Teila Tuli vs. Gerard Gordeau
A sumo wrestler standing 6ft 2″ and weighing 420lbs, Teila Tuli was an imposing presence at the first ever UFC event in Denver back in November of 1993.
However, the old adage that ‘The bigger they are, the harder they fall‘ proved to be true that night as Gerard Gordeau, who was over 200lbs lighter than him, quickly had Tuli in all sorts of trouble in the Octagon.
In the opening minute of the fight Tuli came charging forward at Gordeau, who threw punches as he retreated and then managed to knock the giant off-balance, sending him falling to the canvas by the cage.
Gordeau then ruthlessly launched a vicious kick to the face of his grounded opponent that sent one of Tuli’s teeth flying into the crowd, while leaving another embedded in the Dutchman’s foot.
The fight was soon called off and Gordeau would go on to fight his way to the final before being defeated by Royce Gracie, while upon returning to Amsterdam he would end up in hospital for an extended period to have the tooth removed and a nasty infection treated.
