UFC 14: Showdown was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 27, 1997 in Birmingham, Alabama. The event was seen live on pay-per-view in the United States, and later released on home video.

UFC 14 featured two separate tournaments: a heavyweight tournament for fighters 200 lb or more, and a lightweight tournament for fighters under 200 lb. The event also featured a Heavyweight Championship "Superfight" between Mark Coleman and Maurice Smith, as well as two alternate bouts in case of tournament injury.

Showdown was the first UFC event to require all fighters to wear padded gloves, weighing between four and six ounces. Up until then, it was the fighter's option. (Melton Bowen was the first UFC fighter to choose to wear UFC gloves, back in UFC 4.) It was also the first UFC appearance of champion kickboxer Maurice Smith and champion collegiate wrestler Mark Kerr, who was encouraged to try mixed martial arts competition by his friend and training partner, Mark Coleman.

Alexander L. Gustafsson (born January 15, 1987) is a Swedish professional mixed martial artist who has competed for Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki, Shooto, FinnFight and UFC in his career. He is currently signed with the UFC fighting in their light heavyweight division. As of April 2012, Gustafsson is ranked the #7 light-heavyweight in the world by MMAWeekly and as #4 by Fight! Magazine

Gustafsson started training MMA in 2006, and before that he trained in boxing which he started when he was around 10 years old. Before signing with the UFC, Gustafsson fought mostly in smaller promotions in Sweden and other parts of Europe. By 2009, he had racked up a perfect pro-record of 8-0, with 6 wins coming by the way of KO/TKO.

He made his UFC debut against Jared Hamman on November 14, 2009 at UFC 105. Gustafsson won the fight via KO at 0:41 in round 1.

His next fight was against Phil Davis at UFC 112 in the preliminary card. Gustafsson was defeated by Davis due to submission (anaconda choke) at 4:55 of the first round. Prior to this, Gustafsson showed good wrestling and takedown defense which Joe Rogan praised him for. Gustafsson even attempted a takedown of his own. Finally he succumbed to Davis' takedown and was submitted.

Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; 27 November 1940 – 20 July 1973) was a Chinese AmericanHong Kong actor,martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement. He is widely considered by many commentators, critics, media and other martial artists to be the most influential martial artist and pop culture icon of the 20th Century. He is often credited with changing the way Asians were presented in American films.

Lee was born in San Francisco to parents of Hong Kong heritage but was raised in Hong Kong until his late teens. Lee returned to the United States at the age of 18 to claim his U.S. citizenship and receive his higher education. It was during this time that he began teaching martial arts, which soon led to film and television roles.

His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim, and sparked a major surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West in the 1970s. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced martial arts and martial arts films in Hong Kong and the rest of the world, as well. He is noted for his roles in five feature-length films: Lo Wei's The Big Boss (1971) and Fist of Fury (1972); Way of the Dragon (1972), directed and written by Lee; Warner Brothers' Enter the Dragon (1973) and The Game of Death (1978), both directed by Robert Clouse.

Cheick Guillaume Ouedraogo (born May 17, 1975), more commonly known as Cheick Kongo, is a professional French heavyweight mixed martial artist and kickboxer currently fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He currently trains with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and formerly Michael Bisping at the Wolfslair MMA Academy, and holds notable wins over Mirko Filipović, Paul Buentello, Antoni Hardonk, Matt Mitrione, and Pat Barry. He is also the only fighter to have ever gone to a decision with former heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez. Kongo is ranked the 10th best heavyweight in the world by ESPN.

Born to a Burkinabé father and a Congolese mother with his brother, Ben Millard, Kongo began training in martial arts when he was 5 years old, learning Kendo and Karate. As he grew older, he began to expand his repertoire and trained in Muay Thai, kickboxing and Greco-Roman wrestling. At age 19, he learned of Pencak Silat, an Indonesian martial art, and was coached by Charles Joussot, Franck Roppers and his brother Ben. He's also a cousin of rugby star Fulgence Ouedraogo, the French back-rower. Cheick is also a columnist for the French MMA magazine, Top Fight.

Cain Velasquez Ramirez (born July 28, 1982) is a Mexican American mixed martial artist fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is a two-time All-American collegiate wrestler from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and a Junior College National Champ at Iowa Central Community College. He is a two-time 5A state champion in Arizona, compiling a record of 110–10 for Kofa High School in Yuma, Arizona. Cain Velasquez is ranked #2 in the heavyweight division.

Velasquez, a Mexican American, was born on July 28, 1982 in Salinas, California to Efrain and Isabel Velasquez. Velasquez's father, Efrain, came from Mexico to the United States illegally. Efrain met his wife Isabel, married her, and gained US citizenship. Velasquez has two siblings, Efrain, Jr., and Adela. He was raised in Yuma, Arizona. He graduated from Kofa High School, where he compiled a record of 110–10 in four years of wrestling, including winning the 5A Arizona Wrestling Championship twice. Velasquez also played football for three years. As a senior, he served as Captain of both his wrestling and football teams.