UFC 1 – The Beginning

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UFC 1, also known as “The Beginning,” took place on November 12, 1993, in Denver, Colorado. It marked the first official event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and showcased an eight-man tournament designed to determine the most effective martial art for unarmed combat. Here are the full results and rules from UFC 1

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UFC 1

A showcase of various fighting styles around the world, UFC’s goal was to prove the effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which was mostly unknown at the time. Reports from some of the fighters involved also felt this may be a cake walk and not real fighting. They were in for a shock.

UFC 1 – Rules

These were the general rules agreed.

  1. No drug testing
  2. There are no restrictions on techniques or tactics.
  3. Biting is strictly forbidden.
  4. Eye-gouging is not allowed.
  5. bare-knuckle is legal and no other uniform is required.
  6. There are no judges’ scores to determine the outcome of a fight.
  7. Unlimited rounds, lasting five minutes with a one-minute rest period in between. (For UFC 2, time limits were removed as no fights in UFC 1 lasted five minutes.)
  8. The fight can only be determined by a knockout, tapout, or corner stoppage (indicated by throwing in the towel). The referee can only pause the match pending the decision of the corner.

Did you know “nut shots” were legal?

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Tournament results

Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
          
 
 Gerard Gordeau
(Savate)		TKO
 
 Teila Tuli
(Sumo)		0:26
 Gerard GordeauTKO
 
 Kevin Rosier0:59
 Kevin Rosier
(Kickboxing)		TKO
 
 Zane Frazier
(Kenpo)		4:20
 Gerard Gordeau1:40
 
 Royce GracieSUB
 Royce Gracie
(Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)		SUB
 
 Art Jimmerson
(Boxing)		2:18
 Royce GracieSUB
 
 Ken Shamrock0:57
 Ken Shamrock
(Shootfighting)		SUB
 Patrick Smith
(Taekwondo)		1:49
UFC tournament visual.

Written results

  1. Gerard Gordeau vs. Teila Tuli: Gerard Gordeau defeated Teila Tuli via TKO (punches) at 0:26 of Round 1.
  2. Kevin Rosier vs. Zane Frazier: Kevin Rosier defeated Zane Frazier via TKO (corner stoppage) at 4:20 of Round 1.
  3. Royce Gracie vs. Art Jimmerson(one boxing glove): Royce Gracie defeated Art Jimmerson via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:18 of Round 1.
  4. Ken Shamrock vs. Patrick Smith: Ken Shamrock defeated Patrick Smith via submission (heel hook) at 1:49 of Round 1.

Tournament Semifinals:

  1. Gerard Gordeau vs. Kevin Rosier: Gerard Gordeau defeated Kevin Rosier via TKO (punches) at 0:59 of Round 1.
  2. Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock: Royce Gracie defeated Ken Shamrock via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:57 of Round 1.

Final:

Gerard Gordeau vs. Royce Gracie: Royce Gracie defeated Gerard Gordeau via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:44 of Round 1 to become the first UFC tournament champion.

Non-Tournament Superfight: 8. Jason DeLucia vs. Trent Jenkins: Jason DeLucia defeated Trent Jenkins via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:52 of Round 1.

These were the complete results from UFC 1, which saw Royce Gracie emerge as the victor and the first-ever UFC tournament champion.

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What were the rules in UFC 1?

No drug testing.
There are no restrictions on techniques or tactics.
Biting is strictly forbidden.
Eye-gouging is not allowed.
bare-knuckle is legal and no other uniform is required.
There are no judges’ scores to determine the outcome of a fight.
Unlimited rounds, lasting five minutes with a one-minute rest period in between. (For UFC 2, time limits were removed as no fights in UFC 1 lasted five minutes.)
The fight can only be determined by a knockout, tapout, or corner stoppage (indicated by throwing in the towel). The referee can only pause the match pending the decision of the corner.