For the What If issue of Sportsnet magazine, Mike Johnston talked to UFC co-creators Art Davie and Campbell McLaren about the 2005 TUF 1 finale, the fight many believe paved the path for the UFC’s ultimate domination of the sport of MMA. Johnston was surprised to hear the founders’ version of that story.
When Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar were done pummelling one another at The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale on April 9, 2005, everyone watching knew it was a special fight. The type of epic scrap usually only seen in a Rocky movie–all heart and haymakers with little technique or concern for personal well-being.
In 2009, the UFC officially ranked the 15-minute, back-and-forth donnybrook as the greatest fight in the promotion’s history. UFC president Dana White has always said it’s the most important fight in mixed martial arts history and he’s right.
For Sportsnet magazine’s What If issue, I wanted to look at where the UFC and MMA might be had that fight in 2005 stunk out the joint.
I expected to write something describing an alternate MMA universe where the UFC never really got off the ground, where Georges St-Pierre never became an internationally known champion, fighting instead for smaller organizations like Pride, Strikeforce or WEC; a universe where women’s MMA never got a fair shake and Ronda Rousey, the sport’s current biggest star, was still a bartender in Venice, Calif., rather than starring in Hollywood blockbusters and dismantling her competition in the Octagon; a universe where the MMA landscape was more akin to league play in soccer where the best players are spread across various leagues rather than all playing in one, gigantic super-league.
I sought out UFC co-creators Art Davie and Campbell McLaren to get their takes on how things might have gone differently if Griffin versus Bonnar hadn’t been as exciting as it was. Davie and McLean have been involved in MMA literally since the beginning, and what they said took me by surprise. They both argued the UFC would have eventually gotten to where it is today and that Griffin versus Bonnar simply accelerated the process.
In April 2011, I talked to White prior to UFC 129 in Toronto–an event that still holds company attendance and gate records. That historic event at Rogers Centre was a time for White to reflect on the ups and downs the company and sport had gone through in the previous decade. He told me that he never gets tired of talking about the TUF 1 Finale because an historic event like UFC 129 wouldn’t have been possible without that bout.
But after speaking with Davie and McLaren, I’m convinced this isn’t true. I’m convinced that a stadium show like UFC 129 would have eventually been possible and the UFC still would have emerged as the MMA equivalent of the NFL/NHL/MLB/NBA. That’s a testament to White and UFC parent company Zuffa.
White told the Financial Times in March that he estimated the UFC is worth $3.5 billion or more. Not bad considering Zuffa purchased the UFC from Semaphore Entertainment Group for $2 million in 2001.
Sure, the UFC and the sport of MMA wouldn’t be where it is today if it weren’t for that fight. But, that doesn’t mean it never would have gotten to where it is today.
You don’t go from $2 million to north of $3 billion because of one fight.
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