This event is LIVE on Sky Sports 3 on 14th July at 9pm-11pm
-Eric "Butterbean" Esch vs. Tengiz Tedoradze
-Mario Sperry vs. Lee Hasdell
-Wesley "Cabbage" Correira vs. James Thompson
-Edson Drago vs. Gary Turner
-Herb Dean vs. Dave Legeno
-Mark Buchannan vs. James McSweeny
-Paul Cahoon vs. Mark Epstein -Ronnie Mann vs. Robbie Oliver
-Marios Zaromskis vs. Ross Mason
-Ross Pointon vs. Dean Bray
-Joe Mac vs. Jeremy Bailey
-Michael Johnson vs. Damian Riccio
-Tom Watson vs. Ed Smith
Frank Edgar def. Mark Bocek via TKO (strikes) at 4:55 of Round 1.
Chris Lytle def. Jason Gilliam via Submission (triangle choke) at 2:15 of Round 1.
Jorge Gurgel def. Diego Saraiva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after 3 Rounds.
Stephan Bonnar def. Mike Nickels via Submission (rear naked choke) at 2:14 of Round 1.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Heath Herring via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Sean Sherk (c) def. Hermes Franca via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) after 5 Rounds to retain the LW title.
Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans fought to a Draw after 5 Rounds (28-28, 28-28, 28-28).
Anderson Silva (c) def. Nate Marquardt via TKO (strikes) at 4:50 of Round 1 to retain the MW title.
Kenny Florian def. Alvin Robinson via Submission (strikes) at 4:30 of Round 1.
UFC 73: July 7, 2007 in Sacramento, California
Main Card Bouts:
Anderson Silva vs. Nathan Marquardt
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca
Kenny Florian vs. Alvin Robinson
Preliminary Bouts:
Frankie Edgar vs. Mark Bocek
Jason Gilliam vs. Chris Lytle
Jorge Gurgel vs. Diego Saraiva
Stephan Bonnar vs. Mike Nickels
Main Card Bouts:
-Rich Franklin (#4 Middleweight in the World)* vs. Yushin Okami
-Forrest Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez
-Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida
-Jason MacDonald vs. Rory Singer
Preliminary Bouts:
-Jake O'Brien vs. Tom Murphy
-Ed Herman vs. Scott Smith
-Marcus Davis vs. Jason Tan
-Eddie Sanchez vs. Colin Robinson
-Dustin Hazelett vs. Stevie Lynch
During the UFC 71 post fight press conference Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White confirmed what Josh Gross reported last week, the purchase of Pride Fighting Championships has been finalized.
"We’re still trying to figure out this whole Pride and UFC thing. The deal is done. We acquired the company yesterday or the day before" White told the media at the UFC 71 post fight press conference.
"Talking about all the Pride stuff, we're going to work on that stuff over the next few weeks now that the deal is officially closed. You can't start running a business when you don't own it yet. We've owned it for two days. I know we made the big announcement, but it might have been a little premature. The deal wasn't done yet. The deal was pending, but we were far enough along where we felt comfortable announcing the deal. Now that it's closed two days ago we'll get that straightened out."
Now that the deal is done questions still remain surrounding what Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta’s plans are for the newly acquired Japanese mixed martial arts promotion. Originally it was announced that the UFC and Pride would be run separately with super fight match ups between champions, that both promotions would co-exist.
Mr. White’s comments concerning the Pride fighters and what he plans to do with them indicate that they will be assimilated into the UFC. White said, "We’re going to have them all. We’re going to have them all. At the end of the day, if you want to fight the best fighters in the world, if you want to cement your place in history, and at the end of the day the money is great, all that stuff is good, but for me I’m one of those types of people it’s all about cementing your place in history. Who is the greatest fighter in every weight division? It’s here. It’s in the UFC. They’re all going to be here."
When asked about two of Pride’s biggest stars- Wanderlei Silva and Fedor Emelianenko, White said, "We're going to have them all here. He's [Wanderlei Silva] going to be here. They're all going to fight….They're all under contract.”
"We're working on Fedor right now too. We're working on everybody. Everybody means everybody, all of them. We're trying to get them all. They're all going to be here. If not now, eventually we'll have them all."
What about the Pride champions? White addressed that question saying, "I don’t think we should disrespect the guys who have belts in Pride. They were champions in that organization, and they have belts too. We’ve still got to figure this thing out, but at the end of the day the great thing is that the best are going to fight the best. That’s all that really matters at the end of the day."
Liddell said after his defeat to Rampage that he planned to continue fighting, with UFC president Dana White saying Brazilian Wanderlei Silva would be his likely next opponent.
Wilson Gouveia def. Carmelo Marrero via Submission (guillotine choke) at 3:06 of Round 1.
Din Thomas def. Jeremy Stephens via Submission (armbar) at 2:44 of Round 2.
Alan Belcher def. Sean Salmon via Submission (guillotine choke) at 0:53 of Round 1.
Thiago Silva def. James Irvin via TKO (injury stoppage) at 1:06 of Round 1.
Kalib Starnes def. Chris Leben via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) after 3 Rounds.
Terry Martin def. Ivan Salaverry via TKO (ref stoppage) at 2:04 of Round 1.
Houston Alexander def. Keith Jardine via KO (strikes) in Round 1.
Karo Parisyan def. Josh Burkman via Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson def. Chuck Liddell via KO (punch) in Round 1 to become UFC Light Heavyweight champion.
UFC heavyweight Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (22-5-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), who suffered a devastating KO loss to Gabriel Gonzaga last month at UFC 70, will make his return to the Octagon at the recently announced UFC 75 event in London, England, on Sept. 8.
UFC 71: Liddel vs. Jackson
May 26, 2007 @ Las Vegas, Nevada
Chuck Liddell vs. Quinton Jackson
Karo Parisyan vs. Josh Burkman
Ivan Salaverry vs. Terry Martin
Keith Jardine vs. Houston Alexander
Chris Leben vs. Kalib Starnes
Din Thomas vs. Jeremy Stephens
James Irvin vs. Thiago Silva
Alan Belcher vs. Sean Salmon
Wilson Gouveia vs. Carmelo Marrero
What a night, this was the 1st UFC event I have attended and it was amazing.
Main Card Bouts:
-Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Knocked out Cro Cop in the 1st round. Head Kick.
-Andrei Arlovski vs. Fabricio Werdum
Judges Decision 3 rounds
-Ryoto Machida vs. David Heath
Judges Decision 3 rounds
-Michael Bisping vs. Elvis Sinosic
2nd round TKO
-Assuerio Silva vs. Cheick Kongo
Judges Decision 3 rounds
-Terry Etim vs. Matt Grice
-Junior Assuncao vs. David Lee
