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USA Today Sports Media Group
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Matthew Wells

2023 UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony: Live blog, highlights

UFC Hall of Fame Mike Bohn Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place Thursday evening at T-Mobile Arena.

The event airs live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 10 p.m. ET, with red carpet interviews with fighters, commentators, and others taking place ahead of the official ceremony.

The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame class includes:

Check out our live blog below featuring highlight moments and quotes from the event.

MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn on the red carpet

Georges St-Pierre talks upcoming grappling match in December

Jon Anik weighs in on GSP's potential grappling opponent

Jens Pulver explains his emotions before being inducted

Donald Cerrone's induction speech will be off the cuff

Raquel Pennington expects to face Julianna Pena next

Miesha Tate explains what Amanda Nunes' retirement means for other fighters

The Nogueira Brothers and Don Frye hit the red carpet

Unfortunately, Anderson Silva is not present for his acceptance speech; His son Kalyl will fill in

The Nogueira Brothers receive the Forrest Griffin Community Award

The Nogueira Brothers recieved the 2023 Forrest Griffin Community Award and a $25,000 donation to the charity of their choice. The Nogueira Brothers Institute has seven locations in Brazil that provide free training, education, food, clothing and other resources to its students.

“Thank you to president of UFC, Dana White, for giving us the opportunity to be here,” Anotonio Rodrigo Nogueira said. “I just like to say something important: You have changed the history of our sport forever. … Me and my brother always believe that we need to pass this legacy on to the next generation.”

“Martial arts has given me and my brother incredible opportunities,” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira said. “… It’s a big pleasure to receive the award. That’s our dream. We’ve been working hard since 2007 when we invited the first kids to come into our gym.”

Robbie Lawler accepts award for his all-time classic second battle vs. Rory MacDonald

Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald met for the second time at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with the welterweight title on the line. The Fight of the Night war that saw Lawler win by stoppage in the fifth round is widely considered to be one of the best fights in UFC history.

“It was a battle, obviously,” Lawler said. “… It takes two to tango, and put on a fight like that. Rory was a finely-tuned athlete at the time. Really good camp coming from training under GSP, and he pushed me to the limits that fight. I’m glad that he did because I got to show the fans who I am deep down. I was ready to go to war, and so was he. Thank you, Rory.”

 

“That night I was fighting for something,” Lawler explained. “That’s why I was able to last for (so) long. I was actually fighting for respect. That’s why I was like pissed off. I was fighting for respect, and finally, I realized that I freaking earned it. I want to thank the fans and the UFC and everyone for this. This is awesome.”

 

Cody Stamann rips Dana White's Contender Series fighters

Ode Osbourne talks working with a children's foundation

Yan Xiaonan plans to wait for a strawweight title shot

Jens Pulver enters the Pioneer Wing

Jens Pulver was the first-ever UFC lightweight champion. He claimed the title in his fifth fight with the promotion at UFC 30, defeating Caol Uno by unanimous decision in the co-main event.

“I battled with, for a long time, anxiety and depression,” Pulver said. “I learned never close the door on the person you’re going to be in five years. Because time will be different. Those problems, those memories will change. If you’re busy growing your world, those problems will get a lot smaller. Never close the door and do something drastic.”

 

Kalyl Silva accepts Anderson Silva's Pioneer Wing induction

Considered to be one of the greatest of all time, Anderson Silva enters the Pioneer Wing. The former middleweight champion recorded a 16-fight winning streak and 10 title defenses across a near-seven-year championship reign.

“I could write 100 books on why you’re such a great man, father, friend, fighter and it still wouldn’t be enough,” Kalyl Silva, Anderson’s son said during his induction speech. “You make me so proud every single day. … You when they ask you as a kid who your favorite superhero is? Well for me, it’s you, Dad.”

Anderson posted a video to Instagram expressing his gratitude for his induction into the Hall of Fame:

Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone rides into the Hall

Anywhere, anytime, anyplace.

Donald Cerrone was always ready to strap up for a fight, and did so 38 times in the UFC, which is third-most in the promotion’s history. “Cowboy” is tied for the most fight bonuses ever, which speaks to his fan-friendly, exciting fight style.

“Ten million dollars, that’s what I made in the UFC. How about that, huh?” Cerrone said. “Not bad for a f*ckin’ blue collar country boy. So, I want to thank the UFC, my beautiful wife and my kids.”

“When they call, you pick up the phone, no matter what. And that’s the promise I made to myself. Whenever they call, don’t care the opponent. Just give me the date. Because I told myself I’d show up to every fight and I’d put on a f*cking show because that’s the legacy I wanted to end with. I didn’t care about anything. I just wanted to go out there and fight. I wanted to be the guy that when they called, I f*cking showed up and gave it everything I had.”

 

Jose Aldo takes his place in the Modern Wing

Jose Aldo is widely considered to be the greatest featherweight of all time. The former WEC and UFC champion competed professionally in MMA for 18 years, and regularly defeated the best the world had to offer. In UFC/WEC featherweight history, Aldo holds the record for most wins (18), most title fight wins (11), most knockouts (11) and most finishes (11).

“My journey in MMA was never easy,” Aldo said through interpreter Fabiano Buskei. “I slept in the gym at Nova Uniao. I was hungry many times. I gave up on many things. I always wanted to follow the dream on being a champion. I always knew I could be a champion in the UFC and I did everything I could to become one.”

“Thank you for all the fans, everybody who supported me. Thank you all for being here today to be in this moment. I fought for you, and every time I was in the arena fighting, I just wanted to be close to the people, to become a champion.”

 

One final applause for the 2023 Hall of Fame Class

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