SEAL Team Six vs. Delta Force: The Fight That Almost Happened

Inside the showdown that could have settled the ultimate special forces rivalry

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In the world of special operations, rivalries run deep. Delta Force and SEAL Team Six—two of the most elite military units on the planet—have long competed for dominance in the shadows.

In 1996, two active-duty members of the units that the government still won’t officially acknowledge were set to square in a sanctioned brawl that would have settled the score. At the last minute, however, the fight was called off—not due to classified orders or secret missions but because of an unexpected twist: the SEAL competitor had an outbreak of herpes.

“It was the fight that never happened,” said Dale Comstock, who represented Delta Force that night.

The “battle of the elite,” as the fight was b…