Royce defeated three opponents to triumph at UFC 1.
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The UFC is today one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, consolidated in the market and present in several countries. If the current situation is prosperous, it is thanks to long and arduous work that began exactly 22 years ago. On November 12, 1993, the first edition of the Ultimate Fighting Championship was held, a fighting tournament that attracted attention due to its unusual format and participants with different characteristics.
Starting with the structure set up in the city of Denver, Colorado (USA): the fights would take place in an octagonal cage, something unprecedented in combat disciplines until then. The rules were simple, as only bites or fingers in the eye were prohibited. The fights, divided into unlimited five-minute rounds, were only defined when a fighter gave up or was knocked out/submitted.
Eight athletes from different disciplines and weights were selected for the tournament, played in an eliminatory format. Gerard Gourdeau (savate), Teila Tuli (sumo), Kevin Rosier (kickboxing), Zane Frazier (American kempô), Royce gracie (jiu-jitsu), Art Jimmerson (boxing), Ken Shamrock (wrestling) and Pat Smith (taekwondo) were chosen for the historic attraction, with the winner receiving a prize of US$50.
the fights
In the first fight in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, it was already clear that the attraction would raise competitiveness to another level. Gerard Gordeau defeated the giant Teila Tuli in a brutal way, with a goal kick in 26 seconds, which knocked out his opponent and knocked out a tooth.
In fact, despite the fights theoretically having no time limit, all of the night's fights were decided quickly. The premise of the tournament was clear: find out which was the most efficient martial art in the world. Therefore, the fights were about crowning whoever managed to impose their style first, which was conducive to lightning fights.
This was the case for Royce gracie, curiously the smallest member of the competition. His choice was intentional: the Gracie family had the objective of making jiu-jitsu recognized, and, therefore, they chose the weakest member to defeat the giants, causing a great impact on the spectators.
Size disadvantage was no problem for Royce. The Brazilian was able to take fights to the ground without much difficulty, and there all the competitors, especially the striking experts, were defenseless.
First, Royce dispatched boxer Jimmerson, who drew attention for fighting with only one glove on his wrists. The finish came just over two minutes into the fight, taking the Brazilian to the semifinals.
Next, Royce faced what would become a fierce rival: Ken Shamrock. The black belt needed 57 seconds to secure a rear naked choke, in a fight that will have its third edition in February next year, when the veterans face each other at Bellator. In the grand final, Royce faced Gordeau, who had beaten Tuli and Kevin Rosier, in both matches lasting less than a minute. Royce won at 1min45s, with another rear naked choke
It was the first step in a long and successful history of the UFC. After that, the organization adopted rules, changed ownership and became more professional, including entering the list of the ten most valuable sports brands on the planet. It all started on November 12, 1993, the opening chapter of the most well-known and popular fighting event in the world.
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