UFC 44
Encyclopedia
UFC 44: Undisputed was a mixed martial arts
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
on September 26, 2003, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center
on the Las Vegas Strip
in Paradise
, Nevada
. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view
in the United States
, and later released on DVD
.
and Randy Couture
.
The total fighter payroll for the event was $467,500.
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 September 26, 2003, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center
Mandalay Bay Events Center
Mandalay Bay Events Center is a 12,000 seat indoor arena, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, on the Las Vegas Strip, in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International.It has hosted many music, boxing and mixed martial arts events....
on the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
in Paradise
Paradise, Nevada
Paradise is an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 223,167 at the 2010 census...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
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 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
History
Headlining the card was a light heavyweight championship unification bout between Tito OrtizTito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...
and 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...
.
The total fighter payroll for the event was $467,500.
Preliminary card
- Lightweight bout:
Hermes FrancaHermes FrancaHermes França Barros is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes as a lightweight.-Early career:França made his professional MMA debut in November 2001. He quickly earned an undefeated streak of 6-0, drawing the attention of the UFC.-First UFC run:...
vs.
Caol UnoCaol Unois a Japanese mixed martial artist, and former Shooto Welterweight Champion. Specifically, Uno is known for his low single leg takedown and rear naked choke. He was born in Kanagawa, Japan...
- Franca wins by knockout at 2:41 of Round 2.
- Welterweight bout:
Nick DiazNick DíazNicholas Robert Diaz is an American mixed martial artist. He is the former Strikeforce Welterweight Champion, WEC and IFC Welterweight Champion. He has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Pride Fighting Championships and Elite Xtreme Combat. Diaz was promoted to black belt in Brazilian...
vs. Jeremy JacksonJeremy Jackson (fighter)Jeremy Rea Jackson is an American mixed martial artist from California.-Career:Jackson's first professional MMA fight was on September 9, 2001 against Jake Shields in the Gladiator Challenge 6: Caged Beasts...
- Diaz wins by armbar submission at 2:02 of Round 3.
- Lightweight bout: Josh ThomsonJosh ThomsonJoshua Joseph Thomson is an American mixed martial arts fighter training with American Kickboxing Academy. He has fought in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships and America's UFC, as well as Strikeforce and the World Fighting Alliance. Thomson is a former Strikeforce World Lightweight Champion...
vs. Gerald StrebendtGerald StrebendtGerald Strebendt is a mixed martial artist, having competed in MMA organisations such as the UFC and Cage Rage. The highlight of Gerald's career was at UFC 44, where he took on top lightweight, Josh Thomson - losing in the first round by KO...
- Thomson wins by knockout at 2:45 of Round 1.
- Welterweight bout:
Karo ParisyanKaro ParisyanKarapet Parisyan is an Armenian-American mixed martial artist. From his days as a UFC mainstay Karo holds notable wins over Ryo Chonan, Shonie Carter, Drew Fickett, Matt Serra, Nick Thompson, Chris Lytle, Nick Diaz and Antonio McKee.- Early life:...
vs. Dave StrasserDave StrasserDave Strasser is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He competes in the Welterweight division.-Mixed martial arts career:...
- Parisyan wins by kimura at 3:50 of Round 1.
Main card
- Light Heavyweight bout: Rich FranklinRich FranklinRich Jay Franklin II is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion.-Background:...
vs. Edwin DeWeesEdwin DeweesEdwin Stanton Dewees is an American mixed martial artist. He was featured on The Ultimate Fighter 4...
- Franklin wins by technical knockout due to strikes at 3:35 of Round 1.
- Middleweight bout: Jorge RiveraJorge Rivera (fighter)Jorge Luis Rivera is an American mixed martial artist who was featured on The Ultimate Fighter 4. He holds victories over five former or future UFC title contenders; Travis Lutter, David Loiseau, Kendall Grove, Dennis Hallman and Nate Quarry.-Military career:19k Tank with A/1-70 Armor at Fort...
vs.
David LoiseauDavid LoiseauDavid Loiseau is a Canadian mixed martial artist from Montreal, Quebec. He has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, EliteXC, and TKO Major League MMA and is the former TKO Middleweight Champion. He was the first French Canadian to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- Rivera wins by unanimous decision. Judges scored the bout 29–28, 29–27, and 29–28 for Rivera.
- 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. Gan McGeeGan McGeeGan McGee is an American mixed martial artist who is best remembered for his appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He holds notable wins over Pedro Rizzo and Paul Buentello-Career:...
- Sylvia wins by knockout due to punches at 1:52 of Round 1 to retain the UFC Heavyweight Championship. After the fight Sylvia tested positive for steroids during a mandatory post-fight drug test. Due to this Sylvia was stripped of the title.
- Heavyweight bout:
Andrei ArlovskiAndrei ArlovskiAndrei Valeryevich Arlovski is a Belarusian kickboxer, mixed martial artist and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.-Biography:...
vs. Vladimir MatyushenkoVladimir MatyushenkoVladimir Vladimirovich Matyushenko is a Belarusian mixed martial artist and the first and only International Fight League light heavyweight champion...
- Arlovski wins by knockout at 1:59 of Round 1.
- Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Tito OrtizTito OrtizJacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...
(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...
(ic)
- Couture wins by unanimous decision to become the undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion. Judges scored the bout 50–44, 50–44, 50–45.