UFC co-founder Art Davie to join Hall of Fame in July
Another name has been added to the UFC Hall of Fame's class of 2018.
Co-founder Art Davie will be inducted into the contributor wing of the promotion's hall at this year's ceremony on July 5 in Las Vegas, as announced Friday after MMAjunkie's John Morgan first reported the news.
Davie - an advertising and marketing man by trade - formulated the prototype for a martial arts tourney dubbed "World’s Best Fighter" in 1989 before fleshing it out with Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Rorion Gracie. Semaphore Entertainment Group - of which Combate Americas' Campbell McLaren was the head of programming - ultimately signed on to televise UFC 1, held on Nov. 12, 1993 in Denver. Davie sold his share in the company to SEG in 1995 but continued working as the outfit's matchmaker for another two years.
Zuffa - led by Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta and Dana White - later bought the UFC in 2001 for $2 million. The regime lasted until Endeavor purchased the company for $4 billion in the summer of 2016.
Joining Davie in this year's Hall of Fame class are former welterweight champion Matt Serra and late longtime producer Bruce Connal.