Why we love the UFC
November 12, 1993, was the day that started it all. No sport emerges out thin air but many consider this the birth date of modern-day Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was held in Denver, Colorado, when eight fighters, from different disciplines, entered an octagon-shaped cage for a one-night, no holds barred, tournament to determine which martial art was superior to all.
This raw concept alone is enough to capture the imagination of our inner child, reminiscing about some of the classic Bruce Lee and Van Damme movies.The first event looked more like a circus show than a professional sport. Striker VS Wrestler, Boxer VS Grappler, no one knew what to expect.
It was the Brazilian Gracey family who used this platform to introduce the world of their home-grown Brazilian Jujitsu. Royce Gracie, the smallest of his brothers, was chosen to represent his family’s discipline and dominated the first 4 UFC events, revolutionizing mixed martial arts forever.
Looking back at those early Mad Max days of the UFC, no one could have ever anticipated what would follow suit. Cut to 25 years later, MMA has changed beyond recognition and the UFC became a global, mullite Billion $ operation with millions of dedicated fans around the world and household name stars. Good management and smart promotion, by Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, helped transform it from a freak show into a real sport and an oiled machine. The rise of the Internet was also key for the word of mouth to spread through online forums, helping it build a cult following.
While the UFC transformed into a legitimate organization, regulated and covered by ESPN, it stayed true to its origins, never shying away from the spectacle and leaning on a theatrical- showbiz approach to sell fights. This gave birth to megastars like Connor MacGregor, known for their trash-talking as much as for their fighting.
Inspired by the campy WWE style of promotion, it’s no surprise that The Rock was chosen to present the unofficial “BMF” belt In UFC 244. The title itself was a gimmick, taken out of the WWE textbook and inspired by a random, post-fight, rant when Nate Diaz called out Jorge Masvidal to determine who’s the ‘baddest mother fucker’ (BMF) in the game.
The big difference from the WWE (aka grown man pretending to fight), is that in MMA, shit-talking comes with real consequences. Don’t get me wrong, we love a good shit show and all the antics but it’s the high stakes that bread drama and gets us psyched. When the cage is closed, there’s no script, just two elite martial artists and trained killers trying to finish each other.
There’s just nothing else like it. No other contest, no matter how competitive or heartbreaking, ever ends with one opponent choking the other to sleep or hammering fists on him while lying unconscious. Its an all in battle, in front of a packed stadium, millions of fans watching around the world and their loved ones in the front row.
More than just a modern gladiator show, with time, you get to appreciate all the different skill sets, discipline, dedication and ultimate sacrifice these elite athletes put on the line. There’re so many different variables when you combine striking with grappling, part of the excitement is the feeling of walking through uncharted territories.
Unlike boxing, there are no “tune-up” fights in the UFC, every fight matters and we don’t have to wait years for the match-ups everyone wants to see. When Dana White noticed fans going crazy online for the bad mother fucker fight, not only did he made it happen, he decided to have some fun with it and made an actual belt.
This immediacy is inherent for such a young dynamic organization, as well as the internet culture that is still part of its DNA. The UFC lives online, just as much as it does in the octagon. Countless documentaries, podcasts, and organic content give us an intimate look into the lives of these wild characters, willing to push their limits and put their bodies on the line. It’s the reason why youtube junkies, like ourselves, become so invested in the game and fall deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole.
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