1993
Rorian Gracie's family had been immersed in Brazilian jiujitsu for generations. The ''Gracie challenge'' was open to anyone from any weight and any discipline to fight a family or club member in a no-holds-barred fight.
Gracie and advertiser Arthur Davie capitalised on the challenge and the Ultimate Fighting Championship was created. The inaugural eight-man tournament was won by Gracie's brother, Royce, who would go on to win three of the first four events.
1995
Time limits were introduced in UFC 5 but, with no judges, all fights ended by knockout or submission. Biting and eye-gouging were banned, but strangely head-butts and groin strikes were not.
UFC 5 also featured the first single title bout between Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock. After 36 minutes, the fight ended in a draw.
The Gracie brothers became disillusioned with the format, and possibly the increase in talent, and along with Davie walked away from the event.
It was a period when such odd sights as a one-gloved boxer, huge men fighting small men, and a 200kg sumo wrestler were seen in the cage.
1996
An outraged United States senator, John McCain, went on a crusade to rid his country of what he called ''human cockfighting''.
McCain successfully lobbied 36 of the 50 governing states against sanctioning the UFC. In an ironic twist, that action forced the UFC to enact stricter rules and, in the long term, saved the organisation.
Later that year, judges were introduced.
1997
Over a four-year period, the UFC enacted weight classes, made gloves compulsory, replaced tournaments with single fights, and banned such striking methods as the stomach-churning groin blows and head/knee kicks to a downed opponent.
2001
With owner Semaphore Entertainment Group in severe debt, the UFC was sold to Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, along with business partner Dana White, for $US2 million.
It was a deal that would eventually revolutionise the UFC. Lorenzo, a former member of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, used his connections to get sanctioning, and soon the UFC was back on pay-per-view television complete with sponsorship, after being shunned by the networks.
2005
In debt by millions, the Fertittas and White struck gold when the Ultimate Fighter reality show aired.
The concept of 16 to 32 fighters living under one roof fighting for a lucrative contract was an instant hit with television audiences and great for fighter profiles.
It is currently into its 18th show.
2006
A legend was born when Pride fighter Anderson Silva joined the UFC. With brilliant hand-eye co-ordination, Silva climbed the MMA mountain when he won the middleweight title, then strung together 16 consecutive wins, including 10 title defences.
Silva's reign came to a sudden halt earlier this year when he mocked Chris Weidman's ability and was knocked out while pretending to be hurt.
Silva gets his chance at redemption at UFC 168 next month.
2007
Georges St-Pierre won back the welterweight title, and he remains undefeated. A perfectionist, St-Pierre has amassed over five hours in the cage and has the most wins (19) in UFC history.
The UFC was able to corner the market and increase the calibre of fighters when it purchased popular Japanese MMA promotion Pride and World Extreme Cagefighting.
2009
At UFC 100, pro wrestling convert Brock Lesnar spat blood in Frank Mir's face, sending the UFC back to the dark days. After unifying the heavyweight title by technical knockout, Lesnar lost the plot, rubbishing the sponsors and abusing the crowd.
Over the next four years, the UFC continued the promotion buyout while selling out shows worldwide. It introduced a women's division this year and has titles across nine divisions.
From a pipe dream, it has grown into the top dog in the MMA world, with a net worth of over US$1.5 billion.
The future
While Silva and St- Pierre are nearing retirement, a talent like light-heavyweight champion Jon ''Bones'' Jones is leaving fans in awe, and other divisions are flush with the world's best.
It is hard to see anything stopping the growth of UFC, except perhaps an unlikely pay dispute.
The marquee fighters like St-Pierre earn about $5 million per fight, and if lesser names do not want to fight, there are plenty waiting in the wings.
If a union was created, and an athlete strike similar to those in ice hockey or baseball happened, things could change.
But with its past 10 shows averaging 350,000 pay-per-views, and St-Pierre's recent title defence 950,000, the chances of New Zealand hosting its first UFC event seem more likely than an ultimate fighter walk-out.
