It was an event that permanently altered the combat sports landscape.
WOW Promotions and Semaphore Entertainment Group brought the Ultimate Fighting Championship to life on Nov. 12, 1993 in Denver, where martial artists from various disciplines were brought together in a one-night tournament to determine the best form of hand-to-hand combat. Ten men—eight quarterfinalists and two alternates—entered the cage without a firm grasp on what was going to transpire. Royce Gracie introduced the world to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, defeating three opponents in less than five minutes combined to emerge as the last man standing. The UFC has since staged more than 600 events and grown into a multi-billion-dollar business, and it can all be traced back to one fateful Friday in November nearly 30 years ago.