UFC 31
Encyclopedia
UFC 31: Locked and Loaded was a mixed martial arts
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey
on May 4, 2001. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States
, and later released on home video
.
and Pedro Rizzo
, and a Welterweight Title Bout between Pat Miletich
and Carlos Newton
. The card also featured the first appearance of former Lightweight and Welterweight champion BJ Penn, former Welterweight Champion Matt Serra
, and Kevin Randleman
's first fight at 205.
UFC 31 again saw reformed weight classes, adopting the current standard
. Bantamweight was renamed Lightweight
and raised from 150 to 155. Welterweights
were now at 170, Middleweights
at 185, and Light Heavyweights
at 205.
Dana White
has said on many occasions that this was one of the best fight cards ever mainly due to the main event and the bout between Matt Serra
and Shonie Carter
which involved the infamous backfist finish.
This event also saw the the professional debut BJ Penn
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on May 4, 2001. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and later released on home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
.
History
The card was co-headlined by a Heavyweight title bout between Randy CoutureRandy Couture
Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
and Pedro Rizzo
Pedro Rizzo
Pedro Augusto Rizzo is an Brazilian mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter. He has a professional MMA record of 19–9–0 as of July 17, 2010. He holds notable victories over former UFC Champions Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, Ricco Rodriguez and Ken Shamrock.-Mixed...
, and a Welterweight Title Bout between Pat Miletich
Pat Miletich
Patrick Jay Miletich is a retired American mixed martial artist and a current sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 tournament champion....
and Carlos Newton
Carlos Newton
Carlos Newton is a Canadian mixed martial artist and former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is considered one of the true pioneers in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Known as the "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most...
. The card also featured the first appearance of former Lightweight and Welterweight champion BJ Penn, former Welterweight Champion Matt Serra
Matt Serra
Matthew John Serra is an American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and an ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship silver medalist. He began practicing martial arts at an early age, first studying kung fu...
, and Kevin Randleman
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
's first fight at 205.
UFC 31 again saw reformed weight classes, adopting the current standard
MMA weight classes
Mixed martial arts weight classes are weight classes that pertain to the sport of mixed martial arts.Organizations will often adopt their own rules for weight limits, causing ambiguity in the sport regarding how a weight class should be defined. For a variety of reasons , weight classes of the same...
. Bantamweight was renamed Lightweight
Lightweight (MMA)
The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
and raised from 150 to 155. Welterweights
Welterweight (MMA)
The welterweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The UFC's & Strikeforce's welterweight division, which groups competitors within 156 to 170 lb...
were now at 170, Middleweights
Middleweight (MMA)
The middleweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Strikeforce's middleweight division, which groups competitors within 171 to 185 lb...
at 185, and Light Heavyweights
Light Heavyweight (MMA)
The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally refers to competitors weighing between 186 and 205 lb . It sits between the lighter middleweight division, and the heavyweight division....
at 205.
Dana White
Dana White
Dana White is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.- Biography :...
has said on many occasions that this was one of the best fight cards ever mainly due to the main event and the bout between Matt Serra
Matt Serra
Matthew John Serra is an American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and an ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship silver medalist. He began practicing martial arts at an early age, first studying kung fu...
and Shonie Carter
Shonie Carter
Mearion Shonie Bickhem III , better known as Shonie Carter, is an American mixed martial artist. He is a former World Extreme Cagefighting welterweight champion, an Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran, and a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 4 reality show...
which involved the infamous backfist finish.
This event also saw the the professional debut BJ Penn
Preliminary card
- Welterweight bout: Tony DeSouza vs.
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Steve Berger
- DeSouza wins by unanimous decision at 15:00.
- Lightweight bout: B.J. Penn vs. Joey GilbertJoey GilbertJoseph Salvatore Gilbert is a retired professional boxer, currently a criminal defense & personal injury lawyer, and sports agent.-Biography:...
- Penn wins by TKO (referee stoppage due to strikes) at 4:58 of the first round.
Main card
- Light Heavyweight bout: Matt LindlandMatt LindlandMatthew James Lindland is an American mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of Representatives, District 52 seat on May 20, 2008....
vs.
Ricardo AlmeidaRicardo AlmeidaRicardo Almeida is a retired Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappler residing in Bordentown, New Jersey.-Background:...
- Lindland wins by disqualification at 4:21 of the third round due to repeated fouls.
- Heavyweight bout:
Semmy SchiltSemmy SchiltSemmy Schilt , also known as Sem Schilt, is a Dutch Ashihara karateka, kickboxer, mixed martial artist and four time K-1 World GP champion. He is the first and only fighter in K-1 history to win the championship three times in a row, and also shares the record with Ernesto Hoost for most GPs won,...
vs. Pete Williams
- Schilt wins by TKO (referee stoppage due to strikes) at 1:26 of the second round.
- Welterweight bout: Shonie CarterShonie CarterMearion Shonie Bickhem III , better known as Shonie Carter, is an American mixed martial artist. He is a former World Extreme Cagefighting welterweight champion, an Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran, and a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 4 reality show...
vs. Matt SerraMatt SerraMatthew John Serra is an American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and an ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship silver medalist. He began practicing martial arts at an early age, first studying kung fu...
- Carter wins by KO (Spinning Back Fist) at 4:51 of the third round.
- Light Heavyweight bout: Chuck LiddellChuck LiddellCharles David "Chuck" Liddell is a retired American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. Liddell has an extensive striking background in Kempo, Koei-Kan karate and kickboxing, as well as a grappling background in collegiate wrestling.As of his...
vs. Kevin RandlemanKevin RandlemanKevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
- Liddell wins by KO (Strikes) at 1:18 of the first round.
- Welterweight Championship bout: Pat MiletichPat MiletichPatrick Jay Miletich is a retired American mixed martial artist and a current sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 tournament champion....
(c) vs.
Carlos NewtonCarlos NewtonCarlos Newton is a Canadian mixed martial artist and former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is considered one of the true pioneers in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Known as the "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most...
- Newton wins by submission (bulldog choke) at 2:50 of the third round.
- Heavyweight Championship bout: Randy CoutureRandy CoutureRandy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
(c) vs. Pedro RizzoPedro RizzoPedro Augusto Rizzo is an Brazilian mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter. He has a professional MMA record of 19–9–0 as of July 17, 2010. He holds notable victories over former UFC Champions Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, Ricco Rodriguez and Ken Shamrock.-Mixed...
- Couture wins by unanimous decision at 25:00.