Art Jimmerson, who famously faced Royce Gracie in the inaugural UFC event in 1993, passed away last Wednesday at the age of 61.
His daughter confirmed his death but did not disclose the cause.
Jimmerson gained notoriety as the boxer who accepted Rorion Gracie’s challenge to participate in UFC 1, which had representatives from various disciplines competing for the belt.
Jimmerson entered the octagon wearing only one glove, symbolizing his background in boxing…
However, he was swiftly overwhelmed by Royce Gracie’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills.
Notably, Gracie secured the victory in just 2 minutes and 18 seconds by taking the fight to the ground – which left Jimmerson unsure of how to respond.
So, he withdrew from the bout, as this was Jimmerson’s only experience in mixed martial arts.
Nevertheless, Jimmerson had a successful career in boxing.
Throughout his boxing career, he amassed 33 victories – including 17 knockouts – and suffered 18 defeats. His final fight took place in 2002, where he was knocked out by Rydell Booker.
Although he competed for titles in the WBF organization, Jimmerson did not win any of them.
