2005 was a simpler time. A time when Willa Ford wrangled smelly Canadians, 200-pound lightweights and future UFC champions competing in convoluted challenges all in the hope of securing a three-year, six figure contract with the UFC.
With Chris Leben’s infamous spritz, so began our love affair with season upon season of shirtless, ‘Let me bang, bro,’ bros. It wasn’t all bad. Season 1 of The Ultimate Fighter helped propel the desperate promotion into the American consciousness, undeniably growing the sport in the process.
UFC president Dana White has a soft spot for the first season’s cast, so much so that he believes we could see the entire group inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame.
“I think that’s a must,” White tells FOX Sports. “I think that entire season should be inducted. Without a doubt that group of people are all game changers.”
Former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar were inducted into the hall a year ago in conjunction with the UFC’s July Fan Expo, largely due to their heralded bout in the live season finale. “There’s never been a more important fight ever in mixed martial arts except maybe UFC 1,” White said at the time.
“I’ve thought about the whole cast should be (in the hall of fame),” says White. “Even the Canadian Jason Thacker — without the group of people that we had and the way the synergy worked and the way things went down, that season really launched everything.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Back to 185. Dan Henderson will return to the UFC’s middleweight division and hopes to fight again ‘by the end of the year.’
Like the odds. Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones and Chris Weidman pick up ESPY nominations.
‘What he always does.’ Chris Weidman’s trainer Ray Longo believes his fighter will ‘crush’ Lyoto Machida. ‘There’s a good chance he just dumps him on his head and does what he wants with him.’
Metamoris on Fight Pass. Dana White says the professional grappling promotion is ‘absolutely’ something that could find its way onto the UFC’s streaming service. ‘I think people are going to be surprised by the things that are going to pop up on Fight Pass.’
TUF Latin America. Get to know Team Mexico.
MEDIA STEW
Dana White talks Tyron Woodley stepping in, cutting Brandon Vera, Chael Sonnen at Metamoris and more.
Nick Diaz sounds into fighting Anderson Silva, I think.
Chris Weidman on BET, breaks down a fight between Jay-Z and 50 Cent.
A quick look at Anderson Silva’s recovery.
After scoring a one-second KO, Mike Garrett gets another quick one.
TTTHS.
Adventures In Ronda Rousey Land.
Long watches.
Joe Rogan Experience #514 – Duke Roufus
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TWEETS
Unhappy Bigfoot.
quack quack quack!Sounds like a duck to me.Let me hand you your 2nd loss straight,and it’ll free up more time for pro wrestling and podcasts
— Antonio Pezao Silva (@BigfootSilva) June 24, 2014
@JoshLBarnett @jucao @ufc @danawhite stop talk trash baby face and if UFC like a fight,take a fight like a man.
— Antonio Pezao Silva (@BigfootSilva) June 24, 2014
Congrats.
It’s an honor to be part of the @wheaties team!! #TeamWheaties #blessed http://t.co/kIUCQq1bZE
— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) June 24, 2014
Congrats @JonnyBones @RondaRousey @ChrisWeidmanUFC on the @ESPYS nomination! Cast your vote: http://t.co/Fzq0G3CD5U pic.twitter.com/B34uF6VC6X
— UFC (@ufc) June 24, 2014
Honored to be nominated for two categories for this year’s #espys 🙂 http://t.co/sEF1WglAcS
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) June 25, 2014
Get well soon.
Injures happens sorry guys hoping to get back soon love UFC @ufc @danawhite @lorenzofertitta
— Hector Lombard (@HectorLombard) June 24, 2014
@HectorLombard Heal up champ! ATT will still advance @AmericanTopTeam #attnation @ufc
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) June 24, 2014
Nothing like an emergency appendectomy procedure to break up your week of training! ;( @AKAThailand #Phuket #Thailand pic.twitter.com/OzG1TmOj25
— Mike Quick Swick (@officialswick) June 24, 2014
A for effort.
Guys I’m sorry my mistakes, I’m studying to be able to talk with you Best. pic.twitter.com/YRJ5pBuazl
— Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg) June 25, 2014
Could be.
I heard @ufc Hall of Fame;)) cool pic.twitter.com/YI7qSz07uO
— Chris Leben (@cripplerufc) June 24, 2014
Whatever it takes.
Estética Hollywood!!! pic.twitter.com/SkFTvjrhaG
— Jhenny Andrade UFC (@jhennyandrade10) June 24, 2014
Yeesh.
@DudeProducts Aint that the Truth!
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) June 24, 2014
Looking forward to this.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (June 24 2014)
NA
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via Michael Shulski.
Poll: Capitalism, Socialism and MMA
Pride Fighting Championships was the most capitalistic enterprise mma has ever seen. The International Fight League was conceived in a socialistic structure that may have contributed to its downfall. The UFC is a mostly capitalistic enterprise with various government agencies, mostly state level, setting regulations. This article explores how modern mma promotions have had varying degrees of socialism and capitalism.
Enson Inoue, in a recent Joe Rogan Podcast, explained how Pride FC was free from government regulations. Enson noted that contracts for Pride specified that fighters would not be tested for Performance Enhancing Drugs. Enson even went so far as to say that Pride contracts recommended that fighters take PEDs. Pride also assigned their own judges to fights. The Japanese government interfered very little in the operations of Pride. Still, there were questionable judges’ decisions such as Ricco Rodriguez vs. Minotauro Nogueira. There have been rampant internet accusations that fighters in Pride were on steroids. Wanderlei Silva, specifically, is a target. Could a Japanese Athletic Commision ‘fix’ these problems? Perhaps looking at MMA in America today will reveal an answer.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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