Jens Pulver had finally found peace with not being in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Despite serving as the promotion’s first ever lightweight champion, the now 48-year-old MMA pioneer felt like perhaps too much time had passed to be considered. Pulver also didn’t wish to promote his way to a UFC Hall of Fame spot, as he believed that was not the best way to get such an honor.
” I love you all again and thank you for keeping my name up and making it interesting. Every year this would happen,” Pulver explained Monday on The MMA Hour. “I was always in the firm belief if you have to sell it yourself, you don’t deserve it. It’s the reason I didn’t retweet or join in .
On Saturday, UFC 284 was broadcast. Pulver took a surprise host a UFC Twitch watch party. This gig has kept him busy for many years. Suddenly, a highlight reel started to play.
According to Pulver, nobody gave him any hint that he was being announced as a UFC Hall of Fame inductee. It was kept a secret by his family, even though Pulver’s son recorded him during the Twitch stream.
It took Pulver a moment to realize what was happening. Pulver was then overcome by emotion.
“I was just stunned,” Pulver said. “I had no idea. It was over. It was okay to be in this place in my life.
“So I was in a good place. I never, ever, ever expected what was about to happen right there.”
The “where are you now” feature was suggested to Pulver before the UFC Hall of Fame announcement. He felt that it was an appropriate way to tell his story to a new generation of people who may not have seen him in action during his glory days.
When he actually found out about his induction, which will happen during UFC International Fight Week in July, Pulver felt a sense of closure to his career.
“Bigger than the world title. Pulver stated that this is all to him. “It’s the ending. The Hall of Fame is forever. World championships may come and go. They’ll always look at me as the champion and the first ever UFC lightweight world champion. You are my godfather I tell you. This is immortality.
“This I am able to give my son, my daughter Hayden, and my girl Madelaine. I just want you to be proud of me. I had so many regrets — would’ve, should’ve, could’ve — in my career. The losing streak was a moment at the final, something I didn’t know would occur. This is a very rare moment .”
. It’s everything for me.
This was also a chance for Pulver and his son Carson to have a moment together as he filmed his reaction when the UFC Hall of Fame announcements were made.
It took Pulver back in time to his childhood. He grew up with abusers and made a promise to himself. This promise finally came to pass.
” To look at my boy was it,” Pulver stated. “It’s ironic. It was ironic. He’ll never know what this is like. He’ll never know what pain is like. He’ll never know what it’s like to be afraid of his father. He will run if he sees his father at home .’
“Then all of a sudden there’s my son and it just started hitting me. There’s tears welling up in my eyes right now. I got to ask him, ‘I hope you’re proud of your dad, because I wasn’t proud of mine. You should be proud of your dad.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/14/23598677/jens-pulver-explains-why-ufc-hall-of-fame-induction-means-so-much-to-him-this-is-everything-to-me?rand=96749
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