of limitations. Depending on the state, he should've sued by '96 or '99. If his focus is on the eight-sided shape of the ring, that ship has sailed."

SEG, meanwhile, received a trademark in September 1997 for an "octagon-shaped fighting surface," a protection that Zuffa inherited. "They filed for trademark incontestability as well," added Twilley, which he said insulates against virtually all challenges against ownership of the mark.

"If they ever went to a lawsuit and it was this guy versus UFC, I would take my mortgage and I would bet on the UFC," Twilley said. "I can't come up with a single legal theory in which he'd have even a puncher's chance of prevailing."

Patschull did eventually cross paths with the UFC in 1995 when he acted as manager forJohn Matua, the Hawaiian fighter who was knocked out by David "Tank" Abbott in a preliminary bout. According to Davie, Patschull never once brought up any concerns over intellectual property theft. Asked why, Patschull declined to comment.

"All I need to say is what I created in 1993," Patschull said. "I created it for the sport."

'Success has a thousand fathers'

Neither Cusson nor Harrison had any knowledge of Patschull or his show when they began work in late 1993. And despite early reports that Milius had been responsible for the Octagon, neither man had met him either.

No one -- Pillot, Davie or Gracie -- supports the idea of Milius contributing to the cage design. He was a student of Rorion's (his son would later marry Rorion's daughter) and his name