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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Nolan King

The event that started it all: Watch UFC 1 in its entirety – 30 years later

UFC 295 marked the 30th anniversary of the promotion.

Over three decades, the UFC – and the sport of MMA as a whole – has evolved tremendously. If evidence is needed, go back and watch the promotion’s first event ever – which is now available in full, for free.

UFC 1 took place Nov. 12, 1993, at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver with a reported 7,800 fans in attendance. The one-night tournament-style fight card filled with openweight matchups featured eight fights. Royce Gracie defeated Gerard Gordeau to win the tournament championship.

Relive the full fight card in the video above. Tournament participants include Gracie, Gordeau, Ken Shamrock, Kevin Rosier, Art Jimmerson, Zane Frazier, and Teila Tuli.

The six living UFC 1 tournament participants recently reunited for dinner and the filming of a segment called Fighters of the Roundtable. Watch that reunion here.

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