Even though it’s about ten months away, the UFC appears to already be in the ceremonious adornment for its incredible three-decade milestone. Over the years, it’s become excitingly apparent that the UFC is the most popular MMA sport, with millions of global followers.
And without a doubt, it’s crucial to recount the times, experiences, and legacies the sport has imprinted in the world. Since they are usually intertwined, look into boxing predictions, along with the next UFC fight night predictions.
The pioneer UFC event that took place on Nov. 12, 1993, in Denver, marked the inception of the UFC journey. This special occasion was an eight-man competition with no weight groups, moderators, or timestamps. In the end, Gerard Gordeau lost to Royce Gracie in an unusual choke struggle.
People develop an interest in various sports for different reasons. But for the UFC, the overseeing board has created a conducive atmosphere for the entertaining sport despite the probable bloodiness and injury extremes from the combat scenes.
More than the fun, supporters and pundits are now in tune with the theme. Consequently, many are enthusiastic about traditional mixed martial arts.
According to the official UFC page, “In three decades, UFC has grown from a phenomenon to an unrivaled force, creating some of the most memorable moments and recognizable stars in sports history and leaving others in our wake.
“30 years in, and our commitment to innovation has never been stronger.”
To mark this important landmark, the organization has also begun selling merchandise inscribed with the anniversary logo. In fact, recently, some fighters have been spotted in the ring wearing the 30th anniversary-customized gloves.
Historically, fans have different ways of celebrating the UFC anniversary. Many created special logos, mosaics, and other images of their favorites in 2018. Also, a few referred back to archives to recreate iconic pictures from the establishment’s history and, of course, looked to boxing picks to identify trends.
While many fans hinged on the on-goings in the sport are aware of the special occasion, others outside the sphere perceive the event to be low-key. Hence, this 2023 it’s expected to be a very loud one that will draw global attention.
Ariel Helwani’s Take on the 30th Tear of the UFC
Around late November 2022, martial arts reporter Ariel Helwani relayed his opinion on the 30th anniversary. In an episode of The MMA Hour, he pitched his idea on how the event should go, saying:
“I hope the UFC celebrates its 30th anniversary in style. You know what would be cool? Bring back, I don’t know, the winners of the top 10 UFC, or bring back…Imagine bringing back every living champion in the UFC! Probably not that many. How many do you think there are? Forty? Fifty?
“Bring them all back, make a big ceremony for them. Do something big. Honor their history. Honor their past. The 20th anniversary, the 25th anniversary was like (shrugs). Let’s do it.”
Earlier, Helwani suggested that the UFC should adopt a similar model to the National Basketball Association (NBA). In honor of its 75th anniversary, the NBA ranked the top 75 players. In this same vein, Helwani employs the management of the UFC to bring back all the “big dogs,” in his words.
“An idea I brought up last year, UFC 30, whatever you want to call it. Name the 30 greatest fighters in UFC history, as the NBA did with its 75th anniversary. Wouldn’t that be fun? So you bring those boys, or girls, together. I would love that…Bring all the greats, rank them, and have some fun.”
What to Look Forward to
As it stands, there is so much to look ahead to in the upcoming 30th-anniversary celebration. While no event has been publicly announced, the closest weekend to the occasion will be the best time to secure a hugely safe bet, perhaps, also using some juicy boxing picks.
According to the 30th anniversary year highlight video the UFC released, the safe bet deal will be made out of the big 3-0 that weekend. You can access the video clip “Changing the Game Since 1993” on the official UFC website. For more than just boxing predictions tonight, be ready to look into what everyone is predicting as part of this year-long celebration.
