UFC plans huge upgrade of Hall of Fame
The UFC has established four categories for its Hall of Fame, as it attempts to bring more structure and lead to it being considered like a major sports Hall of Fame.
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Dave Meltzer reports with characteristic detail that the UFC is revamping the Hall of Fame, and planning to build a physical location.
After a dozen years, the UFC Hall of Fame is undergoing a transformation in an attempt to make it both more legitimate as an entity, and to eventually have some form of a legitimate physical structure.
The company announced on Tuesday that it will induct a new class on July 11, at the Fan Expo the afternoon of UFC 189. There will be likely five inductees in four categories. The announcement noted at least one person from four different categories will be inducted each year between 2015 and 2017, as a way to establish the new criteria. With one of the categories being a legendary match, that would mean two inductees from that category.
After 2017, candidates will be chosen from those categories, but not necessarily one from every category each year.
The categories announced are the Modern Era Wing, the Pioneers Era Wing, the Contributors Wing and the Fight Wing.
The Modern Era Wing will be for those who made their professional MMA debut after November 17, 2000. To be eligible, a fighter must have either passed the age of 35, or have been retired for one calendar year. It is noted that active fighters past 35 are eligible, but not preferable.
The November 17, 2000, date is symbolic based on the adoption of the current “Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts” by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board.
The Pioneer Era Wing would be for fighters who debuted prior to that date.
The Contributors Wing is for non-fighters, for either individuals, or groups of individuals, who have made outstanding or historical contributions to the sport.
Contributors would be officials, referees, judges, trainers, commissioners, commentators, promoters and others associated with the sport in a non-competition role.
The final category is the Fight Wing, which will honor the greatest fights in UFC history.
White also noted that there are preliminary plans to house a physical UFC Hall of Fame location in Las Vegas.
One of the key reasons for the categories is to remove criticism of two past inductees, Charles “Mask” Lewis, who started the Tapout clothing line, a key figure in the early days of the sport, but who never fought, and Stephan Bonnar, who was never a UFC champion or top contender, but whose fight with Forrest Griffin can be argued was the most important fight in UFC history.
By this criteria, Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Randy Couture, Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz and Pat Miletich are in the Pioneer Era Hall of Famers. Forrest Griffin is the lone Modern Era fighter. Lewis is the lone Contributor and the April 9, 2005, fight with Griffin vs. Bonnar is the first fight.
It is noted that fighters can be inducted in two different categories, like Griffin, so famous fights like Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, Ortiz vs. Frank Shamrock or Hughes vs. Frank Trigg would be eligible. Of course, there are issues there, in the sense Wanderlei Silva and Shamrock are at odds with the promotion currently.
The selections will be made annually by the UFC internally, with White as the leader of the panel.
