UFC 3: The American Dream

The promotion’s third event exposed the limits of the original tournament format. Alternate Steve Jennum won the tournament by defeating Harold Howard after Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock withdrew due to exhaustion and injury. It was the first UFC tournament Gracie did not win. The event also marked the first time referees were formally allowed to stop fights, a critical shift that acknowledged the dangers of unlimited bouts and pushed the UFC toward clearer rules.