UFC 68
Encyclopedia
UFC 68: The Uprising was a mixed martial arts
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
on March 3, 2007 at the Nationwide Arena
in Columbus, Ohio
. UFC 68 was the first UFC event held in the state of Ohio
, and coincided with the 2007 Arnold Sports Festival. The sold-out event produced the highest verifiable live attendance to date for a mixed martial arts event in North America with 19,079 spectators. To date it is the largest attendance for a MMA event in the United States.
was set to defend his title against Randy Couture
, who was coming out of a 12-month retirement. Couture, a former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion, hadn't fought as a heavyweight since UFC 39
in 2002.
Also featured at UFC 68 were the return bouts of former champions Matt Hughes
at welterweight and Rich Franklin
at middleweight.
The individual payouts are listed below. Purse amounts includes the payment amounts for show and win, but do not include sponsor payments, fees, taxes, or special award bonuses.
Randy Couture: $250,000
Tim Sylvia: $100,000
Martin Kampmann: $20,000
Drew McFedries: $5,000
Rich Franklin: $42,000
Jason MacDonald: $14,000
Matt Hughes: $150,000
Chris Lytle: $10,000
Jason Lambert: $18,000
Renato Sobral: $21,000
Matt Hamill: $10,000
Rex Holman: $3,000
Jon Fitch: $28,000
Luigi Fioravanti: $8,000
Gleison Tibau: $6,000
Jason Dent: $3,000
Jamie Varner: $6,000
Jason Gilliam: $3,000
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...
on March 3, 2007 at the Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Columbus, Ohio, USA. It opened in 2000 and is the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, of the NHL....
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. UFC 68 was the first UFC event held in the state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and coincided with the 2007 Arnold Sports Festival. The sold-out event produced the highest verifiable live attendance to date for a mixed martial arts event in North America with 19,079 spectators. To date it is the largest attendance for a MMA event in the United States.
Background
In the main event, UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim SylviaTim Sylvia
Timothy Deane Sylvia is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter, professional wrestler, and former Ultimate Fighting Championship Heavyweight Champion. He trains as a member of the Miletich Fighting Systems camp and is part of their MFSE group...
was set to defend his title against Randy Couture
Randy 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...
, who was coming out of a 12-month retirement. Couture, a former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion, hadn't fought as a heavyweight since UFC 39
UFC 39
UFC 39: The Warriors Return was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 27, 2002, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut...
in 2002.
Also featured at UFC 68 were the return bouts of former champions Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes (fighter)
Matthew Allen Hughes is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer, and former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. Hughes put together two separate six-fight winning streaks in the UFC, won the welterweight title on two occasions, defended the belt a record seven times, and holds the...
at welterweight and Rich Franklin
Rich Franklin
Rich Jay Franklin II is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion.-Background:...
at middleweight.
Preliminary card
- Lightweight bout:
Jamie VarnerJamie VarnerJames Christopher Varner is a mixed martial artist who fought for World Extreme Cagefighting. He is a former WEC Lightweight champion.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
vs. Jason Gilliam
- Varner defeated Gilliam via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:34 of round 1.
- Lightweight bout:
Gleison TibauGleison TibauJanigleison Herculano Alves, better known as Gleison Tibau is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He currently fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is one of the largest lightweights in MMA, weighing up to 183 pounds by the time he enters the cage.-Mixed martial arts:He was brought up...
vs. Jason DentJason DentJason William Dent is an American mixed martial artist. The Lightweight competitor has held several regional championships, most recently he won the IFBL Welterweight Championship. He runs the GriffonRawl MMA Academy in Mentor, Ohio, and previously hosted an MMA oriented radio talk show on WWGK...
- Tibau defeated Dent via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 20-27).
- Welterweight bout: Jon FitchJon FitchJonathan Parker Fitch is an American mixed martial artist. He is currently ranked as the No. 2 welterweight in the world by Sherdog, as well as many other publications.-Background:...
vs. Luigi FioravantiLuigi FioravantiLuigi Fioravanti is an American mixed martial artist who fights out of Orlando, Florida with American Top Team. He was released by the UFC shortly after his first round TKO defeat to Anthony Johnson at UFC Fight Night 17...
- Fitch defeated Fioravanti via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:05 of round 2.
- Light Heavyweight bout: Matt HamillMatt HamillMatthew S. Hamill is a retired American wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is a three-time NCAA Division III National Champion in wrestling while attending the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York...
vs. Rex Holman
- Hamill defeated Holman via TKO (punches) at 4:00 of round 1.
Main card
- Light Heavyweight bout: Renato SobralRenato SobralRenato da Cunha Sobral , also known as "Babalu", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, and former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. He is regarded as one of the best light heavyweights of the night, and noted for his aggressive style, grappling prowess, and high-caliber submissions. Sobral...
vs. Jason LambertJason Lambert (fighter)Jason L. Lambert is an American mixed martial artist from Victorville, California, who fought in the light heavyweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship prior to being released from the company. He fights out of North County Fight Club and is represented by NCFC Fight Management.-...
- Lambert defeated Sobral via KO (punch) at 3:36 of round 2.
- Welterweight bout: Matt HughesMatt Hughes (fighter)Matthew Allen Hughes is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer, and former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. Hughes put together two separate six-fight winning streaks in the UFC, won the welterweight title on two occasions, defended the belt a record seven times, and holds the...
vs. Chris LytleChris LytleChris Scott Lytle is a retired American mixed martial artist, boxer and a veteran of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Lytle was prominently featured as a welterweight on The Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback. In Chris's MMA and boxing career he was never knocked out or submitted, though he did...
- Hughes defeated Lytle via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
- Middleweight bout: Rich FranklinRich FranklinRich Jay Franklin II is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion.-Background:...
vs.
Jason MacDonaldJason MacDonaldJason Anthony MacDonald is a Canadian mixed martial artist who is currently fighting with the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a middleweight. He is also a veteran of the Maximum Fighting Championship and TKO Major League MMA in his native country of Canada...
- Franklin defeated McDonald via TKO (corner stoppage) at 5:00 of round 2. Excessive damage to MacDonald's right eye prompted his corner to signal for the end of the bout.
- Middleweight bout:
Martin KampmannMartin KampmannMartin Kampmann Frederiksen is a Danish mixed martial artist who is currently fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. and trains at the Xtreme Couture gym. He is known for his precise strikes and his quick submissions...
vs. Drew McFedries
- Kampmann defeated McFedries via technical submission (arm triangle choke) at 4:06 of round 1.
- Heavyweight Championship bout: Tim SylviaTim SylviaTimothy Deane Sylvia is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter, professional wrestler, and former Ultimate Fighting Championship Heavyweight Champion. He trains as a member of the Miletich Fighting Systems camp and is part of their MFSE group...
(c) vs. 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...
- Couture defeated Sylvia via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) to become the new UFC Heavyweight Champion for a record third time.
Purses
The disclosed fighter payroll for UFC 68 was $697,000.The individual payouts are listed below. Purse amounts includes the payment amounts for show and win, but do not include sponsor payments, fees, taxes, or special award bonuses.
Randy Couture: $250,000
Tim Sylvia: $100,000
Martin Kampmann: $20,000
Drew McFedries: $5,000
Rich Franklin: $42,000
Jason MacDonald: $14,000
Matt Hughes: $150,000
Chris Lytle: $10,000
Jason Lambert: $18,000
Renato Sobral: $21,000
Matt Hamill: $10,000
Rex Holman: $3,000
Jon Fitch: $28,000
Luigi Fioravanti: $8,000
Gleison Tibau: $6,000
Jason Dent: $3,000
Jamie Varner: $6,000
Jason Gilliam: $3,000