The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) began in the early 1990s. It was a brash experiment to see which of the many martial arts styles would prove most effective in real combat. What started as a one-event showcase has turned into a leading global professional mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, exciting record crowds with its entertaining combination of fighting styles and techniques.
The Conceptual Genesis of UFC
Art Davie, known as the first man to propose the idea of a single-elimination tournament with eight men, has been inspired by Brazilian vale tudo fighting competitions. On pitching the idea to John Milius and Rorion Gracie, both were very much interested and saw potential in this format to highlight Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to the world.