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The UFC has been through many ups and downs throughout it's 16 year history. From the beginnings of the sport as "anything goes, which style is better" contests, to the dark ages with little pay-per-view coverage to this booming mega sport garnering millions of dollars in live gates and pay-per-view buys, it's been a long road getting to UFC 100 on July 11th. With this series we will highlight many of the key numbered events, in chronological order, that have led to this historic pay-per-view card. New events will be covered daily as we come up on the July 11th event.
UFC 50 is the numerical halfway point for this countdown of important shows on the way to UFC 100, but it's also significant as one of the first turning points in the career of one Georges St. Pierre.
October 22nd, 2004, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was the "War of '04," and surprisingly, as has been the case looking back on many of these events, the most important fight wasn't even the main event. On top of that, the main event wasn't even what was supposed to be the main event for this show.
What would have been a major grudge match between Tito Ortiz and Guy Mezger was tragically derailed a week before the event, when Mezger suffered stroke-like symptoms that effectively ended his career. Patrick Cote stepped up to the plate with a week's notice and suffered his first defeat as Ortiz ground him out to a unanimous decision.
Also picking up victories on this card were the late Evan Tanner, submitting Robbie Lawler, and Rich Franklin, who submitted Jorge Rivera. That bout for Franklin was his debut in the division where he would become a Champion after beginning his career at light heavyweight.
But the significant bout on this card, and one that began one of the sport's great trilogies, was the first Welterweight Title bout between Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes. The title was vacant at the time as Hughes had been defeated by B.J. Penn, who subsequently left the UFC over a contract dispute (sound familiar?). Now, the then 23 year old GSP was getting his first shot at a Championship after only seven fights, and not only that but he was fighting star struck against one of his heroes.
GSP was aggressive early in the bout, getting his shots in at times and even getting a takedown, but this night was not to be his. Hughes got him to the ground and the then superior ground game of Matt Hughes took effect. Getting into side control late in the first round, Hughes caught an arm and hooked in an armbar on GSP. Apparently not realizing how close to the end of the round he was, GSP tapped to the armbar with a second left in the round.
Like with the only other loss he suffered three years later, this one was a major learning experience for GSP. When the two would meet again at UFC 65, it would be a very different fighter standing across the cage from Hughes, and one who would not be in awe of one of his heroes. For Hughes, it was the beginning of his second reign atop the Welterweight division, one that would last over two years until his rematch with GSP.
It was a fight that may have parallels with GSP's fight with Thiago Alves on Saturday, as this will be Thiago's first shot at the belt, and it's not at all inconceivable that a loss for Alves will lead to him climbing back up the ladder and getting even better himself. Of course, he could always skip that step and take the belt on the first try in Las Vegas.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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