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The UFC has been through many ups and downs throughout it's 16 year history. From the beginnings of the sport as "anything goes, which style is better" contests, to the dark ages with little pay-per-view coverage to this booming mega sport garnering millions of dollars in live gates and pay-per-view buys, it's been a long road getting to UFC 100 on July 11th. With this series we will highlight many of the key numbered events, in chronological order, that have led to this historic pay-per-view card. New events will be covered daily as we come up on the July 11th event.
On Dec. 30, 2006, the UFC reached a level of popularity and pay-per-view buys for a fight that they wouldn't see for another two years with the second fight between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz.
The two met two and a half years prior to this rematch, and in the meantime Liddell had become the most popular fighter in the company's history to that point. Ortiz, on the other hand, fresh off a close fight with the Ultimate Fighter's first season winner Forrest Griffin and a stint as a coach opposite rival Ken Shamrock on the third season of the reality program was drawing the most money on pay-per-view for the company.
The natural feud between Liddell and Ortiz built to the biggest pay-per-view event in the company's history, becoming the first mixed martial arts event to break the one million buy mark. Taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, the show also drew the company's largest live gate with an attendance of 14,607 which led to $5,397,300.
Liddell took over the fight mentally early in the first round when he stuffed a takedown attempt from Ortiz. He would open cuts over the left eye of Ortiz and even dropped him late in the round. Ortiz would survive the initial onslaught.
The second round was won by Ortiz in a fairly even stand up battle, but the impressive part was Liddell getting up almost immediately after Ortiz got him down early in the round.
The third round was where Liddell poured it on. Liddell dropped Ortiz early with a shot but allowed him to get back up. Ortiz was in trouble, bleeding badly at this point, and tried to swing toe to toe with Liddell. That was a mistake, and Liddell dropped him with a flurry, following it up with another on the ground to end the fight.
The other fight that had people talking was Keith Jardine's shocking TKO upset of Forrest Griffin. Jardine caught Griffin with a shot that had him extremely wobbly and followed it up again with shots that dropped him to the ground. He finished it off on the ground, and Forrest broke. He got extremely emotional and stormed out of the cage, but he returned to say he'd be back.
Two fighters on the UFC 100 card finished their fights on this card, as Thiago Alves and Michael Bisping both picked up wins on the card. On the road to UFC 100's likely record setting pay-per-view card, this show set the standard for money-making mixed martial arts fights.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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