In 2003, the UFC created a Hall of Fame—a bold move for a sport less than a decade old at the time.
Bold, but perfect.
The UFC itself was a bold gambit—a brilliant idea that melded wrestling, boxing and martial arts into the perfect cacophony of violence.
The first inductees, Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock, were also perfect. These two early stars who together turned what could have been a one-off spectacle of gore into a real sport.
Since the two were inducted into the nascent Hall of Fame at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, way back at UFC 45, the Hall of Fame has, unfortunately, lost its way. While the nine inductees all belong, many others who helped revolutionize the sport were left on the outside looking in.
No Hall of Fame will ever be perfect. There will always be arguments about who belongs and who just misses the cut. But the following 10 men have to be in to preserve the legacy of the sport and pay tribute to those who have helped build it.