Fans and media have been celebrating since Dana White and the UFC announced that with the new Fox deal the Gladiator Man intro will retired. Good news is that UFC 143 will be the first time that people will be able to see the updated intro and it is fantastic.
The working title of the opener is 'Evolution' because it follows the evolution of the sport from the days of Royce Gracie vs Ken Shamrock all the way through the Zuffa Era. Featuring highlights with the likes of Georges St. Pierre, Matt Hughes, and Chuck Liddell, the UFC has decided to showcase the fighters that helped build the sport and promotion to the power house that it is today.
The footage was cut by Digital Domain, James Cameron's production company. A lot of the footage required digital updating since much of the video was originally not shot in high definition. The music was scored by Hans Zimmer, the man who wrote the music for Inception and Gladiator.
Dana White wouldn't give an exact figure but did say that the new opener cost the UFC an 'obscene' amount of money. The UFC did contract another production company as well. Dana said that elements of their video would be used in other television spots.
Full list of highlights after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit
Gracie Shamrock UFC 1
Ortiz Tanner UFC 30
Hughes Trigg UFC 52
Liddell Ortiz UFC 47
Penn Sherk 84
GSP Hughes 65
Couture Sylvia 68
Jackson Wanderlei 92
Coleman hero shot, no fight listed
Lesnar Herring 87
Franklin Quarry 56
Junior dos Santos Gilbert Yvel 108
Cruz Demetrious Johnson UFC on VS
Griffin Bonnar TUF 1
Cain Lesnar 121
Liddell hero shot
Edgar Maynard 125
Aldo Hominick 129
Jones Bonnar 94
Silva Belfort 126