UFC Creator and Co-Found Art Davie to be Inducted into 2018 UFC Hall of Fame Class
UFC recently announced that Art Davie, UFC creator and co-founder, has been named to the UFC Hall of Fame class for 2018 as a Contributor. The 2018 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 5, at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS.
“Art’s contributions to UFC helped lay the foundation for the sport that fans around the world see today,” UFC President Dana White said. “It’s an honor to induct Art into the UFC Hall of Fame class of 2018 and we look forward to celebrating his career at our ceremony in July.”
“Being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame is the greatest honor that can be bestowed to anyone involved with the sport of mixed martial arts,” Davie said. “Watching UFC become mainstream and break all these records over the years has been like watching my child go out and conquer the world. I’m so proud of what UFC has become and I’m thrilled my part in its creation is being celebrated during its 25th anniversary.”
Davie, a native of Brooklyn, New York and a former advertising and marketing executive, began formulating an idea to produce a unique martial arts event in 1989in response to an advertising brief. Davie’s client passed on his concept of producing a tournament entitled “World’s Best Fighter”, but Davie was certain his idea would be a success with proper planning.
Over the next four years, Davie worked tirelessly to turn his concept into reality. During his research, Davie came across a Playboy Magazine article featuring legendary Brazilian jiu-jitsu master Rorian Gracie, whose Gracie Academy gym was located two blocks from Davie’s office in Torrance, California.
After joining the academy to train and serve as Gracie’s marketing consultant, Davie convinced Rorian to partner with him on a project he named “War of the Worlds” a tournament which would attempt to solve the age-old question of which fighting style is superior. Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG), a New York-based PPV producer, agreeing to televise the event.
“War of the Worlds” was rebranded to the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the now iconic Octagon was chosen as the center for competition, with the first eight-man tournament taking place at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado, on November 12, 1993.
This article first appeared at News – MMAWeekly.com
