Was a fan before it even happened. After a lifetime of kung fu and ninja movies and going to the theater to see Bloodsport and Kickboxer, when I heard there was going to be a real fighting event, I was all over it.
Saw UFC 1 and was hooked.. LOL I used to HATE Royce though.. I was rooting for Ken at UFC 5, I wanted him to beat Royce badly. I thought of GJJ as dirty fighting heeheehee..
In fact, That's why I loved Sakuraba so much. His systematic beating of Gracies.
ROYCE GRACIE
I rented UFC 2 from the video store. I had never heard of the UFC at the time. I thought it might be fake, but was hoping it was real. Then when I played the tape I knew it was real. And I was positive that Pat Smith was going to hurt Royce bad. I didnt really understand ground fighting at the time. And Pat was destroying people. Then Royce easily beat Pat and I was shocked. Have been a fan ever since.
I heard somebody talking about Randy Couture beating Chuck Liddell.
I figured if a 40 year old could become a dominant world champion, then my "I'm too old [30] to start training" excuse was just b.s.
Rented UFC 2 and was amazed at pat smith vs morris and remco vs that little kickboxer (orlando weit or something)
I loved bloodsport and this seemed the closest to it, I knew nothing of groundfighting except my dad always said the wrestler will beat the boxer...lol.
I lost touch durning the dark years and got back into it full force in 2000. I was very impressed with how everything had evolved with fighters being good in standup and groundfighting.
Anyone discover mma within the last year?
UFC 4 was the first one I watched, and I was hooked, when Steve Jennum armbarred Melton Bowen, that did it for me.
Royce and Ken Shamrock. Rented ufc#2 from hollywood, I liked the brutality but fell in love with the Technique of Jiu Jitsu and Shootfighting. I never wondered why I'm a MMA junkie,it's just something that was ment to be. Me and MMA are like soulmates and shit.
A local show about three years ago got me hooked. I was a big fan immidatley began revolving my day around mma
The Fightin...
My brother put UFC 2 or 1 in the VCR and I been a fan ever since.
seeing gracie choke out severn. in 97' (wish it was 93') a friend of mine told me about this "real fighting" and offered to bring over some tapes. we watched 3 of the UFC's and gracie/severn was one of them.
the next week i went to the video store and rented everyone they had (about twelve) and watched every single one in a row. ive been obsessed ever since
carefully wipes the tear from my left eye
but seriously, i do owe alot to the friend that introduced me to MMA although i fucked his girlfriend. if i hadnt seen those tapes, i wouldnt have anything to do but drugs!
now i have both :)
UFC 1,2,& 3 and to be more detailed Pat Smith raining down elbows.
"to be more detailed Pat Smith raining down elbows."
YUP.
One of my best friends fought in a weekly amatuer show here in Des Moines and talked about it all the time. I just told him it sounded retarded but whatever made him happy. Well he talked me into going with him one week and i was amazed. Not even so much with the fights themselves, but the entire subculture around them. I went with or without him every week and him and "the Dentist," Josh Neer along with Victor Moreno made me fall in love with the sport. Seeing how much they gave and their passion for the sport was incredible. You could see the determination in their eyes and when anybody loves something that much, you take notice. I've never seen anybody train harder than Josh. Then when they started fighting pro, a whole new world was opened to me and I was like a kid on Christmas morning!
TTT
Watching Royce in UFC 2.
UFC 1.
I was taking Jeet Kune Do at the time and my instructor kept coming back from California with these amazing moves from someone called "The Gracies."
I remember my instructor telling us about these Ju-Jitsu guys from Brazil who have an open challenge. And that kick boxers would enter the ring all confident against a skinny gracie and the next thing you know the kickboxer is crawling for the ropes trying to get out of there, with a Gracie coiled around him like a snake. I had to see this stuff!
I'll never forget the "ooohhh" that went through the whole class the first time our instructor showed the classic spin-into-armbar from the mount. Right there I think I was hooked on BJJ.
Then I heard there was going to be this "Ultimate Fighting Championship" and thought "Holy crap, is this possible? Are they really, finally going to do this thing and make every BS-spouting martial arts style put up or shut up? Awesome!"
Then I heard Royce was going to be in it! I remember watching the first UFC with a room full of friends, watching Gordeau kick out Tuli's tooth and all of us were stunned into silence...then we all freaked out.
"This is freakin' real! This is insane." Of course everyone thought Gordeau would take it and no one gave Royce a chance, but I kept saying "Guys, he'll take it, wait and see."
The combination of Royce's win, the excitement of the event, with the validation of the techniques we were learning was in incredible high. I've been a fan ever since.
Prof.
My wrestling coach was into Judo & talked to us about NHB.
My whole wrestling team decided to watch UFC 4 because Dan Severn would be representing the sport. I have been into it, to some extent, ever since.