UFC 1
UFC 1: The Beginning | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Information | ||||
Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
Date | November 12, 1993 | |||
Venue | McNichols Sports Arena | |||
City | Denver, Colorado | |||
Attendance | 2,800 | |||
Buyrate | 86,000 [1] | |||
Event chronology | ||||
|
The neutrality of this article is disputed. |
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (later renamed UFC 1: The Beginning) was the first mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It took place at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado on November 12, 1993. The event was seen live on pay-per-view, and later released on home video. UFC 1 used an eight-man tournament format, with the winner receiving $50,000. The tournament had no weight classes or weight limits. Each match consisted of an unlimited time limit; therefore no judges were used for the night. Competitors could only win a match by submission, knockout, or throwing in the towel. Despite being billed as having "no rules" there were limitations on what the fighters could do, including no biting or eye gouging. Royce Gracie won the tournament by defeating Gerard Gordeau via submission due to a rear naked choke. The referees for UFC 1 were Joao Alberto Barreto and Helio Vigio, two veteran vale tudo referees from Brazil.
Early UFC matches were less of a contest between individuals and more of a contest between different fighting styles. Each fighter was usually only skilled in one form of martial arts and was built physically to take advantage of the rules and conventions associated with each form. Teila Tuli was a sumo wrestler and tipped the scales at over 400 pounds. Art Jimmerson knew only western boxing. Both Kevin Rosier and Zane Frazier were most experienced in kickboxing and karate, and both were tall with large arms but little muscular refinement elsewhere. Royce Gracie, the champion of the tournament, was the latest in a family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners from Brazil, and the lightest fighter in the ring at only 176 lbs.
The commentary team for the pay-per-view was Bill Wallace, Kathy Long, and Jim Brown, with additional analysis from Rod Machado and post-fight interviews by Brian Kilmeade. Jason DeLucia was an alternate for the event, having defeated Trent Jenkins in the alternate bout, however as no fighter pulled out during the tournament he was not called upon.
Results
Quarterfinals
Quarterfinal bout: Teila Tuli vs Gerard Gordeau
Gordeau, a world champion in Savate, defeated Tuli by TKO when the referee stepped in after a kick to the face by Gordeau. The 400 lb, 6'2" Samoan sumo wrestler charged Gordeau, but failed to secure a hold on him, falling to his knees near the edge of the arena in the process. Gordeau stepped aside and delivered a kick to Tuli's face, reportedly knocking a tooth out. Gordeau followed with a strike to the face, cutting Tuli and breaking his own hand. After being checked out by the doctors, the fight was called, with an official time of only 0:30.
Quarterfinal bout: Kevin Rosier vs Zane Frazier
Rosier, a kickboxer, defeated Zane Frazier, a practitioner of karate by TKO due to corner stoppage at 4:18. Both fighters remained on their feet throughout the entire match. After backing Frazier up against the fence, Roiser delivered several punches, then two stomps to the head of Frazier before the towel was thrown in.
Quarterfinal bout: Royce Gracie vs Art Jimmerson
Gracie defeated Jimmerson by submission at 2:18. Jimmerson's only training was in traditional boxing, evidenced by wearing a boxing glove on his left hand. Gracie was able to land multiple low kicks early in the fight, and take Jimmerson down. Gracie mounted Jimmerson with little resistance, and Jimmerson tapped out with no submission hold or choke actually being applied.
Quarterfinal bout: Ken Shamrock vs Patrick Smith
Shamrock defeated Smith via submission due to a heel hook at 1:51. Shamrock was one of the more experienced fighters entering the tournament, with previous fights in the Japanese fighting organization Pancrase. Due to Shamrock's knowledge of ground fighting, and Smith's only training being in Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai, Shamrock quickly took Smith to the ground, and secured the heel hook. Smith, although appearing to be hurt by the submission, was not quick to accept defeat and continued to berate Shamrock.
Semifinals
Semifinal bout: Gerard Gordeau vs Kevin Rosier
Gordeau defeated Roiser by TKO due to corner stoppage at 1:03. Gordeau was able stand over Rosier who was seated up against the octagon fence and effectively punch and kick him, with Rosier offering little defense until the fight was called off.
Semifinal bout: Royce Gracie vs Ken Shamrock
Gracie won with a gi choke :57 seconds into the fight. Shamrock initially gained a dominant position but was overcome by Gracie's skill. Shamrock tapped out, but the choke was not seen by the referee. Gracie released the hold assuming the fight was over. After a few seconds of deliberation, Shamrock conceded defeat.
Finals
Final bout: Gerard Gordeau vs Royce Gracie
Gracie won the first ever UFC tournament by defeating Gordeau by submission due to a rear naked choke at 1:41. Some people believe that early in the fight Gordeau bites Gracie (Gracie backs this up in his "Legends of the Octagon" video). Gracie held his finishing choke for a little bit longer after Gordeau tapped out.
UFC 1 bracket
Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||||
Gerard Gordeau | ||||||||||||||
Teila Tuli | ||||||||||||||
Gerard Gordeau | ||||||||||||||
Kevin Rosier | ||||||||||||||
Kevin Rosier | ||||||||||||||
Zane Frazier | ||||||||||||||
Royce Gracie | ||||||||||||||
Gerard Gordeau | ||||||||||||||
Royce Gracie | ||||||||||||||
Art Jimmerson | ||||||||||||||
Royce Gracie | ||||||||||||||
Ken Shamrock | ||||||||||||||
Ken Shamrock | ||||||||||||||
Patrick Smith |
References
- ^ Walter, Donald F. , Jr. Mixed Martial Arts: Ultimate Sport, or Ultimately Illegal? Grapplearts.com. December 8 2003. Retrieved June 2 2006.