The upcoming UFC 299 has a great card. It is a fitting way to mark the UFC’s 300th numbered event. How can UFC 299 be the 300th numbered event? Because there was a UFC 37.5.

UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets was held at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on 22 June 2002.

How Did It Come About?

This was a period when the UFC were struggling to stay afloat. They grabbed an opportunity to appear on Fox Sports Net’s The Best Damn Sports Show Period. This was a sports show on US cable television that ran every weeknight from 2001 to 2009.

The UFC quickly put together a show featuring six fights at short notice. The best fight was to be shown on The Best Damn Sports Show Period. It would be the first time any MMA fight had been shown on US cable television.

UFC 38 had already been organised, announced and marketed. It was scheduled to be held at the Royal Albert Hall in London three weeks later and would be the UFC’s first show in the UK.

As UFC 37 had already taken place and the event name UFC 38 was already taken, this hastily organised event was named UFC 37.5.

What is UFC 37.5 Notable For?

UFC 37.5 saw Joe Rogan’s first appearance as co-commentator at a UFC event. He had previously worked for the UFC as a behind-the-scenes interviewer. At the time, he was also the host of a stunt/dare game show on NBC called Fear Factor.

This event was headlined by a light heavyweight bout between Chuck Liddell and Vitor Belfort. Liddell won the three-round fight by unanimous decision.

The fight that was nominated the best fight of the card, becoming the first MMA fight ever to be shown on US cable television, featured a promising 20-year-old called Robbie Lawler. He beat Steve Berger by TKO in the second round.

The full event was not aired on Pay-Per-View until 16 August 2002, nearly two months later. Unlike the other UFC events at the time, it was never released on home video.

UFC 37.5 was important in the UFC’s development, however it remains one of the least well-known events in the company’s history.