Former UFC lightweight champion and MMA pioneer Jens Pulver will be a part of the 2023 class of the UFC Hall of Fame after his inclusion was announced during UFC 284.
Pulver will be inducted into the Pioneer Era Wing of the Hall of Fame, where he’ll join 17 other names already inducted into the portion of the Hall that features athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.
Pulver will be officially inducted at the 2023 UFC Hall of Fame ceremony, which will be held during the 11th Annual UFC International Fight Week this summer in Las Vegas.
“Jens Pulver is a pioneer of the sport who was not only the first lightweight champion in UFC history, but someone who delivered some of the sport’s most memorable moments,” said UFC president Dana White.
“No one will ever forget his knockout of John Lewis or his win over BJ Penn in their first fight, and his fight against Urijah Faber in 2008 was the biggest fight in WEC history at the time.
“Jens could do it all in the Octagon, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”
Pulver’s career spanned 47 fights across 14 years, with an overall record of 27-19-1. He was the inaugural UFC lightweight champion, and holds victories over UFC Hall of Fame fighters BJ Penn and Cub Swanson, as well as former Shooto lightweight champ Caol Uno, The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 winner Joe Stevenson and former WEC featherweight champ Cole Escovedo.
Pulver discovered the news while hosting the UFC’s official Twitch watchalong show for UFC 284, as he learned of his inclusion at the same time as the fans. It made for an emotional moment as his live stream was added to the main broadcast as the announcement video package was played.
