What were the nicknames fighters received following UFC 5: The Return of the Beast?

UFC 5: The Return of the Beast was a legendary event for many reasons. The card had Royce Gracie facing Ken Shamrock in 'The Superfight' and Dan Severn putting on another vintage performance in the final of the tournament. Many of the fighters on show also gained nicknames after the event.

Severn was one of these fighters, earning the nickname 'The Beast' after submitting Dave Beneteau in just three minutes in the final of UFC 5. However, he wasn't the only competitor to earn a moniker, with four other fighters also gaining nicknames after UFC 5.

Sambo practitioner and former MMA fighter Oleg Taktarov was nicknamed 'The Russian Bear' after he submitted Ernie Verdicia in the quarter-finals of the event. Taktarov would eventually face 'The Beast' and lose via TKO.

Todd Medina inherited the nickname 'El Tiburon' after beating Larry Cureton. In English, the name means 'The Shark' and was given to Medina for his performance at UFC 5 as well as his submission win against Cureton.

While he did not win a bout during the tournament, Joe Charles still received the nickname 'The Ghetto Man' after facing Severn in the quarter-finals.

Watch UFC 5: The Superfight below:

The final and arguably the most unusual nickname was given to Jon Hess after the American beat Andy Anderson via TKO in the quarter-finals. Hess was given the name 'The Giant With Attitude'. The former UFC fighter is over 200cm tall, which makes his nickname quite fitting.

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Why was UFC 5: The Return of the Beast different to UFC 4?

Many fans were left disappointed during UFC 4 due to the pay-per-view being cut off after two hours. This led to the UFC purchasing three hours of pay-per-view airtime in preparation for UFC 5: The Return of the Beast.

It turned out to be a smart move from the organization. The event would have run 40 minutes over the allocated time had they not purchased a three-hour slot.

The main reason for the event lasting so long was 'The Superfight' between Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie. The bout lasted over 35 minutes and eventually ended in a draw, which is now one of the most legendary moments in UFC history.