1. “The Ultimate Fighter 1” Finale
Zuffa found its lifeline on April 9, 2005 inside the archaic Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, the small arena at which the University of Nevada-Las Vegas women’s basketball team plays its home games. The Ultimate Fighting Championship was closing out the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” a reality television show that placed young unknown fighters in a house for several weeks, forcing them to live together and fight one another for the right to earn a six-figure contract with the UFC.
In “The Ultimate Fighter 1” Finale main event, Rich Franklin was booked to take on Ken Shamrock -- a fight that most fans now forget was even on the card. Even more forget that a contract dispute kept Tito Ortiz out of play and opened the door for Franklin. Still, several “Ultimate Fighter” cast members shined: Chris Leben, Mike Swick, Josh Koscheck and Nate Quarry. The first-ever “Ultimate Fighter” winner was also crowned, when Diego Sanchez blew away Kenny Florian in the 185-pound final.
The real story, however, was the unbelievable war that took place between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar in the 205-pound final. The two light heavyweights tore into each other across three grueling, bloody rounds, as they kicked, kneed, elbowed and punched with reckless abandon. What it lacked in technique, it made up for with human drama and competitive spirit. Griffin emerged with the decision, and a legion of new UFC fans was birthed, giving rise to an MMA boom that had never before been seen.