International Vale Tudo Championships
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International Vale Tudo Championships (IVC) was a mixed martial arts organization based in Brazil. While most of the MMA world was moving toward regulation and a set of stricter rules, the IVC was a notable exception that clinged to the no holds barred fighting banner and a minimal ruleset.
In comparison to the UFC, which at the time of the IVC had begun to get formalised rules and weight divisions, the IVC genuinely had no rules. In fact this was clearly exploited by the IVC to gain viewers, there tagline mocking the UFC claim of THERE ARE NO RULES! was When we say 'THERE ARE NO RULES.... we mean it! . IVC fights were bare knuckle and often brutal and bloody, with broken bones not uncommon. IVC 12 saw Gary Myers submit as a result of a broken leg.
The association became known due to it launching the careers of two huge stars of MMA today, Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva and UFC's Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell, as well as its no rules fights. Wanderlei Silva fought in IVC 2, IVC 6, IVC 9 and IVC 10 whereas Chuck Liddell fought only in IVC 6. Other fighters worth mentioning who fought in IVC include Eugene Jackson, Cal Worsham, Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge, Dan Severn, Mike Van Arsdale and Renato Sobral.
In 2003 it completed its last event in Portugal, the IVC Starwars event which only featured just one fight.
Such matches truly lived up to the crtitics view of MMA as brutal fight-to-the-death gladiatorial games, or "human cock-fighting" as it was once infamously put, and is often used as an argument against MMA. However, it should be noted that IVC have medical equipment on standby with trained staff.
Currently IVC 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 have been released on Region 1 DVD with no cited release for any other Region code as of now.
| Professional mixed martial arts organizations | |
|---|---|
| Major promotions: | Ultimate Fighting Championship | PRIDE Fighting Championships | HERO's |
| Other promotions: | Pancrase | KOTC | Rumble on the Rock | EFC | WEC | MFC | ZST | DEEP | Cage Rage | Cage Warriors | FFC | IFL | TKO | Strikeforce | WWCN |
| Defunct promotions: | IVC | RINGS | WFA |
| Sanctioning bodies: | Shooto | International Sport Combat Federation |
