A simpler time for the UFC, less rules, and a Wild West-feel…
Way back in 1995, the UFC was a very different place. Back then, it was a styles vs. styles battle, and a gruesome one at that. Before the modern unified rules came in, truly before anyone actually knew what they were doing, the UFC was a devil’s playground.
Many long serving fans look back on the darker ages of the UFC and reminisce. Although it was certainly fun to watch, deep down we all knew it couldn’t last like that. After growing pressure from politicians and outraged softies, it was time to legitimise the sport.
Before the year 2000, we got to see some real Wild West showdowns in the UFC.
The Good Old Days
Featuring a host of future UFC stars, UFC 5 was hosted by the Independence Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. Back then a UFC event was ran in tournament format, with the finalists fighting three times in one night.
Winning the show on that night was Dan Severn as he defeated Dave Beneteau. The main event was the 36-minute battle between Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie, which ended as a draw. But there’s one moment that is constantly overlooked from UFC 5.
This is Asbel Concia, the only ever purely Wing Chun fighter to compete in the UFC. The reason why his face is covered by a towel will become clear in a moment:
Cancio vs. Beneteau (Video Below)
Before making it to the UFC 5 final against Dan Severn, Jiu Jitsu & Judo practitioner Dave Beneteau faced Wing Chun master Asbel Cancio. The fight did not go well for the Wing Chun man, and resulted in quite a brutal beating.
Watch as Beneteau welcomes Cancio to the world of grappling, with a quick takedown followed by a ten-second face-pummelling rampage:
Put them both in a phone box and see who wins then
That is the main weakness to Wing Chun, its the fact that Wing Chun has no ground game. If you train in purely Wing Chun they don’t teach you what to do if you get taken to the floor. That is why you need to supplement Wing Chun with a little wrestling or some other ground discipline.
CM Punk is that you?
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