This weekend, almost 23 years after the birth of the UFC, the promotion will host UFC 200 live on pay-per-view from the brand-new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Milestone events like this bring about a sense of nostalgia for other historic moments in the history of the sport, and of course the one that stands
This weekend, almost 23 years after the birth of the UFC, the promotion will host UFC 200 live on pay-per-view from the brand-new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Milestone events like this bring about a sense of nostalgia for other historic moments in the history of the sport, and of course the one that stands out above all others is a show on Friday, November 12th, 1993 in Denver, Colorado that made all the others possible – UFC 1.
These days the UFC is a well-oiled machine, but back then in the very darkest ages of the sport, it was anything but, making it a white-knuckled rollercoaster ride from start to finish for everyone involved.
As such, UFC 1 has become an endlessly fascinating breeding ground for behind-the-scenes stories regarding the crazy things happened that night, and in the days leading up to the show, both inside and outside of the cage, and in this article we’ll delve into ten of the best.
Al Bundy may have exaggerated his exploits at Polk High, but the actor who portrayed him on Married With Children, Ed O’Neill, actually has real athletic chops to speak of. O’Neill played linebacker in college at Ohio State and Youngstown State University, and was briefly signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers where, according to O’Neill, “I stayed for about a minute.”
While acting in Hollywood, O’Neill discovered the gentle art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He began training under Rorian Gracie and never stopped, earning a black belt in 2007.
“I began studying Gracie Jiu Jitsu over 20 years ago,” said O’Neill in a Metamoris press release distributed Tuesday. “I was actually very hesitant to start, but a 10-minute session with Rorion Gracie was enough to get me hooked. For me, studying Jiu Jitsu has been an amazing experience. In a way it’s given me a second family.”
O’Neill will provide color commentary for the highly-anticipated submission-only pro invitational Metamoris II, which takes place in Los Angeles on June 9th and will be broadcast live on their website, metamoris.com. O’Neill will join his long-time teacher’s son, Rener Gracie, in providing the commentary for the Metamoris II stream.
From what we’ve seen, O’Neill is capable of providing insightful analysis and we all know he can kick ass. We’re not usually big on celebrity gimmick appearances but O’Neill doing fight commentary makes perfect sense to us. Feel free to react to this news accordingly.
The full Metamoris II lineup is after the jump…
(Good work, Ed. Position before submission.)
Al Bundy may have exaggerated his exploits at Polk High, but the actor who portrayed him on Married With Children, Ed O’Neill, actually has real athletic chops to speak of. O’Neill played linebacker in college at Ohio State and Youngstown State University, and was briefly signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers where, according to O’Neill, “I stayed for about a minute.”
While acting in Hollywood, O’Neill discovered the gentle art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He began training under Rorian Gracie and never stopped, earning a black belt in 2007.
“I began studying Gracie Jiu Jitsu over 20 years ago,” said O’Neill in a Metamoris press release distributed Tuesday. “I was actually very hesitant to start, but a 10-minute session with Rorion Gracie was enough to get me hooked. For me, studying Jiu Jitsu has been an amazing experience. In a way it’s given me a second family.”
O’Neill will provide color commentary for the highly-anticipated submission-only pro invitational Metamoris II, which takes place in Los Angeles on June 9th and will be broadcast live on their website, metamoris.com. O’Neill will join his long-time teacher’s son, Rener Gracie, in providing the commentary for the Metamoris II stream.
From what we’ve seen, O’Neill is capable of providing insightful analysis and we all know he can kick ass. We’re not usually big on celebrity gimmick appearances but O’Neill doing fight commentary makes perfect sense to us. Feel free to react to this news accordingly.
The full Metamoris II lineup is after the jump…
Official Metamoris II Card:
Shinya Aoki vs. Kron Gracie
Braulio Estima vs. Rodolfo Vieira
Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu vs. Brendan Schaub
Mackenzie Dern vs. Michelle Nicolini
Andre Galvao vs. Rafael Lovato Jr.
Bill “The Grill” Cooper vs. Victor Estima*
*Cooper was originally scheduled to face Ryan Hall but Hall has pulled out of the match because of injury.
Doors open at 3 pm PST
Royce Gracie autograph signing from 3-4 pm PST
Broadcast begins at 4 pm PST
MMA Fighting recently caught up with Ryron Gracie, the son of Rorion Gracie, to discuss the popular YouTube videos he produces with his brother Rener, working at UFC 1, the growth of the UFC, and whether he will ever fight in the UFC.
MMA Fighting recently caught up with Ryron Gracie, the son of Rorion Gracie, to discuss the popular YouTube videos he produces with his brother Rener, working at UFC 1, the growth of the UFC, and whether he will ever fight in the UFC.
