UFC Title Trivia Thread

[jeff7b9]

Ok, so it'd really come down to what counts as overtimes and what counts as rounds. For a while, they had a regulation period and then one or two overtimes. Then, they would just have weirdly long and short rounds, but I'm not sure if they considered them, or if we should consider them, overtimes. That 15 minute-3 minute-3 minute system that they had for a while, that's not unlike PRIDE's 10 minute-5 minute-5 minute round system, but we never called the two 5-minute rounds overtimes in PRIDE. It's weird and confusing either way. But what you posted started bringing things back into focus for me. The idea to have two 5-minute rounds was idiotic and that's probably why there were a few draws even after they instituted judging and that scoring system. I'd forgotten that brief aberration in the UFC evolution. Thankfully, they didn't try that with championship fights...



...because this championship chaos (PRIDE event title pun intended) sounds awful. I remember that whole situation with DJ being very messy, but back then I didn't care about him or fighters that small (I still don't care all that much), so it went right over my head what all happened there. Definitely not as orderly and exciting as the old K-1 days when the tournament fights were scheduled for three 3-minute rounds with the possibility of two 3-minute overtimes if necessary. Still to this day one of my favorite matches in all of combat sports is the 5-round war between Andy Hug and Ernesto Hoost in the 1996 Grand Prix that Hug would go on to win. They're fighting so hard on a night when they have to win three fights to win the GP, they're so exhausted, and they keep having to fight another round. A legendary battle between two legends.

I'm gonna come back and check that video out either later or in the morning but thank you for sharing.

I LOVE multiple fights in the same night tournaments. That is such an amazing and grueling test of will amd endurance and brings in the factor of not just winning but doing so without sustaining damage or excess fatigue that will hurt your chances to win the next round.

Things like that is why I do thoroughly enjoy learning about fights from that era. That aspect of "uncharted territory" the "love of the game" as you stated in a prior post... it is just so PURE and enthralling. Those men literally didn't know if they would be safe, if they could potentially DIE or be paralyzed or permanently injured. (You probably ly know the name of the fighter who lost his eyesight in one eye, I believe against Gerard someone... dirty bastard)


I'm learning all sorts of cool shit in this thread.

As far as overtime I was going with rou da that were specifically referred to as overtime and only to be contested if the fight had to victor at the end of regulation.

 

[jeff7b9]

I didn’t remember it officially being called a win for DJ I always thought it was called a draw from the get go. I’m not sure if I would say it was scheduled for overtime, or that it was supposed to be. Does that count as a right answer for me?

You had the bulk of it. I was hoping to coax you into elaborating on the circumstances, but yes, I would count that as a correct answer and as such if you would like to add multiple questions, please feel free to do so.

 

[doozer]

Renan Barao moved up and, though he lost ALMOST all his post title reign fights, he did manage a W against Felipe Nover.

Conor was NOT who I was thinking of... however technically I guess that answer is also correct.

Max won a UFC fight at 149 pound catchweight and Volk won a UFC fight at 150 catchweight. These are technically considered and recorded as "catchweight" even though they fall within the range 146-156 of lightweight, so you are correct. (Though I suppose you could make an argument that 150 pound catchweight is a weight class above FW)




As such, the floor is your to ask a question. And Kudos for a good answer which I had not thought of. I am learning a lot of cool stuff in this thread.




There is another champ, which is the fighter I was initially thinking of, who is the only UFC champion in his weight class to ever win a fight in the weight class to win in the weight class above his title winning weight class, including catchweights, as in that instance there were no catchweight victories by any other champion.

If Renan Barao succeeded he might be the only bantamweight to have done so (I’m very unclear on whose had catch weight fights). The other one I could think of as a possibility was GSP. I don’t think woodly, usman, or hues had higher win, not sure if Robbie ever fought mw way back before strike force. I am pretty sure Hendricks moved up but not sure if he got any wins. The only problem is I don’t know the countless older ww champs and where they fought

 

[doozer]

You had the bulk of it. I was hoping to coax you into elaborating on the circumstances, but yes, I would count that as a correct answer and as such if you would like to add multiple questions, please feel free to do so.

I could have elaborated, though I would have got the story wrong, but I read your spoiler and that was the end of it.

 

[jeff7b9]

I’m saying she was the only W 135 champion to have done so. Doesn’t that qualify her?

You are correct.

I was trying not to give it away but I guess I need to phrase the question much more specifically.


I am the only UFC champion in my weight class to ever:

successfuly win a UFC fight in the weight class above my championship weight class.

I fought in Pride and Affliction

 

[doozer]

You had the bulk of it. I was hoping to coax you into elaborating on the circumstances, but yes, I would count that as a correct answer and as such if you would like to add multiple questions, please feel free to do so.

Q: only twice has a fighter in welterweight or a smaller weight class over the age of 36 won a title fight, what fighter won each of these two title fights?

 

[jeff7b9]

I could have elaborated, though I would have got the story wrong, but I read your spoiler and that was the end of it.

That's fair, and I appreciate the honesty.

And it would appear you have found a few more examples that I didn't think of for the other question about moving up.

 

[doozer]

You are correct.

I was trying not to give it away but I guess I need to phrase the question much more specifically.


I am the only UFC champion in my weight class to ever:

successfuly win a UFC fight in the weight class above my championship weight class.

I fought in Pride and Affliction

I think I’ve gone through all the weight classes, unless they are older weight classes that no longer exist. There is no weight class above heavyweight. Light heavyweight had jones and Cormier (both were also heavy weight champs) middleweight both Silva and Bisping won at light heavyweight. Welter maybe GSP but I think Hendricks won too. But not sure. Lightweight RDA and Connor both won at welter (I’m know others like penn did too). Flyweight mm and cijudo did. So unless I am wrong about Hendricks the only male weight classes available for this at the current weight limits are feather and bantam.

 

[jeff7b9]

I think I’ve gone through all the weight classes, unless they are older weight classes that no longer exist. There is no weight class above heavyweight.

Light heavyweight had jones and Cormier (both were also heavy weight champs) middleweight both Silva and Bisping won at light heavyweight. Welter maybe GSP but I think Hendricks won too. But not sure. Lightweight RDA and Connor both won at welter (I’m know others like penn did too). Flyweight mm and cijudo did. So unless I am wrong about Hendricks the only male weight classes available for this at the current weight limits are feather and bantam.

 

[doozer]

View attachment 1018086

Well I was theoretically thinking ufc has never had a super heavyweight class. But they may have had a super heavyweight tournament. I don’t think openweight would count because even though there were definitely bigger fighters that 216-265 there were also smaller fighters. However a ufc champion who also won a super heavyweight fight. That is out of my league and would be a question for @Bullitt68. For me I would just be listing of random champions or names I knew of fighters back in the day

 

[jeff7b9]

I think I’ve gone through all the weight classes, unless they are older weight classes that no longer exist. There is no weight class above heavyweight. Light heavyweight had jones and Cormier (both were also heavy weight champs) middleweight both Silva and Bisping won at light heavyweight. Welter maybe GSP but I think Hendricks won too. But not sure. Lightweight RDA and Connor both won at welter (I’m know others like penn did too). Flyweight mm and cijudo did. So unless I am wrong about Hendricks the only male weight classes available for this at the current weight limits are feather and bantam.

Here you go sir. I apologize for the wild goose chase which resulted in you finding several examples I missed, but hopefully this tidbit of rare trivia serves as some form of consolation.

The UFC has held exactly ONE superheavyweight bout in the 30 years and counting that the company has existed.

Josh Barnett vs Gan McGee, a 6'9 giant ass oak tree of a man.

 

[doozer]

You are correct.

I was trying not to give it away but I guess I need to phrase the question much more specifically.


I am the only UFC champion in my weight class to ever:

successfuly win a UFC fight in the weight class above my championship weight class.

I fought in Pride and Affliction

Here you go sir. I apologize for the wild goose chase which resulted in you finding several examples I missed, but hopefully this tidbit of rare trivia serves as some form of consolation.

The UFC has held exactly ONE superheavyweight bout in the 30 years and counting that the company has existed.

Josh Barnett vs Gan McGee, a 6'9 Giant ass oak tree of a man who also fought Tim Sylvia in the UFC in a pretty cool fight if my memory serves me correctly.

Very interesting indeed!

 

[doozer]

You are correct.

I was trying not to give it away but I guess I need to phrase the question much more specifically.


I am the only UFC champion in my weight class to ever:

successfuly win a UFC fight in the weight class above my championship weight class.

I fought in Pride and Affliction

Q: what 2 fighters were involved in the longest 5 round fight that didn’t go to decision, and how did it end?

 

[jeff7b9]

Q: what 2 fighters were involved in the longest 5 round fight that didn’t go to decision, and how did it end?

Spoiler

Yair Rodriguez and Korean Zombie.

Yair hit a weird as fuck leaning forward upward reverse elbow right at the buzzer and knocked KZ (who I believe was uo on the cards) out COLD.


I believe the official time was 4:59 Round 5

 

[doozer]

Spoiler

Yair Rodriguez and Korean Zombie.

Yair hit a weird as fuck leaning forward upward reverse elbow right at the buzzer and knocked KZ (who I believe was uo on the cards) out COLD.


I believe the official time was 4:59 Round 5

I believe you are right. I’ll do a quick double check, yes you are correct. It was not the fight I was thinking of though. There is another fight that also ended at 4:59 round 5. But you did answer correctly.

 

[Bullitt68]

I'm gonna come back and check that video out either later or in the morning but thank you for sharing.

I LOVE multiple fights in the same night tournaments. That is such an amazing and grueling test of will amd endurance and brings in the factor of not just winning but doing so without sustaining damage or excess fatigue that will hurt your chances to win the next round.

Yep, I love the old school tournaments. Of course, the early UFCs and the later PRIDE Grand Prixs are the most well-known and beloved, but I also loved the two-day long King of Pancrase tournament that Ken Shamrock won in 1994, and then the K-1 Grand Prixs were a whole other ballgame. Three fights in one night, and not MMA fights where you can mix up striking and grappling, but three grueling matches of punishment on the feet. So fucking gnarly, but it made for some of the most epic moments in combat sports history.

Things like that is why I do thoroughly enjoy learning about fights from that era. That aspect of "uncharted territory" the "love of the game" as you stated in a prior post... it is just so PURE and enthralling. Those men literally didn't know if they would be safe, if they could potentially DIE or be paralyzed or permanently injured.

QFT. They were a different breed and everyone of them to a man had brass balls.

(You probably ly know the name of the fighter who lost his eyesight in one eye, I believe against Gerard someone... dirty bastard)

Gerard Gordeau, the veteran of UFC 1 (who allegedly bit Royce in the finals which is why Royce held the choke longer) and a notoriously dirty fighter, was eye gouging Yuki Nakai to the point where Nakai lost his eye sight in his right eye. And in that tournament, not only did Nakai fight through that and beat Gordeau in that fight, and not only did he advance and win the next fight in the tournament with one eye, but he made it all the way to the finals, damn near completely blind now from the eye gouges plus the general swelling from a brutal night of fights, and still took on Rickson Gracie. He'd lose to Rickson, but even after retiring from MMA and with one eye, Nakai would go on to have an accomplished grappling career, and he's even the first Japanese fighter to hold a BJJ black belt, which he was awarded by Carlos Gracie Jr. Crazy fucking story and one of the unsung heroes of the early days.

I am the only UFC champion in my weight class to ever:

successfuly win a UFC fight in the weight class above my championship weight class.

I fought in Pride and Affliction

Based on those hints, I'm thinking Josh Barnett, who was the UFC HW champ and who also technically won a fight above his championship weight-class when he beat Gan McGee in that special "Super Heavyweight" fight at UFC 28. Before the PRIDE and Affliction hints, though, my first thought was BJ Penn, who was a LW champ and who also won in the WW division.

 

[jeff7b9]

I believe you are right. I’ll do a quick double check, yes you are correct. It was not the fight I was thinking of though. There is another fight that also ended at 4:59 round 5. But you did answer correctly.

I'm probably gonna tap out for the night.

Shoulder pain is getting the better of me and making it difficult to concentrate.


Thanks for the knowledge and distraction!! I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully you guys keep it going and have fun in the meantime.

 

[Bullitt68]

I believe you are right. I’ll do a quick double check, yes you are correct. It was not the fight I was thinking of though. There is another fight that also ended at 4:59 round 5. But you did answer correctly.

You must've been thinking of Mighty Mouse tapping Horiguchi. That fight stands out for me because that was the first time since Ricco Rodriguez broke Randy's eye socket with his GNP and won the HW championship at UFC 39, one of my all-time favorite fights, that a UFC title fight had a finish in the fifth round.

 

[jeff7b9]

Yep, I love the old school tournaments. Of course, the early UFCs and the later PRIDE Grand Prixs are the most well-known and beloved, but I also loved the two-day long King of Pancrase tournament that Ken Shamrock won in 1994, and then the K-1 Grand Prixs were a whole other ballgame. Three fights in one night, and not MMA fights where you can mix up striking and grappling, but three grueling matches of punishment on the feet. So fucking gnarly, but it made for some of the most epic moments in combat sports history.



QFT. They were a different breed and everyone of them to a man had brass balls.



Gerard Gordeau, the veteran of UFC 1 (who allegedly bit Royce in the finals which is why Royce held the choke longer) and a notoriously dirty fighter, was eye gouging Yuki Nakai to the point where Nakai lost his eye sight in his right eye. And in that tournament, not only did Nakai fight through that and beat Gordeau in that fight, and not only did he advance and win the next fight in the tournament with one eye, but he made it all the way to the finals, damn near completely blind now from the eye gouges plus the general swelling from a brutal night of fights, and still took on Rickson Gracie. He'd lose to Rickson, but even after retiring from MMA and with one eye, Nakai would go on to have an accomplished grappling career, and he's even the first Japanese fighter to hold a BJJ black belt, which he was awarded by Carlos Gracie Jr. Crazy fucking story and one of the unsung heroes of the early days.



Based on those hints, I'm thinking Josh Barnett, who was the UFC HW champ and who also technically won a fight above his championship weight-class when he beat Gan McGee in that special "Super Heavyweight" fight at UFC 28. Before the PRIDE and Affliction hints, though, my first thought was BJ Penn, who was a LW champ and who also won in the WW division.

You are correct with Barnett.





Yuki Nakai... yup. What a fuckin warrior.

On the flipside, fuck Gordeau.


I love the honor and moral code of old school traditional martial arts. I had a karate teacher growing up that I have written about on here numerous times and actually recently got back in touch with to thank him for his valuable LIFE lessons and focus on respect and character, etc.

I love that MOST of the fighters even in this "barbaric sport" are respectful and do not wish harm to their opponents beyond what is needed to win.

But it sucks that a single bad apple can spoil things so much. Some folks are just wired wrong. Psychos.

 

[doozer]

You must've been thinking of Mighty Mouse tapping Horiguchi. That fight stands out for me because that was the first time since Ricco Rodriguez broke Randy's eye socket with his GNP and won the HW championship at UFC 39, one of my all-time favorite fights, that a UFC title fight had a finish in the fifth round.

You are correct! I didn’t think you would be the one with that answer because first off you say you don’t know any modern day info and second off you are not particularly interested in small weight class fighters. But you got it!