1996 was the year Sen. John McCain infamously called mixed martial arts “human cockfighting” when he sought to have the sport banned in all 50 states before it could really take off in the U.S.
UFC 1 had taken place just three years prior on Nov. 12, 1993, marking the birth of MMA, and from the start there was curiosity as to what this “ultimate fighting” was. There were no weight classes, no gloves or uniforms, and essentially no rules. It wasn’t sanctioned in every state. It wasn’t even called mixed martial arts yet.
Meanwhile, also in 1996, “Friends” wrapped up a successful second season on NBC just before the summer. The show – starring Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer – already was a smash hit as the third-most watched prime time television series (at a time when a lot of people watched regular TV) behind only No. 1 “ER” and No. 2 “Seinfeld.”
