UFC 71

Infobox MMA event
name = UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson


promotion = Ultimate Fighting Championship
date = May 26, 2007
venue = MGM Grand Garden Arena
city = Las Vegas, Nevada
attendance = 14,728 (13,224 paid) cite news
title=Rampage fits the bill, drops Liddell in first
url=http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/6854012
first=Dave
last=Doyle
work=Fox Sports.com
date=2007-05-26
accessdate=2007-05-26]
gate = $4,304,000
buyrate = 675,000 fact|date=December 2007
previousevent =
followingevent =

"UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson" was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The event took place on Saturday, May 26, 2007 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Background

The main event was the rematch between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "The Iceman" Chuck Liddell and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Jackson was the only fighter to have an unavenged win against Liddell, which occurred at "PRIDE Final Conflict 2003".

The UFC announced during the broadcast of the card that the winner of the Jackson vs. Liddell bout will face PRIDE 93 kg and 83 kg Champion Dan Henderson.

Mainstream sports media, especially ESPN, began extensive coverage of the UFC on this event. ESPN broadcasted live the weigh-ins and post-fight coverage for "UFC 71" on ESPNEWS. [cite news
author=Sherdog.com staff
url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=7569
title=Liddell-Jackson II Weigh-Ins Live on ESPNEWS
date=2007-05-17
work=Sherdog.com]

Results

Preliminary card

* Light Heavyweight bout: flagicon|USA Carmelo Marrero vs. flagicon|BRA Wilson Gouveia :Gouveia wins by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:06 of the first round. On the pay per view, this bout aired following the Light Heavyweight Championship bout.

* Lightweight bout: flagicon|USA Jeremy Stephens vs. flagicon|USA Din Thomas :Thomas wins by submission (armbar)cite news
url=http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-ufc71052607&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
title=UFC 71: Undercard, Stephens says he didn't tapout and protests loss, Irvin suffers knee injury partially tearing his ACL
first=Kevin
last=Iole
work=Yahoo! Sports
date=2007-05-26
accessdate=2007-05-26] ] at 2:14 of the second round. This preliminary bout was aired on the pay-per-view broadcast.

* Light Heavyweight bout: flagicon|USA Alan Belcher vs. flagicon|USA Sean Salmon :Belcher wins by submission (guillotine choke) at 0:53 of the first round. This preliminary bout was not aired on the pay-per-view broadcast.

*Light Heavyweight bout: flagicon|Brazil Thiago Silva vs. flagicon|USA James Irvin :Silva wins by TKO (knee injury). at 1:06 of the first round.

Main card

*"' Middleweight bout: flagicon|Canada Kalib Starnes vs. flagicon|USA Chris Leben :Starnes wins by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds.

* Light Heavyweight bout: flagicon|USA Houston Alexander vs. flagicon|USA Keith Jardine :Alexander wins by KO (strikes) at 0:48 of the first round.

* Middleweight bout: flagicon|USA Terry Martin vs. flagicon|CAN Ivan Salaverry :Martin wins by TKO (strikes) at 2:04 of the first round.

* Welterweight bout: flagicon|ARM Karo Parisyan vs. flagicon|USA Josh Burkman :Parisyan wins by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) at 5:00 of the third round.

* Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Champion flagicon|USA Chuck Liddell vs. flagicon|USA Quinton Jackson :Jackson wins by TKO (punches) at 1:53 in the first round. With the victory, Jackson claimed the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion title.

Bonus awards

After every UFC event, bonuses are given to fighters who perform well.

The bonuses for this event were $40,000 each.

*Fight of the Night: flagicon|USA Chris Leben vs. flagicon|CAN Kalib Starnes

*Submission of the Night: flagicon|USA Din Thomas

*Knockout of the Night: flagicon|USA Quinton Jackson

Purses

Purse amounts were provided by the NSAC, and includes amounts for show and win. The figures do not include PPV and special award bonuses: [cite news
first=Ivan
last=Trembow
url=http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=4031
title=FIGHTER SALARY BREAKDOWN FOR UFC 71
date=2007-05-29
accessdate=2007-06-07]
work=MMAWeekly.com]
*Quinton Rampage Jackson - $225,000 def. Chuck Liddell - $500,000
*Karo Parisyan - $32,000 def. Josh Burkman - $7,000
*Terry Martin - $12,000 def. Ivan Salaverry - $17,500
*Houston Alexander - $8,000 def. Keith Jardine - $7,000
*Kalib Starnes - $10,000 def. Chris Leben - $10,000
*Thiago Silva - $16,000 def. James Irvin - $7,000
*Alan Belcher - $14,000 def. Sean Salmon - $3,000
*Din Thomas - $28,000 def. Jeremy Stephens - $3,000
*Wilson Gouveia - $16,000 def. Carmelo Marrero - $5,000Total disclosed payroll: $920,500

Injuries

The NSAC suspended the following fighters for medical reasons: [cite web
url=http://boxing.nv.gov/2007%20Results/05-26-07%20MMA.pdf
title=MIXED MARTIAL ARTS SHOW RESULTS, May 26, 2007
accessdate=2007-06-07
author=
last=
first=
authorlink=
coauthors=
date=
year=
month=
format=PDF
work=
publisher=Nevada State Athletic Commission
pages=2
language=
doi=
archiveurl=
archivedate=
quote=]
*Chuck Liddell: Suspended until 7/12; No contact until 6/26
*Ivan Salaverry: Suspended until 11/23 unless right shoulder is cleared by orthopedic doctor; Minimum suspension until 6/26; No contact until 6/17
*Karo Parisyan: Suspended until 11/23 due to left thumb injury unless cleared by orthopedic doctor
*Keith Jardine: Suspended until 7/26; No contact until 7/12
*Chris Leben: Suspended until 6/26; No contact until 6/17 (right eyebrow laceration)
*Kalib Starnes: Suspended until 6/26; No contact until 6/17 (left cheek laceration)
*James Irvin: Suspended until 11/23 unless cleared by orthopedic doctor (ACL tear)
*Carmelo Marrero: Suspended until 7/12; No contact until 6/26

References

External links

* [http://www.ufc.com Official UFC website]
* [http://71.ufc.com/ Official UFC 71 website]
* [http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail.FightCard&eid=547 Official UFC 71 Fight Card]