UFC 1

UFC 1: The Beginning
UFC 1: The Beginning
	The poster for 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
Event chronology

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. Shamrock's knowledge of ground fighting allowed him to quickly take Smith, whose only training was in Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai, to the ground. Shamrock was then able to quickly secure the heel hook. Smith, although appearing to be injured by the submission, was not quick to accept defeat and continued to berate Shamrock after the match was called.

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

Gerard Gordeau

Kevin Rosier

Royce Gracie

Royce Gracie

Royce Gracie

Ken Shamrock

References

^ Walter, Donald F. , Jr. Mixed Martial Arts: Ultimate Sport, or Ultimately Illegal? Grapplearts.com. December 8 2003. Retrieved June 2 2006.

External links

Official UFC website

[1] Walter, Donald F. , Jr. Mixed Martial Arts: Ultimate Sport, or Ultimately Illegal? Grapplearts.com. December 8 2003. Retrieved June 2 2006.

[1]

v t e Ultimate Fighting Championship events
List of UFC events
Upcoming events are in italics
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Fight Nights (on Spike TV)	UFN 1 UFN 2 UFN 3 UFN 4 UFN 5 UFN 6 Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3 Sanchez vs. Riggs Evans vs. Salmon Stevenson vs. Guillard Stout vs. Fisher Thomas vs. Florian Swick vs. Burkman Florian vs. Lauzon Silva vs. Irvin Diaz vs. Neer Fight for the Troops Lauzon vs. Stephens Condit vs. Kampmann Diaz vs. Guillard Maynard vs. Diaz Florian vs. Gomi Marquardt vs. Palhares Fight for the Troops 2 Nogueira vs. Davis Shields vs. Ellenberger
UFC on Versus/UFC Live	Vera vs. Jones Jones vs. Matyushenko Sanchez vs. Kampmann Kongo vs. Barry Hardy vs. Lytle Cruz vs. Johnson
UFC on Fox	Velasquez vs. dos Santos Evans vs. Davis Diaz vs. Miller Shogun vs. Vera Henderson vs. Diaz Johnson vs. Dodson Henderson vs. Melendez Johnson vs. Moraga Johnson vs. Benavidez 2 Henderson vs. Thomson Werdum vs. Browne Lawler vs. Brown dos Santos vs. Miocic Gustafsson vs. Johnson Machida vs. Rockhold Dillashaw vs. Barão 2 dos Anjos vs. Cowboy 2 Johnson vs. Bader Teixeira vs. Evans Holm vs. Shevchenko Maia vs. Condit VanZant vs. Waterson Shevchenko vs. Peña Johnson vs. Reis Weidman vs. Gastelum Lawler vs. dos Anjos Jacaré vs. Brunson 2 Emmett vs. Stephens Poirier vs. Gaethje Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 Lee vs. Iaquinta 2
UFC on FX	Guillard vs. Miller Alves vs. Kampmann Johnson vs. McCall Maynard vs. Guida Browne vs. Bigfoot Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson Belfort vs. Bisping Belfort vs. Rockhold
UFC on Fuel TV	Sanchez vs. Ellenberger Gustafsson vs. Silva The Korean Zombie vs. Poirier Muñoz vs. Weidman Struve vs. Miocic Franklin vs. Le Barão vs. McDonald Silva vs. Stann Mousasi vs. Latifi Nogueira vs. Werdum
Fight Nights (on FS1, FS2, FXX, or UFC Fight Pass)	Shogun vs. Sonnen Condit vs. Kampmann 2 Teixeira vs. Bader Maia vs. Shields Machida vs. Muñoz Fight for the Troops 3 Belfort vs. Henderson 2 Hunt vs. Bigfoot Saffiedine vs. Lim Rockhold vs. Philippou Machida vs. Mousasi Kim vs. Hathaway Gustafsson vs. Manuwa Shogun vs. Henderson 2 Nogueira vs. Nelson Bisping vs. Kennedy Brown vs. Silva Muñoz vs. Mousasi Miocic vs. Maldonado Henderson vs. Khabilov Te Huna vs. Marquardt Swanson vs. Stephens Cowboy vs. Miller McGregor vs. Brandão Bader vs. Saint Preux Bisping vs. Le Henderson vs. dos Anjos Jacaré vs. Mousasi Bigfoot vs. Arlovski Hunt vs. Nelson Nelson vs. Story MacDonald vs. Saffiedine Rockhold vs. Bisping Shogun vs. Saint Preux Edgar vs. Swanson Machida vs. Dollaway McGregor vs. Siver Henderson vs. Thatch Bigfoot vs. Mir Maia vs. LaFlare Mendes vs. Lamas Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop 2 Miocic vs. Hunt Edgar vs. Faber Condit vs. Alves Boetsch vs. Henderson Jędrzejczyk vs. Penne Machida vs. Romero Mir vs. Duffee Bisping vs. Leites Teixeira vs. Saint Preux Holloway vs. Oliveira Barnett vs. Nelson Holohan vs. Smolka Belfort vs. Henderson 3 Magny vs. Gastelum Henderson vs. Masvidal Namajunas vs. VanZant Dillashaw vs. Cruz Hendricks vs. Thompson Cowboy vs. Cowboy Silva vs. Bisping Hunt vs. Mir Rothwell vs. dos Santos Overeem vs. Arlovski Almeida vs. Garbrandt MacDonald vs. Thompson dos Anjos vs. Alvarez McDonald vs. Lineker Rodríguez vs. Caceres Arlovski vs. Barnett Poirier vs. Johnson Cyborg vs. Länsberg Lineker vs. Dodson Lamas vs. Penn dos Anjos vs. Ferguson Mousasi vs. Hall 2 Bader vs. Nogueira 2 Whittaker vs. Brunson Lewis vs. Abdurakhimov Rodríguez vs. Penn Bermudez vs. The Korean Zombie Lewis vs. Browne Belfort vs. Gastelum Manuwa vs. Anderson Swanson vs. Lobov Gustafsson vs. Teixeira Lewis vs. Hunt Holm vs. Correia Chiesa vs. Lee Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio Pettis vs. Moreno Volkov vs. Struve Rockhold vs. Branch Saint Preux vs. Okami Cowboy vs. Till Brunson vs. Machida Poirier vs. Pettis Werdum vs. Tybura Bisping vs. Gastelum Swanson vs. Ortega Stephens vs. Choi Machida vs. Anders Cowboy vs. Medeiros Werdum vs. Volkov Barboza vs. Lee Maia vs. Usman Thompson vs. Till Rivera vs. Moraes Cowboy vs. Edwards dos Santos vs. Ivanov Shogun vs. Smith Gaethje vs. Vick Hunt vs. Oleinik Santos vs. Anders Volkan vs. Smith The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez Magny vs. Ponzinibbio Blaydes vs. Ngannou 2 dos Santos vs. Tuivasa
UFC on ESPN (or ESPN2)	Ngannou vs. Velasquez Barboza vs. Gaethje Ngannou vs. dos Santos dos Anjos vs. Edwards Covington vs. Lawler Reyes vs. Weidman Overeem vs. Rozenstruik Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik Overeem vs. Harris Woodley vs. Burns Eye vs. Calvillo Blaydes vs. Volkov Poirier vs. Hooker Kattar vs. Ige Whittaker vs. Till Munhoz vs. Edgar Holm vs. Aldana Santos vs. Teixeira Smith vs. Clark Hermansson vs. Vettori Chiesa vs. Magny Brunson vs. Holland Whittaker vs. Gastelum Reyes vs. Procházka Rodriguez vs. Waterson The Korean Zombie vs. Ige Makhachev vs. Moisés Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw Hall vs. Strickland Cannonier vs. Gastelum Barboza vs. Chikadze Font vs. Aldo Kattar vs. Chikadze Blaydes vs. Daukaus Luque vs. Muhammad 2 Font vs. Vera Błachowicz vs. Rakić Kattar vs. Emmett Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot dos Anjos vs. Fiziev Santos vs. Hill Vera vs. Cruz Thompson vs. Holland Vera vs. Sandhagen Holloway vs. Allen Song vs. Simón Kara-France vs. Albazi Vettori vs. Cannonier Strickland vs. Magomedov Holm vs. Bueno Silva Sandhagen vs. Font Luque vs. dos Anjos Dariush vs. Tsarukyan Ribas vs. Namajunas Blanchfield vs. Fiorot Nicolau vs. Perez Lewis vs. Nascimento Cannonier vs. Imavov Perez vs. Taira Namajunas vs. Cortez Lemos vs. Jandiroba
Fight Nights (on ESPN+)	Cejudo vs. Dillashaw Assunção vs. Moraes 2 Błachowicz vs. Santos Lewis vs. dos Santos Till vs. Masvidal Thompson vs. Pettis Overeem vs. Oleinik Jacaré vs. Hermansson Iaquinta vs. Cowboy dos Anjos vs. Lee Gustafsson vs. Smith Moicano vs. The Korean Zombie de Randamie vs. Ladd Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Andrade vs. Zhang Cowboy vs. Gaethje Rodríguez vs. Stephens Hermansson vs. Cannonier Joanna vs. Waterson Maia vs. Askren Magomedsharipov vs. Kattar Błachowicz vs. Jacaré Edgar vs. The Korean Zombie Blaydes vs. dos Santos Anderson vs. Błachowicz 2 Felder vs. Hooker Benavidez vs. Figueiredo Lee vs. Oliveira Woodley vs. Edwards Overeem vs. Harris Smith vs. Teixeira Hermansson vs. Weidman Smith vs. Teixeira Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 Brunson vs. Shahbazyan Lewis vs. Oleinik Smith vs. Rakić Overeem vs. Sakai Waterson vs. Hill Covington vs. Woodley Moraes vs. Sandhagen Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie Hall vs. Silva Felder vs. dos Anjos Thompson vs. Neal Overeem vs. Volkov Blaydes vs. Lewis Rozenstruik vs. Gane Edwards vs. Muhammad Font vs. Garbrandt Rozenstruik vs. Sakai Gane vs. Volkov Brunson vs. Till Smith vs. Spann Santos vs. Walker Dern vs. Rodriguez Ladd vs. Dumont Costa vs. Vettori Holloway vs. Rodríguez Vieira vs. Tate Lewis vs. Daukaus Hermansson vs. Strickland Walker vs. Hill Makhachev vs. Green Santos vs. Ankalaev Volkov vs. Aspinall Lemos vs. Andrade Holm vs. Vieira Volkov vs. Rozenstruik Blaydes vs. Aspinall Gane vs. Tuivasa Sandhagen vs. Song Dern vs. Yan Grasso vs. Araújo Kattar vs. Allen Rodriguez vs. Lemos Nzechukwu vs. Cuțelaba Cannonier vs. Strickland Strickland vs. Imavov Lewis vs. Spivak Andrade vs. Blanchfield Muniz vs. Allen Yan vs. Dvalishvili Holloway vs. Allen Pavlovich vs. Blaydes Dern vs. Hill Aspinall vs. Tybura Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie Gane vs. Spivak Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 Fiziev vs. Gamrot Dawson vs. Green Yusuff vs. Barboza Almeida vs. Lewis Allen vs. Craig Song vs. Gutiérrez Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 Dolidze vs. Imavov Hermansson vs. Pyfer Moreno vs. Royval 2 Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev Tuivasa vs. Tybura Allen vs. Curtis 2 Barboza vs. Murphy 242 243 Burns vs. Brady 245
UFC on ABC	Holloway vs. Kattar Vettori vs. Holland Ortega vs. Rodríguez Rozenstruik vs. Almeida Emmett vs. Topuria Whittaker vs. Aliskerov Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov
The Ultimate Fighter Finales	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
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