MMA has exploded onto the scene over the past decade, with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) leading the way, with Bellator and One Championship also being major organisers of MMA cards. If you are an avid fan of MMA, here are a few surprising facts that you probably didn’t know.
- Chuck Lidell has a BA degree in accounting – To look at him, you would never think that Chuck Lidell had a degree in anything other than violence. He graduated from California Polytechnic in 1995 with a degree in business and accounting, which dispels the notion that only nerds study. If you would like to try out kickboxing in Reading, check out the best gym in Berkshire.
- New York is the only state to ban UFC – The state of New York once banned UFC from holding events in the state because they felt the sport was too brutal. Of course, the ban is now lifted, but for many years, Dana White, the CEO of UFC tried everything to get the ban lifted.
- UFC belts are made of real gold – When you see Dana White put the strap around a fighter’s waist, that belt is gold plated and very heavy. The UFC belts are designed by Dave Millican and Javier Cortez and there are many replicas but they don’t come close to the real thing.
- Tito Ortiz’s real name is Jacob – This might surprise you, but the truth is, his real name is Jacob Christopher Ortiz. Click here for tips on office relocation.
- The octagon was influenced by Chuck Norris – Chuck starred in the 1980 movie ‘The Octagon’, which is believed to have been the inspiration for the UFC designing their octagon. Dana White was smart enough to copyright the design, which is still used today.
- Bowles Vs Page – This is one stat that defies belief; Bryan Bowles defeated Damacio Page by guillotine choke at 3:30 of the first round, then when they fought again, Bowles guillotined Page at precisely the same time, 3:30 of round one.
- First Mixed Martial Art had two rules – Pankration was the very first mixed martial art and there were only two rules; no biting and no eye gouging. This ancient sport was developed by the Greeks.
- Only one super heavyweight contest was ever held – The UFC 28 bout between Josh Barnett and Gam McGee was the only super heavyweight fight the UFC ever held. Barnett won by KO.
- Bruce Buffer was once a boxer – Most people would never have guessed that the UFC announcer was once a boxer and he also has a black belt in Tang Soo Do.
- Longest winning streak in MMA – Ivor Vovchanchyn won a total of 32 fights consecutively between 1996 and 2000.
- Bruce Buffer once appeared on ‘Friends’ – This happened in 1997 when the UFC was trying to gain a better image in the US. We think it must have worked, as the UFC is one of the most popular combat sports organisations in the world.
If you are a big UFC fan, why not start learning MMA? There are MMA gyms in most UK towns and cities and a Google search will put you in touch with a nearby gym.
