The very first UFC was a completely different ballgame to what the UFC now is today. It was marketed completely different and many weren’t sure what was actually going to happen, even the organizers and fighters themselves to some degree.
Because of the chaotic nature of that very first UFC, a lot of crazy and unexpected things happened both in and out of the cage. While the legendary Royce Gracie’s epic performance is what most people think of regarding the first UFC, and rightfully so, a lot of craziness happened behind the scenes that many people don’t know.
5) The event was almost canceled
Many people aren’t aware that just 24 hours before the legendary event was slated to take place, it was nearly called off altogether. During a rules meeting between the competitors and co-founders Art Davie and Rorion Gracie, things got heated and it looked as if none of the fighters were going to sign the necessary paperwork.
Allegedly, it was the massive sumo wrestler Teila Tuli who would get the ball rolling, being the first to sign and the rest of the fighters would then follow suit.
Tuli would also end up being the first to fight on the main-card and would end up getting his tooth knocked out by Gerard Gordeau which we find more about on the next page.
4) Gerard Gordeau bit Royce Gracie during their fight
As we all know, Gerard Gordeau famously knocked out opponent Teila Tuli’s tooth with a kick during the first televised UFC fight (which would later end up causing a foot infection) but many people don’t know that he bit Royce Gracie in the finals during their match.
There were only two rules in the first UFC – no biting and no eye gouging, and this guy couldn’t adhere to them.
Gordeau bit Royce on the ear after being taken down, but the referee didn’t notice. He would later admit to doing this in an interview some years later.
3) Zane Frazier got into the UFC by beating up Frank Dux
We all know Frank Dux as being the inspiration for the epic martial arts documentary ‘Bloodsport’ but Dux is also known for being a questionable character whose skills and fighting background are sketchy at best.
Apparently, Dux instigated a brawl with kickboxer and karateka, Zane Frazier, at a martial arts event and Frazier beat him up in such a manner which impressed the original UFC co-owners, Art Davie and Rorion Gracie, who happened to be in attendance.
Frazier was subsequently invited to fight in the first UFC, where he fought Kevin Rosier and lost via TKO.
2) Ken Shamrock fought in Japan just a few days before UFC 1
Many people mistakenly believe that UFC 1 was the first ever mixed martial arts event but Pancrase was actually already going on in Japan before the first UFC. Though, the rules were kind of goofy, much like most mixed-rules type bouts before the UFC came along.
Ken Shamrock actually even fought in Pancrase just a few days prior to fighting at UFC 1, if you can believe it.
Shamrock won his fight in Pancrase against Takaku Fuke on November 8, 1993, then fought the very tough kickboxer, Patrick Smith, just a few days later on November 12, 1993, before losing to Royce Gracie in the semis on that same historic night.
1) The best fight was unaired!
Another interesting fact about that first UFC, albeit rather unfortunate, is that probably the best fight of the night was the only bout that was untelevised! The alternate fight between Kung Fu practitioner, Jason DeLucia, and opponent, Trent Jenkins, had it all – both cool striking exchanges with fancy kicks as well as grappling exchanges and was actually the first UFC fight ever to end with a rear-naked choke.
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As we can see in the above highlight video, it was probably the kind of fight that most fans were expecting on that historic evening, but, unfortunately, it didn’t make the air.
