Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Vidmark / Trimark
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 89 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304309244
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,546 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

The very real thing as the planet Earth's most formidable fighters of every style go at each other with no rules in a bloody and graphic battle to the finish. This is real, and only one man will be left standing. Features the legendary original bout between Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock. Jim Brown is one of the color commentators.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is how it all started, March 30, 2002

By 

Hoeksema (Groningen Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Fighting Championship 1 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This review is based on the tape i viewed in PAL format and not NTSC.
What i liked about this tape is that the fighters knew little or nothing from their opponent. In that time there was also little or no cross-traing. Every fighter represents their specific style. But from this first UFC event it becomes clear that Brazilian Jiu Jiutsu will become the dominant style in this type of combat.
To give you an idea what you can espect, i tell you about an interview that is on this tape with Kevin Rosier who is participating in this event. The interviewer asks him what his strategy is. Kevin answers: "Let him hit me".
I was very excited to see Gerard Gordeau competing in this tournament because he, like myself, is from the Netherlands and i like the art of karate with he represents. The action is wild and very hard. You will see a very big SUMO wrestler who is not able to stop a karate champion and gets kicked and punched in the face when he is down on the ground. You will see two big guys who are both kickboxing champions really hurting and punishing eachother. But also you will learn about the effectiveness of the art of brazilian Jiu Jiutsu as Royce Gracie demonstrates his techniques in bringing opponents much heavier then himself to the ground and then shows great finishing techniques in the groundfight.
Because it is the first UFC and in many ways a historical moment in history of MMA i would recommend this DVD. It looks good with your collection.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The original and one of the best!, January 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Ultimate Fighting Championship 1 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I really thought that this was one of the best UFC's. Great fighters(Gracie, Smith, Shamrock, Gordeau), great fights, and a ton of action. The Shamrock/Smith and Shamrock/Gracie fights are classic and the opening bout between the Sumo wrestler and the Savate fighter is very entertaining. A must buy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The original Style v. Style concept, February 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ultimate Fighting Championship 1 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The first bout sets the tempo for the UFC for a long time... Striker v. Grappler, Big guy vs. Little guy, strength v. skill. Most of the matches went down with the striker v. grappler format (except Frazier v. Rosier which had these two pounding the snot out of each other). The Big guy/ small guy format would later be the theme for an entire event (UFC 8). This is the show that started it all. Things may have changed since then, but this show captured the imagination of the fans.