UFC 37.5
| Company type | Event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | June 22, 2002 |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
| Products | Mixed martial arts competition |
UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, taking place at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino located in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 22, 2002.
Background
The event was headlined by prominent contenders Vitor Belfort and Chuck Liddell. Notably, UFC 37.5 marked the debut of Joe Rogan as a color commentator for the promotion. Prior to this, Rogan had served as an interviewer behind the scenes since UFC 12, but he briefly stepped away to host Fear Factor before returning to commentary duties at UFC 40.
This impromptu event was arranged to support UFC's appearance on Fox Sports Net's The Best Damn Sports Show Period, highlighting the "best fight" during its June 2002 "All Star Summer" segment. The main televised contest, featuring Steve Berger against Robbie Lawler, was groundbreaking as the first mixed martial arts bout broadcast on American cable television. Additionally, it aired free-to-air in Brazil on SBT, where Belfort had previously participated in the reality show Casa dos Artistas.
The fight card consisted of only six matches, fewer than standard UFC events, and it did not receive pay-per-view distribution until August 16. The designation "37.5" was chosen because UFC 38 had already been scheduled for release in the United Kingdom, where UFC made its debut three weeks afterward.
Encyclopedia awards
According to the October 2011 edition of the UFC Encyclopedia, these fighters received special recognition:
- Fight of the Night: Chuck Liddell vs. Vitor Belfort
- Knockout of the Night: Robbie Lawler
- Submission of the Night: Pete Spratt