The great fights live on forever. The wars are remembered in bars and at water coolers for years. The stunning knock-outs get seen repeatedly on highlight reels. Then, there are the other fights. I’m not talking about the run of the mill, middle of the road affairs. I’m talking about the “what the hell was that,” “Why aren’t they fighting?” affairs. While we can all admit that there have been many uhh…. less than entertaining… fights under Zuffa’s control of the UFC, this particular list focuses on the lackluster fights promoted by SEG.

Number 10. Randy Couture def. Maurice Smith At the UFC’s first journey to the land of the rising sun, the Heavyweight belt would change hands. Future legend, Randy Couture, would dominate using his wrestling skills against kickboxer Maurice Smith. The problem for the fans, was that Couture used little other than his wrestling to smother Smith en route to the decision victory.

Number 9. Pat Militech def. Mikey Burnett This is the fight that established the UFC’s 170lb belt that Militech would hold until Zuffa bought the promotion. As is often the case when the stakes are high, the fight lacked action. Militech would become known for putting on these boring hug-fests, but this one was by far his worst.

Number 8. Oleg Taktarov def. Tank Abbott The culmination of one of the UFC’s most action packed tournaments was a battle between two fan favorites. While there were periods of excitement during the fight, it also produced more than a few yawns. At times during the fight, it appeared the Taktarov was waiting for Abbott to move, while the Tank looked like he had fallen asleep in the Russian’s guard. It was fights like this that urged SEG to begin instituting more referee stand-ups.

Number 7. Jerry Bohlander def. Fabio Gurgel Gurgel came to the UFC with a fair amount of hype surrounding his BJJ skill. His first round opponent at UFC 11 was the durable and crafty Bohlander. Coming to the Octagon with a game plan, Bohlander took the Brazilian to the mat. After maneuvering to the cage, Bohlander held Gurgel to the mat, using the fence (which was legal) at times. The fight stayed in one spot throughout with little notable action. This would be another fight that would help institute rule changes.

Number 6. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka def. Pete Williams Both of these fighters were involved in action-packed fights at other points during their careers. On this night, however, a notorious “gentleman’s agreement” put an end to fans hopes of an interesting contest. With both men willing to avoid throwing strikes on the ground, a submission wrestling match broke out. Even at that, it was neither fast-paced nor extraordinarily technical.

Number 5. Tito Ortiz def. Wanderlei Silva This fight would be extraordinarily important in writing the history of MMA. It would not, however, feature any significant amount of action. Notwithstanding a Silva flurry late in the fight, a pattern of: Takedown, Smother, Bell would define this unmemorable battle.

Number 4. Ken Shamrock drew Oleg Taktarov When Oleg Taktarov arrived in America, he first made acquaintances through his history in Sambo. He would befriend Guy Mezger, Anthony Macias, and Ken Shamrock. There would be many problems that arose from the conflict of interest that is fighting a friend. At UFC 7, Shamrock and Taktarov put on a rather uneventful 35 minutes of “fighting” that resulted in a draw. Though Taktarov would be bloodied at the end of the fight, fans were not impressed by performance of either man.

Number 3. Laverne Clark def. Koji Oishi Last minute replacements always offer a wild card in a fight. In the case of Clark vs. Oishi, it stopped the fight all together. The Japanese had little training other than a wrestling background and wore a singlet in the fight. Clark had a reputation as a heavy puncher. The stark contrast in their styles, mixed with the short time they each had to prepare, made both very timid. Clark won a majority decision mostly on reputation. One judge did, however, score the fight a draw. We can only assume that the draw was 0-0.

Number 2. Paul Varelans def. Joe Moreira Paul Varelans returned to the Octagon at UFC 8 vowing to be a “thinker.” Fans hoped that this would mean fine-tuning his bull-rush style into a more refined, efficient attack. What it did mean, however, was that he planned to walk towards his opponent for the duration of the bout only occasionally making any move to attack. Why Moreira backpedaled from Varelans for the entire fight remains a mystery. What is certain is that neither fighter earned the moniker of “thinker.”

Number 1. Dan Severn def. Ken Shamrock The gold standard for snooze-inducing non-fights is this gem from UFC 9. Dubbed by history “The Great Dance,” Severn’s victory in Detroit left many viewers scratching their heads. In the days before the show, local politicians made a push to stop the event from happening. The compromise reached was that no closed-fist strikes were allowed. Shamrock did not want to fight the bigger man without being able to punch, but was convinced to enter the ring anyway. Thirty minutes later, few viewers remained awake to see 3 judges declare Severn the victor. Severn would say that he expected the decision to be the opposite because of Shamrock’s superior reputation. In the books, however, Severn has the dubious honor of winning The Great Dance.

While everyone knows that it’s the athletes that make any sport worth watching, there are invariably many behind-the-scenes people that leave their mark. Ask any current UFC fan who those important non-fighters were in UFC history and you will hear names like Dana White, the Fertitta brothers, Joe Silva, maybe even Joe Rogan. Older fans might give you names like Rorion Gracie, Art Davie, Bob Meyrowitz, or John Peretti. One name that might be passed over in many fan’s minds, is Jeff Blatnick.

Amateur Wrestling

Prior to his participation with the UFC, Blatnick had made a name for himself in amateur wrestling. He had been a New York state champion in high school. Ten times in his career, Blatnick earned the title of national champion. He was a member of the 1980 Olympic team, and became an Olympic champion in 1984. That year, he and teammate Steve Fraser became the first Americans to ever win gold at the Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling. It would be his connection to the American amateur wrestling circuit that would define his impact on the UFC. He would be selected by his teammates to carry the county’s flag during the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics. This honor spoke not only to his abilities on the mat, but his character and perseverance. Blatnick’s credentials in broadcasting are not limited to the UFC, either. He has done commentary for NBC, ABC, and ESPN. He has also served on the board of directors for USA Wrestling.

Battles with Cancer

Two years prior to his Olympic triumph, Blatnick was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While many athletes would have their careers ended by a cancer diagnosis, Blatnick battled the disease intent on returning to the mat. Not only did he return to competition, but it would only be two years later that he would be wearing his Olympic gold. This would not be Jeff’s only battle with cancer. The curse would return to him in 1988 and this time the treatment, involving chemotherapy, would be the end of his competitive career. Always making the most of the situation, Blatnick travels and does appearances doing motivational speaking based around his cancer triumphs. He would, later in life, say that he felt guilty for his fame, as it came from his trials with cancer. The Olympic gold medal tells a different story.

UFC Participation

Jeff Blatnick’s first UFC would be the promotion’s fourth show. He would be in the booth with Bruce Beck and Jim Brown. While Blatnick would always work well with the former, the latter would be a source of tension during the broadcast. It seemed as though Brown resented a perception that Blatnick was rooting for Dan Severn, a fellow wrestler. This is ironic, as Jim Brown’s role in the UFC was rarely anything more than rooting for Royce Gracie. There would be more bizarre tension for Blatnick during the week leading up to UFC 5. This time, the manager for Jon Hess would challenge the former Olympic champion to a fight. Thankfully for the dignity of all involved, this did not materialize. During his time as a broadcaster, Blatnick consistently showed a deeper understanding of the action than most of his peers. He foresaw the sport as a single style composed of many different martial arts. At UFC 17, he would become the commissioner of the UFC. This position would be similar to the one currently held by Dana White, but with less responsibility and influence. During his time as commissioner, Blatnick would participate in the fight to get MMA sanctioned by state athletic commissions and legitimized in the public perception. This would include helping to draft early versions of the unified rules now used by the UFC.

Jeff Blatnick may not be remembered as the most important figures in UFC history. Like many of the people in this column, however, he does not deserve to be one of the UFC’s forgotten stories.

Stop me if this sounds familiar.

One of the world’s premiere MMA organizations has fallen on hard times. They have lost their television contract. They are losing some of their top fighters to rival promoters. They plan to begin doing shows on other continents to increase revenue. By the end of the year, the promotion will be sold to a Nevada-based company named Zuffa.

No, I’m not talking about PRIDE FC’s plight during the last year. I’m talking about the Ultimate Fighting Championship as they entered what is now called “The Dark Days.” Despite all the negatives surrounding the promotion, the fighters in the ring still put on some great performances. What follows is a top ten list of the best fights from the UFC’s “Dark Days.”

10. Tedd Williams def. Steve Judson. In the annals of Mixed Martial Arts, Tedd Williams will be best remembered as a trainer. His opponent at UFC 24, Steve Judson, will be remembered for the stunning KO he suffered at UFC 22. On March 10, 2000, these two fought in an unlikely main event. Though both were known for their grappling skills, the fight was contested on the feet. After some exciting exchanges, Williams secured the referee stoppage.

9. Kevin Randleman def. Pete Williams. At a time when the previous two heavyweight champions of the UFC had vacated their titles, Randleman and Williams were determined to be the best of the rest. With both fighters having defeated former champions in their debuts, the choice made sense. From the opening bell, Randleman put the heat on Williams. Though he took control for a few minutes at the end of round one, Williams was never winning the fight. Randleman took a unanimous decision.

8. Pedro Rizzo def. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka. Rizzo entered this fight undefeated in the UFC, and was fighting a home country favorite. Kohsaka was 3-1 in the organization with his only loss coming to a retired champion. It could be argued that this fight could be for the vacant title. As it was, it was a clear number one contender bout. Rizzo would systematically dismantle Kohsaka. Eventually, Rizzo’s trademark leg kicks left Kohsaka kneeling on the canvas and not defending himself.

7. Randy Couture def. Kevin Randleman. Though Randy Couture had already won the UFC heavyweight title in his career, he had vacated his belt and lost twice over seas prior to this title fight. Randleman came into the bout having already defended the title once, and looking to add another. Randleman supporters said that he would be younger, more athletic, and a better wrestler. Whether these assertions turned out to be true or not would be irrelevant. Couture did what he would make a career of doing by defeating an opponent he was not supposed to defeat.

6. Yuki Kondo def. Alexandre Dantas. Despite a mixed record, Kondo came into this fight with a huge amount of experience fighting in Pancrase. His opponent, Dantas, was making his MMA debut. Dantas was, however, renowned as a Brazillian Jui-jitsu specialist. Both fighters kept the pace going for most of this memorable contest. It would Kondo’s experience and cardio that allowed him to eventually pound out a TKO victory. Dantas would only fight once more in MMA, also for the UFC under Zuffa ownership.

5. Jens Pulver def. John Lewis. This fight was 15 seconds that put Jens Pulver on the map. Though he had had success earlier in his career, KOing John Lewis marked the beginning Jens Pulver being a marquee fighter for the UFC. Lewis was the much bigger name coming into the fight, having fought some of the most respected fighters in the world. The quick knock-out would be the end of his competitive career in MMA. Outside the cage, Lewis would go on to be a trainer and promoter.

4. Josh Barnett def. Gan McGee. Noteworthy for being the only fight in UFC history to be competed under the Super-Heavyweight class under the unified rules, it turned out to be fairly high paced and well fought. Josh Barnett was making his major MMA debut after having won a star-producing tournament in SuperBrawl. It was IFC veteran Gan McGee, however, who would get the upper hand in the first round. Fatigue proved to be too much; and Barnett took control to earn the TKO in the second.

3. Dennis Hallman def. Matt Hughes. Hallman and Hughes had met as undefeated prospects in an Extreme Challenge event, with Hallman scoring a quick submission victory. Entering the rematch, Hughes had won 18 in a row while Hallman had seen defeat four times. Proving that there are just certain fighters who have another fighter’s number, Hallman scored another submission victory in 20 seconds. Since their rematch, Hughes has become a multi-time UFC champ and Hallman has found relative obscurity. Dennis Hallman might call himself “Superman,” but against Hughes he plays the role of kryptonite.

2. Jens Pulver def. David Valasquez. Two young fighters from good camps in the lighter weight classes is often a recipe for a great fight. Pulver and Valasquez did not disappoint. The fight would not be extraordinarily significant in either fighter’s career, but the in-ring action stood for itself. Featuring well fought striking and grappling exchanges, the two round fight showed fans some of the best of what MMA could be.

1. Tito Ortiz def. Wanderlei Silva. Though I’m sure many will scream about the lack of action in this plodding contest, the historical significance of this affair is undeniable. Fighting for the belt that Frank Shamrock had vacated, Ortiz and Silva would unknowingly be shaping the MMA landscape for the next 5 or 6 years. Ortiz won the unanimous decision and would become the face of the UFC. Silva, on the other hand, would have to find fights elsewhere. Luckily for him, he found a home in Pride. There he would become an even longer standing champion than Ortiz was in the UFC. If the result of this fight had been different, the world of MMA today would be different.

UFCScene.com presents it’s first recurring column: The Forgotten Stories of the UFC. This column will bring to the forefront some of the great events, fights, and fighters featured in the UFC before it’s recent popularity boom. Expect to see big names like Gracie, Shamrock, Severn, and Taktarov. Expect also to hear some more obxcure ones like DeLucia, Worsham, Jennum, and Hackney. Whether you’re a “noob” or an old-school NHB fan, The Forgotten Stories of the UFC will have something for you.

There have been a number of nights in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship that have earned their place in the collective memory of fans and fighters alike. Robbie Lawler’s KO of Steve Berger welcomed the UFC to free television. Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar marked the beginning of the MMA boom with their display at the first TUF finale. Randy Couture absolutely astounded (again) in his dismantling of Tim Sylvia to regain the Heavyweight championship. If we look back to the promotion’s early years, Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock’s Superfight at UFC 5 was as anticipated as any fight MMA has ever seen. Of course, there have been many other great nights and fights to play themselves out in the Octagon. Some of these moments, however, have seemingly faded into history without being given their proper due as worthy of legend. One such night was May 15, 1998 in Mobile, Alabama where the Ultimate Fighting Championship presented “Redemption.”

The Upset

UFC 17’s subtitle was an allusion to the return of former champion Mark Coleman, who was coming off his upset loss to Maurice Smith. Originally slated to face Randy Couture in the main event, Coleman was instead matched up with Pete Williams. Williams was a student and training partner of Ken Shamrock. For the first half of the fight, Mark Coleman looked as dominant as he had ever looked, following the ground and pound blue print that had earned him his championship in the first place. Williams, however, had brought a blueprint to the fight as well. It was the same blueprint that Smith had used to defeat Coleman. The blueprint could not have worked more flawlessly. When the fight was restarted for the overtime period, Coleman was exhausted and barely moved from his corner as Williams stalked across the Octagon and began peppering him with punches and leg kicks. With little time remaining in the fight, Williams brought a kick high. Coleman reached down with both hands, as he expected another leg kick. What he got, instead, was crushing blow to his jaw that left him glass-eyed as he lay against the fence. The entire building erupted. With all the recent upsets in MMA, calling this fight the “biggest upset of all time” would certainly be hyperbole. It was, however, the biggest upset of its time.

The Near-Upset

Though it was not featured on the broadcast, or subsequent video release, Jeremy Horn’s near-upset of Frank Shamrock helped electrify the lucky few who attended this classic UFC event. Frank Shamrock was the reigning middleweight champion, and was spending an average of 19 seconds in the Octagon during each of his two fights. Jeremy Horn was a kid with little muscle-definition who had been fighting in small shows in Iowa. A severe mismatch, it seemed, was in the cards. 16 minutes and 29 seconds later, Jeremy Horn had re-defined “moral victory” with his performance. Using the submission grappling and defensive skills that would become his trademark, Horn confused and frustrated the heavily-favored champion. Whether Shamrock had taken Horn lightly will forever remain between Shamrock’s ears. What is certain, is that Horn brought out the best in Shamrock. More than a year later, Tito Ortiz would attempt to control Shamrock. At UFC 17, Jeremy Horn had engaged, challenged, and countered him. Unfortunately for Horn, he met the same fate as all of Shamrock’s UFC opponents.

The Tournament

Adding to the excitement inside the Mobile Civic Center that night was a middleweight (200 lbs. at the time) tournament. The semi-finals of the 4-man tournament featured Dan Henderson grinding out a decision victory over the always-game Allan Goes in one bracket, and Carlos Newton quickly cinching a triangle choke onto Bob Gilstrap. With their victories, Newton and Henderson set up another legend-worthy encounter for fans that night. The UFC had seen its fair share of Wrestling vs. Jui-Jitsu, often with lackluster fights resulting. Probably because of their willingness to push the action, Henderson and Newton avoided putting on a boring fight. The action would be close throughout, with both fighters landing solid punches and controlling the action on the mat at one point or another. After the regulation time period had expired, it seemed to most viewers that Henderson had gotten the better of the grappling using positional control and Newton had landed the better strikes. The overtime period was clearly won by Newton. Head spinning shots had Henderson wobbly on his feet and even injured his jaw. After the time had expired, the then-champion Frank Shamrock, working as part of the pay-per-view broadcast, said that he would give the fight to Newton. The judges apparently disagreed, and gave the decision to Henderson. Despite the controversy, the fight remains one of the most competitive (if unheralded) bouts in the history of the UFC. This event would also mark the last time that the UFC would hold a single-event tournament on American soil, the end of an era.

The Big Names

Like so many other UFC’s before and after it, UFC 17’s card looks much more star-studded in hindsight than it did as it was playing itself out. There were the requisite stars on the card. In addition to Coleman and Shamrock, long time fan favorite David “Tank” Abbott was also featured in a heavyweight bout. It was the debuting athletes, however, who make this event such a memorable one. Williams and Horn would both become staples of UFC events in the following years with their impressive performances. Though the finalists in the middleweight tournament would leave the promotion following UFC 17, they would both go on to become international superstars in MMA. There was another UFC debut that night, and MMA debut in fact. It would be met with very little fanfare. The fighter, himself, would receive little attention from fans and promoters for years. In 2007, it would be a disservice to the UFC, and MMA in general, not to mention that UFC 17 was the event where Chuck Liddell first entered the Octagon. He defeated the forgettable Noe Hernandez in an alternate match up, and was never called into the finals of the middleweight tournament. Though he looked younger, more slender, and paler than his current appearance; all the trademarks were there: Mohawk, scalp tattoo, and punching power.