25 Fun MMA Facts That You May Or May Not Know

Accomplished MMA practitioner and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Eddie Bravo and world-renowned BJJ expert Joe Rogan are cut from the same plant. Aside from the fact that they are both big names in the world of MMA, they are also outspoken marijuana advocates. Both personalities have known each other for the longest time but they claim that their friendship does not affect the way they treat each other during training.

Every MMA enthusiast knows Mike Goldberg as the lead play-by-play announcer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, not everyone knows that when he is not calling UFC fights, he is actually the announcer for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. On top of that, he also does play-by-play for Arizona Cardinals football games and many others.

Even before MMA Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock won the UFC Super Fight Championship belt, Junior Dos Santos was already the reigning title holder. Shortly after Shamrock seized the title in 1995, the title was renamed the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Hence, technically, Dos Santos is still the UFC Super Fight Champion and that title remains unbroken up until today.

Matt Serra is known as the first American to have been awarded a BJJ Black Belt under Renzo Gracie. At an early age during the 1990s, Serra began studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under famous MMA fighter Renzo Gracie, who was also under retired MMA fighter Carlos Gracie, Jr.

UFC 28: High Stakes was held on November 17, 2000 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. That bout between Josh Barnett and Gan McGee was the first and only super heavyweight bout ever staged in UFC history. In this game, Barnett won by technical knockout.

Also known as the “Veteran Voice of the Octagon,” Bruce Buffer, the official Octagon announcer for UFC events, is the grandson of flyweight boxing champion Johnny Buff. Just like his grandfather, Bruce Buffer is also a champion in his own right. He is currently a second-degree black belt in tang soo do.

Travis Fulton has been widely known as the Iron Man of UFC, but not everyone knows why. Actually, the title was given to him due to his record-book dominance in UFC. He has the most KO/TKO wins in the history of MMA with 92, and has the most MMA wins by submission with 152. With a record of 247-49-10, he also has the most number of wins.

During the UFC 80 in 2008 where B.J. Penn won over Joe Stevenson, Penn was recognized as the First Finisher at 155. It was because UFC 80 was the first 155-pound title fight in the history of UFC that did not go to the judges.

In 2001, Zuffa purchased the UFC from Sephamore Entertainment Group for $2 million. Shortly after the purchase, terrific site MMA Payout reported that UFC 141 raked in $3.1 million on gate alone. Apparently, it was a pretty bad deal for White of Semaphore, whereas a slam-bang deal for the Fertitta brothers.

The first UFC fight that retired American MMA artist Forrest Griffin ever got into was that against Dan Severn. It was a loss for Griffin and a win by unanimous decision for Severn. Back then in 2001, Griffin had just started his career in the MMA while Severn was already in his 58th fight as a professional.

From January 1996 to May 2000, now retired Ukranian MMA artist and kick boxer Igor Vovchanchyn won a total of 32 consecutive fights with a draw and a no-contest. That record was the longest streak of wins ever accomplished in the MMA history and remains unparalleled up to this day.

Gary Goodridge is often recognized as one of the greatest arm wrestlers of all time. However, few know that he did not have any MMA background before he took two whole lessons of kuk sool and eventually fought in the UFC.

Chuck Liddell has undeniably carved out his niche in the MMA industry. However, prior his fame in MMA, he had a tiny part in the 1981 remake of the classic film noir starring Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange, where he played the role of a kid.

One Tag Team MMA fight ended with a tie and had four fighters writhing around the mat, all sweaty and engaging in closed-fist fights. The scenario led the crowd to shout the words “MMA is gay foreplay.”

Known for his anarchist worldview, Jeff Monson actually used to work in a crisis evaluation and counseling institution and holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology.

The first ever recorded MMA fight was a bout between British boxer Hercules O’Brien and Chinese Wushu fighter Huo Yuan Jia. The bout took place in Shanghai, China in 1909.

Unknown to most people, several MMA artists also have interesting side jobs. For example, Mac Danzig. Apart from being an MMA artist, he is also a sponsored skateboarder and professional photographer.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian politician and retired MMA artist Fedor Emelianenko are actually good buddies. Just recently, the former gave the latter a pep talk on national TV after the latter’s win over Jeff Monson.

The first UFC fight in history was originally planned to be held in a cage surrounded by a moat.

Organized in 1985, Shooto was the first and oldest MMA organization ever created in history. It was governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission.

UFC 76: Knockout was held in September 2007 in California and was the only event in history to not feature a knockout.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was a budding runway model in Brazil before he devoted himself full time to MMA. Once, he even acted in a Portuguese soap opera.

MMA artist was banned from carrying a cross on his way to the cage but ended up doing it anyway through the help of his partner in crime, Joe Son, who lied when he said that the cross actually contained his training equipment.

There was actually more to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt than most people know. He wrestled, boxed and practiced judo most of his life and was actually the first American to have ever earned his brown belt.

Renowned striker Victor Gracie is not really a Gracie but a Belfort. He obtained a BJJ black belt under Carlson Gracie, and has been so close to him all these years that he even decided to adopt his surname.