Randy Couture made his UFC debut on May 30, 1997, at UFC 13. UFC held the card in front of just more than 5,000 people in Augusta, Georgia. There was no regulation for the event; the rules changed from card to card to accommodate local fighting commissions or avoid political scorn.
It was a stark contrast to today's UFC, a glitzy, multibillion-dollar sports promotion that runs massive events worldwide, airs on ESPN and is broadcast to millions of homes via television and pay-per-view.
"I don't think anybody in those stands knew who was on the card," Couture said of his debut.