Many people think they know MMA fighting inside and out. They watch tons of fights and remember lots of interesting details and facts about the sport. However, there are some MMA facts which only the most astute MMA enthusiasts have heard about and those are the types of trivia featured in our article.
These facts might win you the first prize in your Friday night pub quiz or they might be the reason you win an MMA inspired bet with a friend. If you are in luck you might even impress a lady or two. Speaking of luck, if you feel that fortune favors you, you may want to test yourself at Joreels at FeedBack Casino or wager on some of the games at Casino Lemonade rather than trying to impress a lady or have a wager with a friend. This is where the real money is, and once you win it, the ladies will come flocking in anyway.
The Octagon
The famous eight-sided cage is one of the most iconic images representing MMA, and the term ‘Octagon’ is a trademark held by the UFC. However, not many people know that the actual Octagon was inspired by a 1980 film bearing the same name. The film starred Chuck Norris as martial artists battling ninjas who try to create a worldwide training camp for terrorists.
Similarly to real life MMA fights, the last scenes in the film take place in an area known as “The Octagon”, in which needless to say, Chuck Norris’ character uses his martial arts skills to wreak havoc on his enemies.
Teeth in the Foot
The first fight in UFC history was the between Gerard Gordeau and Telia Tuli at UFC 1. Gordeau won with a 30 second knockout which cemented his place in MMA history.
However, what is less well known is the fact that one of Tuli’s teeth was launched into the audience and two of his other teeth were embedded in Gordeau’s foot. Out of precaution and because Gordeau had to fight in two more fights, doctors decided to leave the two teeth in his foot. Gordeau eventually lost in the final to Royce Gracie and paid little attention to the two teeth stuck in his foot.
Unfortunately for Gordeau, his foot got infected and he had to undergo several surgeries before he could fight again. A bit gruesome, but will impress your friends nevertheless.
Fights and Alligators
UFC 1 was originally planned to feature a moat filled with water surrounding the ring. If this wasn’t strange enough, the organizers also planned to incorporate electrical fences and even to place alligators inside the moat. This was most likely also inspired by a Chuck Norris film, but luckily it didn’t come to fruition.
Shogun the Male Model
Mauricio Rua, also known as Shogun, was a runway model in Brazil before he came to prominence as an MMA fighter. He must have been hoping that his opponents weren’t attending the Rio de Janeiro fashion week. If they were, they might not have been very intimidated going into the fight.