(The last time Big Daddy got paid on time and in full.)
By Cage Potato contributor Chris Colemon
Only 17 years removed from its inaugural bout, the UFC is just now exiting its awkward teen years and developing into a suave, sophisticated adult. After an extended bout of growing pains that at times threatened the sport’s very existence, MMA is finally coming into its own. Today’s fans witness seemingly daily achievements and milestones that speak to the sport’s rapid expansion. In 2010 alone, the UFC held its first events in Abu Dhabi and Australia, opened offices in China, set a new North American attendance record for an MMA event, crowned its first Mexican heavyweight champion, and launched their first attack in the Battle for New York.
But the UFC’s epic tale is not unlike any other in that each chapter begins where another one ends. For every historic first, there is an all but forgotten last.
Here is a short list of some of the UFC’s important lasts — the rules and regulations sacrificed in the fight for our sport’s survival.
Check them out after the jump.
The time has come for former UFC champion 
On Nov. 13, MMA veteran 
One of the dilemmas that increasingly seems to frustrate both MMA promoters and fans is the refusal of friends and teammates to fight each other. The guys who train with Greg Jackson don’t want to fight each other. The guys who train at American Kickboxing Academy don’t want to fight each other. The guys who train at Black House don’t want to fight each other. Babalu Sobral says he doesn’t want the Strikeforce light heavyweight title fight he just earned because he’s friends with the champion, Mo Lawal. And so on.
