On June 12, 2003, the day before Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the MGM Hotel Center was not idle.
Utilizing the popularity of the NBA Finals, Las Vegas hosted the UFC 2003 pay-per-view event on this day, UFC 43, with the main event being Randy Couture versus Chuck Liddell, a light heavyweight interim championship fight.
This match was originally scheduled to take place at the Thomas-Mac Center, but was moved to the MGM Hotel Center to expand its impact and sell more tickets.
Riding the wave of the NBA Finals’ popularity, the atmosphere for commercial sports events in Las Vegas was extremely lively, which also led to the revival of the UFC in 2002-2003.
None of this could have happened without three individuals: one was Gan Guoyang, who purchased the UFC for 2.5 million US Dollars in 2001, becoming the behind-the-scenes owner of the mixed martial arts event.
For Gan Guoyang, it was just a small part of his assets; 2.5 million US Dollars was a mere drop in the bucket of his various earnings, something he didn’t pay much attention to.
But as the spiritual founding father of "mixed martial arts," who sparked a wave of martial arts in the 80s and 90s, his becoming the owner of the UFC served as the best advertisement for this near-bankrupt martial arts league, and he himself became a spokesperson without spending a penny.
In 2002 and 2003, at several UFC pay-per-view events, Gan Guoyang personally attended to cheer for the event, bringing a lot of popularity to the UFC.
The title of ratings king in the sports world was no exaggeration; even just sitting courtside without participating could attract many spectators to pay.
The second person was UFC’s new president, Dana White, who was once a professional fighter. His appointment to the UFC was akin to David Stern taking over the NBA, injecting new energy into this mixed martial arts brand.
After White took over, he implemented a series of reforms for the UFC, including standardizing attire, setting strict competition rules, establishing a new schedule, and implementing new commercial packaging. In just two years, UFC has seen significant improvement in viewership and revenue, gradually rising to prominence in the chaotic, wild growth of the martial arts market.
The third person was Gan Guoyang’s former boss, Dana White’s good friend, and now America’s most high-profile business figure, Tang Jianguo.
After selling the Trail Blazers and leaving the NBA circle, Old Tang began channeling his energy into broader horizons.
He no longer confined himself to sports, real estate, and casino ventures but began producing reality TV shows, expressing political opinions, engaging in public events, and expanding his social influence comprehensively.
Although he failed in the 2000 presidential elections, Old Tang had already begun accumulating experience and prestige; now, he is one of America’s most famous figures.
He frequently appears in movies, NBA courts, UFC arenas, and boxing rings, each time eliciting considerable media coverage and attention.
While other businessmen were not optimistic about the UFC, Old Tang had the foresight to see its great potential.
Therefore, he strived to bring UFC matches to Atlantic City, to his casinos, and to give support to the event.
Tonight, coinciding with the NBA Finals, UFC 43 was held at the MGM Center. The gathering of these three people in the arena made the sidelines more appealing than the center of the matches.
"Where’s Michael? Why isn’t Michael here?" Old Tang asked while sitting next to Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang sat in the center of the three, with Old Tang and Dana White on either side.
"If Michael comes, it’s going to cost extra, and with the game tomorrow, he needs to rest. The guy’s too old, probably still lying down now."
Dana White, on the side, chuckled. Gan Guoyang glanced at him, and he quickly stifled his laughter, unsure if he should be laughing at that moment.
"You can laugh, White, don’t be too restrained."
"Okay," White responded. It was clear that the UFC president was still nervous facing the big boss.
In fact, Gan Guoyang was very supportive of White and gave him a lot of freedom, practically delegating all UFC matters to White and not involving himself, as he didn’t have the time to do so.
"Hey Sonny, you guys are going to be champions again tomorrow, my God, eleven championships. I should have bought stock in Glory."
"Come on, Donald, your vision has long surpassed the sports industry. What meaning is there for you to buy a team? You should buy a country."
"You have a point~"
Gan Guoyang still had a great interest in martial arts competitions.
However, he bought UFC primarily to lay out his sports business empire, especially in Las Vegas.
Centered around the Glory Team, he’s gradually building a comprehensive system involving sports, gambling, entertainment, real estate, and media. UFC is just a small component.
Tomorrow is the championship game, but for Gan Guoyang, the championship finals are so commonplace that there’s not much difference from regular matches.
He maintains a constant mindset toward championships and victories. Eleven championship rings mean he will catch up with Bill Russell, becoming the player with the most championships in NBA history.
The fighting competition was very exciting and brutal. Ultimately, Randy Couture technically knocked out Liddell in the third round, winning the light heavyweight interim championship.
Gan Guoyang went up on stage, handed the interim championship belt to Couture, and then Dana White personally fastened the gold belt around Couture.
Couture was very emotional, raising his arms high with the belt, then tightly embracing Gan Guoyang, shedding tears as he said, "You’re my idol. I did it, I won~"