 101st numbered event (not to mention the 133rd event overall).
Key Moments and Fighters
The event and its outcome catapulted Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (also known as Brazilian jiu-jitsu) to new heights in the United States and worldwide.
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Following this bout, the world got its first glimpse of the gi-wearing Gracie, a member of what would eventually be known as fighting’s first family. Standing across the cage from him was pro boxer Art Jimmerson, who bizarrely prepared for battle with one boxing glove on. Shortly after the opening bell, Gracie closed the distance with a kick and then took Jimmerson to the mat.
Joining the final four in the semifinals was Ken Shamrock, who was already a veteran of Japan’s Pancrase organization. Again, fans wondered what Gracie would do with the devastating striker, but the Brazilian had the answer, and it was the one he had all night - takedown, choke, game over.
Art Jimmerson fared better in combat sports with two gloves, compiling a 33-18 record as a pro boxer from 1985 to 2002. And though he never won a world title, he did face off against future champions Jeff Harding, Dennis Andries, Orlin Norris, Vassiliy Jirov, and Arthur Williams.
Jimmerson was never going to morph into a mixed martial artist, but Gerard Gordeau may have had a future in the game.
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In May 2017, the UFC announced White would hold Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series weekly on UFC Fight Pass (becoming, from January 2019 on, exclusive content on ESPN+ in the United States).
Historical Context and Evolution
UFC follows a rich history and tradition of competitive MMA dating back to Pankration, a Greek Olympic Games event introduced in 648 BC. About 80 years ago, a Brazilian form of MMA known as Vale Tudo (anything goes) sparked local interest in the sport.
In January 2001, under the new ownership of Zuffa, LLC and guided by the leadership of owners Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Dana White, the UFC brand restructured MMA into a highly organized, sanctioned and controlled combat sport. Throughout the years, UFC has consistently strived for the highest levels of safety and quality in all aspects of the sport.
In a further commitment to the health and safety of its athletes, UFC partnered with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to launch an historic and comprehensive anti-doping program in July 2015. Beginning July 2015, UFC introduced the first-ever Athlete Outfitting Policy and UFC Fight Kit.
In February 2016, UFC announced a five-year extension of its partnership with Cleveland Clinic, along with a one million-dollar contribution, to continue its support of the Professional Fighters Brain Health Study.
Legacy
Yet despite the fact that the sport and its athletes have evolved since 1993, Gracie’s accomplishments in the early UFCs haven’t dimmed in the slightest, mainly because he was fighting in unknown situations every night out against multiple opponents.
SCARIEST UFC KNOCKOUTS 😨
Here is a table summarizing the bonus winners from UFC 1:
| Bonus | Winner |
|---|---|
| Fight of the Night | Royce Gracie vs. |
| Knockout of the Night | Gerard Gordeau def. |
| Submission of the Night | Royce Gracie def. |