Customer Reviews

Ultimate Fighting Championship Classics, Vol. 3

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

September 9, 1994
Charlotte, NC

The UFC got progressively more professional with each event. UFC 3 - "The American Dream" was decent, but the main event was quite uninteresting, as an alternate had to step in for the final fight. The true talent suffered injuries in victory that prevented them from meeting in the finals (Defending 2-time champion Royce Gracie & shoot-fighter Ken Shamrock).

We do, however, get our first look at Kimo Leopoldo. He is indeed a strange and eccentric character - and he gives Gracie his best fight in UFC competition to that point.

Aside from this standout matchup, there is some decent action and some rather humorous characters. It took some fighters a while to realize that they weren't in the WWF and that they didn't need a gimmick in order to compete - but as I've said, the UFC was still growing and taking form.

This DVD is worth owning for the history...

One of the most underated toughest octagon fighters was Keith The Buzz Saw Hackney, this gives you a glimpse into his character and power with his first dismantling of a 400 pound beast from the east (n.y.) He never won the whole thing, but ufc 3&4 which gives you a classic battle between him and the greasest ever Mr.Gracie is well worth the price of admission, i can't wait to get these classics on DVD.

Of the four "UFC Classic" dvd's released to date, this is the only one that I can't rate 5 stars. With the two biggest names out due to injury (Gracie & Shamrock) we are left with alternates. Yes, they do step in and fight, but they are not the caliber of those injured.

This is still an entertaining DVD, but without the big names, it isn't quite up to par with the others in the series.

Keith Hackney is a fun fighter to watch (whatever happened to him anyway?) and Kimo's fight with Royce was Gracie's toughest bout of the first 3 UFC's.

If you're a new fan, try one of the other DVD's first to appreciate the talent of Gracie and Shamrock. But if you're already a fan, this is well worth buying.

For the first time I am writing a review of a DVD before its release. I am very excited about the release of this event on DVD because it was the first UFC event that I ever watched. Out of all of the classic UFC shows early on, this one is my favorite. The stage was set with 650+ pound Manny Yarborough (Sumo) taking on 200 pound Keith Hackney (Karate). Needless to say I was INSTANTLY hooked to this sport.

The entire card was interesting (with the exception of the main event). Royce Gracie had what was easily his most exciting fight in the octagon when he took on a rather spooky looking Kimo. Man, this is a wonderful bit of history to own. Buy this as soon as it hits the store shelves!!

Ahh, UFC #3, the event that I will forever remember as "The Fat Guy Beatdown."
The glory days, the olden days, the pre-rule gladiatorial times when matches were made based upon the man and the heart, but not the skill and the weight class. There was something romantic about it all back then, despite the burgeoning sport's relative lack of highly skilled talent.

Going into this competition, it was pretty clear that Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie were the men to beat. The most memorable fight, however, was Keith Hackney versus 600lb. Emmanuel Yarborough. The disparity in size was ridiculous, and it was the great unknown in matchups like this that made the original UFC events so appealing. In very short time viewers realized the old axiom, "The bigger they are the harder they fall" is quite true, as Hackney landed a shot that dropped Yarborough on his rotund behind. After recovering, the quarter-ton fighter shoved Hackney through the octagon fence, something I'd never seen before. Eventually, however, the man whose body resembled a giant M&M found out that one has to have SOME fighting skill to beat the early days toughmen of the UFC.

The only headliner fight was Royce Gracie taking on tattooed challenger Kimo Leopoldo. Eventually succumbing to Gracie's superior BJJ, it was Leopoldo that fatigued Gracie enough that he later withdrew, and showed the world that there was, indeed, a chink in the Brazilian's armor.

Ultimately this was a very disappointing UFC because the top two fighters withdrew due to injury/fatigue, and the third best fighter (Leopoldo) got gypped by bracketing. When a nobody like Steve Jennum can get gifted a late replacement into the FINALS, you know there is a problem. When his opponent (Harold Howard) looks like an extra in a B-rated biker movie and attempts the most ridiculous move in fighting history - just picture someone doing a front flip and landing on their back without making contact with anything or anyone else - then you know the problems are huge. This was still during the infancy of the UFC and they soon learned that balance was necessary in order for scheduling to combat fighter fatigue.

Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson?
Red Sox and White Sox winning the World Series in consecutive years?
Phil Mickelson taking a third major?
The band out on the field?

Kids' stuff. You want bizarre, you want unpredictable, you want oh-my-god-what-the-hell-is-going-on...take a look at UFC 3.

All the elements were in place for a titanic Royce Gracie/Ken Shamrock rematch in the final. Opposite brackets, each with beatable, untested opponents. Both principles rested and in good health. Either they'd face each other, or one would get toppled in an incredible upset, and we've have a brand new rivalry on our hands. It had to happen. Right?

It starts out reasonably enough. Keith Hackney, a scrappy little bulldog from the mean streets of Chicago, takes on the gargantuan but immobile and clumsy Emmanuel Yarborough, with predictable results. Next, Shamrock grapples with veteran judo fighter Cristophe Leninger, who gives a valiant match. Then Canadian trash-talking pummeller Harold Howard trades punches with hometown hero Roland Payne, an action-packed slugfest with a suitably spectacular conclusion.

And then things get weird.

No one could've predicted this. But then, isn't that the beauty of sports? Who would've thought that the script would go off the rails so suddenly. And that Steve Jennum would have to step up to save the day. (Steve who? You'll see...)

UFC was pitched as a completely real contest. In the third tournament, it was almost too much so. That's what makes it a must-see.

This DVD of UFC 3 is a historically great one because it marks the first UFC event to be won by someone other than Royce Gracie but also the only 8 man tournament to be won by an alternate. The matches are your classic old school UFC brawls for the most part, with the finesse of Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie throw in there.
The fights are all good, starting with Emmanuel Yarbrough (600 lbs) vs Keith Hackney (200 lbs). This event also debuts Kimo, the first man to expose Royce's weaknesses in the octagon by pounding him so much in his match that after Royce beat him and moved in, Royce could not continue in the tournament. You will also see many entertaining personalities, which the UFC always supplied back then. Aside from Kimo and his manager, Joe Son, we also get Roland Payne who breaks bricks on his shins and Harold Howard, a Canadian Karateka who is not all their in the head.
Buy this UFC event if you are a fan of the old school UFC or just want to compare it to the events of today. They are not the most technical matches but they are still very exciting.

I am a fan of 1,2 and 4. UFC 3 is a bit of a let down. Still in its' infancy, the UFC was more of a circus event then a sport. One dimensional fighters being thrown into a cheap looking octagon(buy a good latch for the door which keeps breaking open). With the exception of Royce, Shamrock and Kimo, none of the fighters on this card ever went anywhere in MMA. In fact, they all ended up with losing records. This card is weak because of the injuries. Gracie and Shamrock couldn't continue so no-name replacements took their place. Unfairly, a replacement got put in the final match without having to fight at all in any pre-lims. There is on 18 minutes of actual fighting spread over 7 matches, with a lot of time being filled by inane Jim Brown chatter. The bonus interview with Royce is less than a minute long and adds nothing to his match with Kimo. I saw this one originally live, but I still bought it anyway now that it finally got released on dvd. If you are curious about MMA, I certainly don't recommend that you start with this dvd.

Modern Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a hybrid sport where fighters train in both striking (usually a combination of techniques from boxing, Muay Thai, and Taekwondo) and grappling (Brazilian Jiujitsu and wrestling). A thick rulebook exists that prohibits such attacks as biting, hair pulling, eye gouging, hitting to the groan, kneeing/elbowing a "downed" opponent, etc... Even clothing is regulated, with padded gloves and mouthpieces required to minimize damage.

That, however, is not how it used to be. In the "old days" of ultimate fighting, martial artists from completely different spheres of combat would come together in no-holds barred battles of complete domination. There were no weight limits, You might see a huge sumo wrestler battle a karate master or a boxer trying to punch out a ninja. You couldn't be disqualified for biting (though you could be fined), hair-pulling was legal, and punching to the groin happened all the time. During this "iron age" of MMA, fighters battled to answer the age-old question of which martial arts style was the most powerful - and "hybrid" martial artists were almost non-existant.

UFC 3 is the epitomy of this age, and one of the best MMA tournaments you will ever watch. MMA legends like Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock are at the top of their games during this event, and matches that would NEVER happen in modern times (such as the legendary sumo vs. kenpo karate fight where the cage is broken during a sumo-slam) are common-place. While the very last match is a bit of a let-down, almost every single one before it is high-intensity combat that will make your jaw drop. If you want to see what true ultimate fighting is all about, this is THE DVD to purchase.

Ultimate Fighting Championship III: The American Dream
September 9, 1994
Grady Cole Center,
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

This is a very good old school UFC event. No rules, No weight classes, No gloves. UFC 3 did not have any preliminary fights, so this dvd has the event in its entirety. This real life 8 man fighting tournament played out with the drama of a professional wrestling show, or a movie.

First and foremost the fight between Royce Gracie and much bigger, muscled up Kimo in the first round was a true classic. One of the greatest fights in the entire history of the UFC. A real war, you can feel the tension, Royce was fighting for his life and managed to pull off one of the most inspirational performances in sports history in my opinion.

The david vs goliath fight between Kieth Hackney vs 600lb Emmanuel Yarborough is a very entertaining affair, as well as the Harold Howard Ko of Roland Payne.

Ken Shamrock put on two great performances at this event as well. He was clearly ahead of the MMA game at this event. One of his best UFC's despite the fact that he was unable to compete in the finals due to injury.

This event could have been truly epic had Royce and Ken fought each other as advertised in the finals in an epic rematch. However due to injury's a fresh Steve Jennum comes in and wins the tournament(and 60,000$) with one fight.

Even though the awesome tournament fell apart in the second round, this is still a very entertaining watch. Wild characters, wild fights, and the classic UFC "style vs style" tournament format make this one of the best old school UFC events to watch.