UFC 5: Return of the Beast

UFC 5, held on April 7, 1995, was a successful mixed martial arts tournament that saw fan favorite fighter Dan “The Beast” Severn make his second appearance in a UFC tournament, after losing in the Finals of UFC 4 to Royce Gracie. Earning his nickname, Severn tore through the competition, stopping Joe Charles, premier Russian fighter Oleg Taktarov, and Dave Beneteau to win the UFC 5 tournament and a $50,000 check. UFC 5 marked the first tournament to introduce the concept of the “Superfight,” as Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock battled for the Superfight Championship in a rematch of their classic from UFC 1. Although the Superfight was supposed to incorporate a new 30-minute time limit, it was allowed to continue beyond that. At the 36:06 mark, the fight was ruled a draw by default, as there were no judges.

Following UFC 5, the Gracie family officially ceased their involvement with the UFC after Rorion Gracie felt that the introduction of new rules had soured his vision of a “pure” fighting contest. It would mark Royce Gracie’s last appearance in the UFC until he returned to fight Matt Hughes in May 2006, and his last ever Octagon appearance in a Gi.