On November 12, 1993, centuries after the Greek Olympics were abolished b the conquering Roman Empire, fight fans packed into McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, to witness eight martial artists from a variety of disciplines such as karate, sumo, submission fighting, and jujitsu square off in a full-contact elimination tournament to declare an ultimate champion. Just as in pankration, no time limits or weight classes, and the only rules were no biting or gouging. In an octagon-shaped ring surrounded by a chain link fence called the Octagon, combatants headed into battle to test their courage, their stamina, and their fighting techniques.

Spectators witnessed a downed man get his head repeatedly stomped. Thye watched a four-hundred-pound sumo wrestler be kicked square in the mouth, sending a tooth flying from the cage. It was unlike any competition the spectators had ever seen, but what truly stunned the thousands in attendance, and the hundres of thousands watching on pay-per-view around the world, was how a lanky, 178-pound jiu-jitsu practitioner from Brazil won the title belt by taking his opponents to the mat, wrapping his body around them like a snake, and then forcing them to submit under the agonizing pressure of a chokehold. Royce Gracie, the smalles man in the tournament had bested some of the world's toughesthand-to-hand combatants without throwing a single worthy punch.

It was a dream that came true for Rorion Gracie, Royce's older brother. Rorion came up with the idea of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He brought in people in the entertainment industry who met with the cable companies and recruited experienced fighters from around the world. He planned everthing down to the last detail, making sure that there were no rules or restrictions that could lead competitors to claim that their fightying styles only worked in true street fights.

The UFC became one of the fastest growing pay-per-view events of all time, and each event became the learning experience for the entire martial arts world. Champions such as Royce Gracie were cast into the international spotlight, and the courage and heart that fighters displayed in the Octagon encouraged others to dedicate their lives to the new cobative challenge. With only a dream and desire, future competitors began to train up to eight hours a day, strengthening their bodies, and sharpening their skills, hardening their minds, and developing their own individualistic fighting styles.

The UFC was traveling down the path to becoming a legitimate sporting event, but along the way it encountered a devastating blockade. The early events had been sensationalized as a blood sport to garner appeal. The promoters who had taken the show over from the Gracie family, they did everything they could to shed this image, but the sterotype remained, especially with the general population who had not kept up with continuous evolution of the sport. The debate of whether no holds barred tournaments should be made illegal was ignited and hit the newspapers and talk shows with an evangelic fevor. UFC fans went to great lengths to defend the brave warriors who stepped into the Octagon, but with the opposition being backed by the boxing world and its constiuents, both of whom felt threatened by the UFC's rising popularity, the debate eventually reached the courtroom, and the ground breaking event found itself on the losing side of the battle. Banned in many states, politicians such as senator John McCain from Arizona began referring to the event as "human cock fighting." A negative stigma clung to all those involved in the sport, and as a result, UFC 12, held on Febuary 8, 1997, was the last event to be carried by the major cable provider.

Fortunately it wasnt about money or fame for the majority of the fighters. They began the sport to answer a simple question, what martial arts style is the most effective? Through twelve UFC tournaments, filled with almost a hundred grueling matches, they had received their answer: no on style was the best. "Back in the beginning, everyone competing in the UFC had a lot of respec for the other competitors who had a similar martial arts background, "said Mark Coleman, a trued legend of the Octagon. "Wrestlers stuck with other wrestlers. Strikers stuck with other strikers, and the jiu-jitsu guys stuck with other grapplers. But then things began to evolve so much that if you were just a wrestler, just a striker, or just a grappler, then you were in a lot of trouble. That is when it became mixed martial arts (MMA). Everyone started getting along, and we all tried to take the sport to the next level."

On Febuary 23, 2001, the new UFC brand was reintroduced at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Fight fans did not see traditional karate practitioners matched against experienced grapplers. They didn't see one-sided beatings or quick tap outs. Instead they saw wrestlers who could punch and kick and strikers who could flawlessly execute a submission hold. It was no longer a comparison of styles, but a comparison of individuals. The victors were those who possessed strength, stamina, and the knowledge of fighting while standing and on the ground. It did not take long for fans to realize that it was no longer a spectacle, but a legitimate sport.