03: Tim Sylvia Proves Doubters Wrong At UFC 41

UFC 41: Onslaught 2/28/03 Welcome back to Throwback Thursday, where we relive the history of MMA in chronological order. We have made it into the year 2003. Since no major MMA events took place for the first month of the year, we're kicking off our watch of the year by late February, when UFC held … Continue reading Throwback Thursday 2/28/03: Tim Sylvia Proves Doubters Wrong At UFC 41 →

Throwback Thursday 11/24/02: Fedor Truly Arrives, Sakuraba Struggles In Return

November 24, 2002 - Pride 24: Championship Chaos 2 In late November 2002, there was an understandably large amount of attention on what the UFC was doing. The promotion just put on "Vendetta," a pay-per-view success headlined by a marketable match between Tito Ortiz and Frank Shamrock. The fight wasn't just about Ortiz's world title, … Continue reading Throwback Thursday 11/24/02: Fedor Truly Arrives, Sakuraba Struggles In Return →

Throwback Thursday: UFC 40: Vendetta

A certain aura surrounding some fights tells you it is big. Even when not considering the packed crowds, the excited commentators or the over-the-top video packages, there's a vibe you can pick up on that simply says: "This is a big deal." That's the type of feeling that came through my screen and into my … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: UFC 40: Vendetta →

Throwback Thursday: Pride 22: Beasts From The East 2

It was hard to have super high expectations for Pride FC's "Beasts From The East 2" card. The event was just a few weeks removed from the promotion's first-ever "Shockwave" event from the Tokyo National Stadium, which saw a turnout of 90,000 or 70,000 fans, depending on who you ask (albeit an impressive number even … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Pride 22: Beasts From The East 2 →

Throwback Thursday: UFC 39: The Warriors Return

UFC 39: The Warriors Return - 9/27/02 - Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut, USA UFC 39 was a time for the promotion to try and get its act back together. After losing champions in two of their five active divisions, some work had to be done to put fighters back into title positions. The promotion … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: UFC 39: The Warriors Return →

Throwback Thursday – WEC 4: Rumble Under the Sun

Previous weeks of "Throwback Thursday" have looked at two promotions: UFC and Pride FC. This week, we'll introduce a third promotion into the mix, that being WEC. WEC is an incredibly important promotion in MMA history. Its short yet impactful run saw it build up a big roster of fighters and eventually get acquired by … Continue reading Throwback Thursday – WEC 4: Rumble Under the Sun →

Throwback Thursday – Pride FC: Shockwave

Welcome to another week of "Throwback Thursday," the series where we watch and reflect on retro MMA. To continue our viewing of 2002, this week we're looking at Pride FC's first "Shockwave" event. Pride FC was certainly known for its spectacles at this time. However, this event was a spectacle like no other. Let me … Continue reading Throwback Thursday – Pride FC: Shockwave →

Throwback Thursday – UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall

The year was 2002, and it was time for UFC to break new ground as a company. In their first venture to London, England, the top MMA promotion presented "Brawl at the Hall" on July 13th, 2002. This event provided a unique British flavor, with fighters like Ian Freeman and Mark Weir having their moments … Continue reading Throwback Thursday – UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall →

Throwback Thursday – Pride 21: Demolition

Welcome to another episode of "Throwback Thursday." I'll start by being completely honest with you. The past few weeks of this show haven't been covering incredibly important throwback shows. That's just what can happen with this series. On "Throwback Thursday," we put the top events from a year in order and watch through them all. … Continue reading Throwback Thursday – Pride 21: Demolition →

Throwback Thursday – UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets

Welcome to another week of "Throwback Thursday." We're approaching the halfway point of our 2002 watch. Just a month into this project, we have seen some interesting events. Things have been controversial or wacky, but above all at times an interesting time capsule for the early days of MMA. This next event is certainly an … Continue reading Throwback Thursday – UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets →