We here at Notinhalloffame.com have been critical of the UFC Hall of Fame as it seemed to induct fighters arbitrarily and had no physical presence. We aren’t saying that they necessarily listened to us (we are pretty sure they haven’t), but they have announced a major step that shows that they are making some serious steps to make their Hall of Fame a much more respectable entity.
The first thing they announced is that they will induct a new class at the Fan Expo on July 11 prior to UFC 189. The key word that popped out to us was “Class”, as they traditionally announced one inductee and often without any notice.
This class will consist of at least one member in the following classes:
The Modern Era Wing:
To qualify for the Modern Era Wing, a fighter must have made their professional MMA debut after November 17, 2000. That fighter must be 35 or older or at least be retired for one year. It is noted that a UFC competitor can be active (providing they are older than 35) to get in, but that is not the preference. In case you are wondering where that date comes from it is symbolic in regards to when the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board adopted the current Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
The Pioneer Era Wing:
This is for MMA fighters who made their debut prior to the November 17, 2000 date.
The Contributors Wing:
This is just as it sounds. This is for non-fighters who made a significant contribution to the sport.
The Fight Wing:
This unique wing will reflect the great fights of UFC. TO qualify, a fight must be at least five years old.
It was announced that there will be at least one inductee in each category from 2015 to 2017.
There is also talk that this will eventually lead to a physical Hall of Fame for UFC.
While there will be legitimate criticisms, these are major steps to make this Hall of Fame matter.
Comments powered by CComment