Where was UFC 1 held when the Ultimate Fighting Championship debuted in 1993?

UFC 1 was held at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado, on November 12, 1993.

The event was promoted as a tournament intended to compare different fighting styles under relatively unrestricted rules. Eight competitors entered, including Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Gerard Gordeau, and Teila Tuli. Gracie won the tournament by defeating Gordeau in the final.

McNichols Sports Arena was an important part of the event’s origin story because the venue hosted the first UFC before the promotion became a global sports brand. The arena opened in 1975 and was later demolished in 2000.

A common mix-up is confusing the venue with the Denver Coliseum, another Denver arena. UFC 1 took place at McNichols Sports Arena, while the UFC’s early events were staged in several different venues as the promotion developed its rules and weight classes.