UFC 8
Encyclopedia
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts
event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship
on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico
. The event was broadcast live on pay per view in the United States
, and later released on home video
.
and Kimo Leopoldo
. The event also featured one alternate fight, which was not shown on the live pay-per-view broadcast. The tournament had no weight classes, or weight limits. A 10 minute time limit was imposed for all matches in the tournament.
The event's matchups pitted larger fighters against smaller fighters, hence the term "David vs. Goliath".
Local promoter for the historical first and only professional mixed martial arts event was Richy Miranda-Cortese, whose company Sports & Entertainment Ltd had to take local Government officials to Federal Court in order to avoid cancellation of the event by the Government. Among those government officials was Governor Pedro Rosello and Sports and Recreation Director Erick Labrador. The presentation of the event developed into a new boxing commission rules and regulations and Imposition of a banning Law that was later overturned after Miranda-Cortese fought it in court.
The championship fight featured Don Frye
against Gary Goodridge
, with Frye taking the victory by tapout.
The event is also notable as being the first MMA
event to draw criticism, including local politician Calvin McCard’s on site protests at UFC 8. These protests would spark the nationwide movement against MMA in 1996, spearheaded by Arizona Senator John McCain
, which would later temporarily push the sport in the United States underground in 1997. http://www.grapplearts.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts-3.htm
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
. The event was broadcast live on pay per view in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and later released on home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
.
History
UFC 8 featured an eight-man tournament, and a UFC Superfight Championship fight between reigning UFC Champion Ken ShamrockKen Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
and Kimo Leopoldo
Kimo Leopoldo
Kimo Leopoldo , or simply Kimo, is an American mixed martial artist. He made his MMA debut at UFC 3 in 1994 losing to Royce Gracie by submission. Kimo's fighting style has been described as freestyle, with a mixture of striking and grappling techniques.He was credited with a black belt in Taekwondo...
. The event also featured one alternate fight, which was not shown on the live pay-per-view broadcast. The tournament had no weight classes, or weight limits. A 10 minute time limit was imposed for all matches in the tournament.
The event's matchups pitted larger fighters against smaller fighters, hence the term "David vs. Goliath".
Local promoter for the historical first and only professional mixed martial arts event was Richy Miranda-Cortese, whose company Sports & Entertainment Ltd had to take local Government officials to Federal Court in order to avoid cancellation of the event by the Government. Among those government officials was Governor Pedro Rosello and Sports and Recreation Director Erick Labrador. The presentation of the event developed into a new boxing commission rules and regulations and Imposition of a banning Law that was later overturned after Miranda-Cortese fought it in court.
The championship fight featured Don Frye
Don Frye
Donald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
against Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
, with Frye taking the victory by tapout.
The event is also notable as being the first MMA
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event to draw criticism, including local politician Calvin McCard’s on site protests at UFC 8. These protests would spark the nationwide movement against MMA in 1996, spearheaded by Arizona Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, which would later temporarily push the sport in the United States underground in 1997. http://www.grapplearts.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts-3.htm
Alternate bouts
United States Sam Adkins vs. United States Keith Mielke
- Adkins defeated Mielke via submission (punches) at 0:50.
Quarterfinals
- United States Don FryeDon FryeDonald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
vs.
Puerto Rico Thomas Ramirez
- Frye defeated Ramirez via KO (punch) at 0:08.
- United States Paul VarelansPaul VarelansPaul Varelans is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is famous for his appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship from 1995 to 1996, as well as a worked shoot fight against Taz in Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Career:...
vs.
Brazil Joe MoreiraJoe MoreiraJose Carlos Moreira is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and a former mixed martial artist.-Early life and career:Joe was born inside a taxicab in front of a Rio de Janeiro hospital...
- Varelans defeated Moreira via unanimous decision at 10:00. Due to injuries sustained in this fight, Varelans was unable to continue in the tournament and was replaced by Sam Adkins.
- United States Jerry BohlanderJerry BohlanderJerry Bohlander is an American former mixed martial artist. He is most notable for his UFC appearances and was a former UFC champion, winning the first lightweight tournament at UFC 12. He was a member of the legendary fight team the Lion's Den alongside other notable fighters such as Ken...
vs. United States Scott FerrozzoScott FerrozzoScott Ferrozzo is a retired American mixed martial artist. He is perhaps best known for his fights in the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-UFC career:...
- Bohlander defeated Ferrozzo via submission (guillotine choke) at 9:05.
Canada Gary GoodridgeGary GoodridgeGary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
vs. United States Paul Herrera
- Goodridge defeated Herrera via KO (elbows) at 0:13.
Semifinals
- United States Don FryeDon FryeDonald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
vs. United States Sam Adkins
- Frye defeated Adkins via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 0:48. Adkins replaced Paul Varelans, who was injured in his Quarterfinal bout.
- Canada Gary GoodridgeGary GoodridgeGary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
vs. United States Jerry BohlanderJerry BohlanderJerry Bohlander is an American former mixed martial artist. He is most notable for his UFC appearances and was a former UFC champion, winning the first lightweight tournament at UFC 12. He was a member of the legendary fight team the Lion's Den alongside other notable fighters such as Ken...
- Goodridge defeated Bohlander via TKO (punches) at 5:32.
Superfight
- Superfight Championship bout: United States Ken ShamrockKen ShamrockKenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
(c) vs. United States Kimo LeopoldoKimo LeopoldoKimo Leopoldo , or simply Kimo, is an American mixed martial artist. He made his MMA debut at UFC 3 in 1994 losing to Royce Gracie by submission. Kimo's fighting style has been described as freestyle, with a mixture of striking and grappling techniques.He was credited with a black belt in Taekwondo...
- Shamrock defeated Leopoldo via submission (kneebar) at 4:24 to retain the UFC Superfight Championship.
Finals
- United States Don FryeDon FryeDonald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
vs. Canada Gary GoodridgeGary GoodridgeGary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
- Frye defeated Goodridge via submission (position) at 2:14 to win the UFC 8 Tournament.
UFC 8 bracket
- Due to injury sustained in this fight, Varelans was unable to continue in the tournament and was replaced by Sam Adkins.