Who Really Invented "Mixed Martial Arts"

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 10:03am

The Toronto Star

February 13, 1992, Thursday, AM
Doom now ex-champ after stomping by heels

BYLINE: By Norman Da Costa Toronto Star

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. D13

LENGTH: 597 words

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Duran on tap: The first Japanese-American shoot fighting card (a style that combines submission holds, amateur wrestling and kick boxing) is set for March 20 in Miami. The main event is Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Bart Vail, who is also a South Florida karate instructor. Former boxing champion Roberto Duran is scheduled to attend the eight-bout show and will fight Masaharu Funaki in April in a mixed match in Tokyo.
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TICKER: WWF (NASDAQ) (90%);

INDUSTRY: SIC7922 THEATRICAL PRODUCERS & SERVICES;

PERSON: HULK HOGAN (71%);

COUNTRY: NORTH AMERICA (58%); UNITED STATES (58%);

COMPANY: WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION ENTERTAINMENT INC (58%);

SUBJECT: SPORTS GOVERNING BODIES (89%); SPORTS & RECREATION EVENTS (78%); NATURAL DISASTERS (77%); TYPHOONS (72%); CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES CRIME (63%); ARRESTS (63%); COCAINE (60%);

LOAD-DATE: May 12, 1999

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: photo: Hulk Hogan flexing bicepWrestling

Copyright 1992 Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd.

**Holy Moment** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 10:07am

The titles seemed more like names of the product (VHS tapes) than the events themselves. UFC I and II weren't called "The Beginning" and "No Way Out", those were the names of the tapes.

Yes, I understand that, but it did look like they would have called UFC 6 "Return of the Beast" had Severn won. Apparently, UFC's 5 and 6 were released on VHS at about the same time.

Anyway, I watched the opening of the first Extreme Fighting, and there was no mention of mixed martial arts. I'll watch the rest of the tape later and maybe the second one.

**slideyfoot** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 10:12am

Originally Posted by War Wheel

Off topice, but worth noting for 1st use of "U.F.C."

The New York Times
March 8, 1994, Tuesday, Late Edition - Final

There's one possibly earlier than that (unless I've encountered search engine idiosyncracies again):

Originally Posted by The Seattle Times, 'The Press of Events: Before the Awards, A Few Asides', Chuck Taylor, 25th February 1994

[...] This "is the Olympics of fighting," says the press release. "UFC II will be held in an octagon-shaped ring designed for no escape; each match will run until there is a designated winner - by means of knockout, surrender, doctor's intervention or death." The fighters will be martial-arts champs from around the world. [...]

Also off-topic, but this thread reminded me to go update my BJJ History Index, meaning I came across this piece on judo in Brazil from 1972. It mentions in there a loss by George Gracie to a judoka called Naoichi Ono, which I haven't heard much about before.

There's also a piece that interested me about Benny 'the Jet' Urquidez:

Originally Posted by Los Angeles Times, 'The Jet Born to Brawl, Benny Urquidez Lived Through a Death Match to Become One of the Greatest Unknown Fighters in America', by Steve Henson, 17th August 1985

[...] In 1974, the Urquidezes rose from the Valley and went nationwide.

Chuck Norris, a pioneer of full contact karate, had begun the National Karate League. His team, the Los Angeles Stars, included 22-year-old lightweight Benny Urquidez and middleweight Blinky Rodriguez. Two of Benny's brothers, Adam and Manuel, were alternates and two others, Arnold and Ruben, were trainers.

Benny's first five professional full-contact karate bouts came later that year in the World Series of Martial Arts, a two-day extravaganza held in Honolulu.

Recalls Urquidez: "There were street fighters, boxers, every kind of martial artist, sumo wrestlers, western wrestlers - about 200 in all. There were no rules and no weight divisions. I won my three fights the first day and my first fight the second day by knockout. I had to beat Dana Goodson for the title." [...]

I presume that was still just striking, but the mention of wrestlers is intriguing.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 10:19am

Sorry for the long multiple posts. Just wanted to get the stuff off of Lexus/Nexus and online where folks can have a chance to read it.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 10:29am

Originally Posted by slideyfoot

There's one possibly earlier than that (unless I've encountered search engine idiosyncracies again):

Also off-topic, but this thread reminded me to go update my BJJ History Index, meaning I came across this piece on judo in Brazil from 1972. It mentions in there a loss by George Gracie to a judoka called Naoichi Ono, which I haven't heard much about before.

There's also a piece that interested me about Benny 'the Jet' Urquidez:

I presume that was still just striking, but the mention of wrestlers is intriguing.

Do you have a date for that "UFC II" quote?

You're talking about the 1974 World Series of Martial Arts NHB tourney held in Honolulu . See http://karate-in-english-lewis-walla...tial-arts.html

I've posted video of the championship match on here somewhere. I'll look for it.

Edit:

Rules :

They decided to create a "no-rules" tournament. It seems impossible. Various masters came to Hawaii, to decide rules. The blows are accounted with a points system. The takedowns are accepted, as immobilizations. The win can also come by the way of the ko.

Fighters will be protected with Safe-T, or Jhoon Rhee protections, and all areas intended for delivering blows or strikes must be padded (for example : elbows). It is forbidden to hit some parts of the body .

The fighters may come from various sports.

301 Moved Permanently
301 Moved Permanently
301 Moved Permanently
^^^ Urquidez gets a couple of good TD's and soccer kicks in this one
YouTube- Benny Urquidez vs Billy Henderson Lightweights World Series of Martial Arts 1975 Los Angeles
YouTube- Everett Eddy vs Dana Goodson, World Series of Martial Arts, Heavyweights, 1975 Los Angeles
301 Moved Permanently

**PointyShinyBurn** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 10:31am

Originally Posted by slideyfoot

I presume that was still just striking, but the mention of wrestlers is intriguing.

Nope, there was grappling, though seemingly for pin rather than sub:
YouTube- Benny Urquidez vs. Dana Goodson World Karate Championships
YouTube- Blinky Rodriguez vs. Dana Goodson Karate World Championships - rare footage

**slideyfoot** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 10:45am

Cool vids.

Originally Posted by War Wheel

Do you have a date for that "UFC II" quote?

It's on the quote:25th February 1994, from The Seattle Times. Unless you mean the actual press release itself, in which case I don't.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 1/21/2010 12:10pm

Oh the irony...

**sempaiman** · Posted On: 1/22/2010 8:07am

Originally Posted by War Wheel

There's also a crazy letter from some blind guy who claimed to have beaten Pedro Sauer in a challenge match. IIRC it was in between UFC I and II.

Edit: Here: http://books.google.com/books?id=7c8...ind%22&f=false

Edit Edit: Lol! there is actually video of this YouTube- Gracie Jiu Jitsu vs. Bodybuilder

Weird to see something you read about 16 years ago on youtube

I thought big guy did a real good job. As I read someplace, Gracies waited when their guy got a lock on BB so they can stop fight due to a cut...