UFC 80
Encyclopedia
UFC 80: Rapid Fire was a mixed martial arts
(MMA) event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC), that took place on January 19, 2008 at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle
, England
.
was stripped of his title after the California State Athletic Commission
upheld his suspension for testing positive for the anabolic steroid
Nandrolone
. With the lightweight championship vacated, the Penn-Stevenson bout was altered to be for the undisputed championship.
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...
(MMA) 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...
(UFC), that took place on January 19, 2008 at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Background
The main event was originally scheduled as an interim lightweight championship fight; however, then-lightweight champion Sean SherkSean Sherk
Sean Keith Sherk is an American mixed martial arts fighter currently fighting for the UFC. He currently holds a professional mixed martial arts record of thirty-six wins, four losses and one draw. Sherk has fought in both the UFC and Pride FC, and is a former UFC Lightweight Champion...
was stripped of his title after the California State Athletic Commission
California State Athletic Commission
The California State Athletic Commission regulates professional boxing, professional and amateur kickboxing and professional mixed martial arts throughout the State by licensing all participants and supervising the events....
upheld his suspension for testing positive for the anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
Nandrolone
Nandrolone
Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid that may be present naturally in the human body, albeit in minute quantities of less than 0.4 ng/ml. Nandrolone is most commonly sold commercially as its decanoate ester and less commonly as a phenylpropionate ester...
. With the lightweight championship vacated, the Penn-Stevenson bout was altered to be for the undisputed championship.
Preliminary card
- Lightweight bout:
Sam StoutSam StoutSamuel James "Hands of Stone" Stout is a Canadian mixed martial artist from London, Ontario. Currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he is primarily known as a striker with an iron chin.- Mixed martial arts career :...
vs.
Per EklundPer Eklund (fighter)Per Eklund is a Swedish lightweight mixed martial artist. He was the first Swedish fighter to compete in Ultimate Fighting Championship, and holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu....
- Stout defeated Eklund via unanimous decision (29–27, 30–27, 30–27).
- Light Heavyweight bout:
Alessio SakaraAlessio SakaraAlessio Sakara is an Italian mixed martial artist and boxer, who currently competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Middleweight Division. Sakara is also a Former World Junior Boxing Contender. He holds notable wins over Elvis Sinosic, Thales Leites, James Irvin.-Background:Sakara was born...
vs.
James LeeJames Lee (fighter)James Lee is an American mixed martial artst who competes in the Light Heavyweight division. Lee is an All-American wrestler. He was scheduled to fight on the UFC 88 card in Atlanta, Georgia against Tim Boetsch but withdrew due to injury. He is also an alumnus of Orchard Lake St...
- Sakara defeated Lee via TKO (punches) at 1:30 of round 1. This bout aired last on the PPV broadcast following the Robinson vs. Hardonk fight.
- Welterweight bout:
Paul TaylorPaul Taylor (fighter)Paul Simon Taylor is an English mixed martial artist from Walsall. He stands 6'0" and weighs . He has fought regularly for Ultimate Fighting Championship. He holds notable wins over Jess Liaudin and Gabe Ruediger....
vs. Paul Kelly
- Kelly defeated Taylor via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27). This bout aired on the PPV broadcast following the Davis vs. Liaudin fight.
- Heavyweight bout:
Colin RobinsonColin RobinsonColin "Big C" Robinson is a mixed martial artist from Northern Ireland. He competes in the Heavyweight division...
vs.
Antoni HardonkAntoni HardonkAntoni Barend Hardonk is a Dutch retired mixed martial artist and kickboxer who competed in K-1 and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Kickboxing career:...
- Hardonk defeated Robinson via TKO (strikes) at 0:17 of round 1. This bout aired on the PPV broadcast following the Penn vs. Stevenson fight.
Main card
- Middleweight bout: Kendall GroveKendall GroveKendall Kekoa Grove is an American mixed martial artist. He was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 3 on Spike TV.- Early life :...
vs. 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...
- Rivera defeated Grove via TKO (punches) at 1:20 of round 1.
- Light Heavyweight bout: 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.-...
vs.
Wilson GouveiaWilson GouveiaWilson Gouveia is a Brazilian mixed martial artist.At and , Gouveia fights as a light heavyweight in the Maximum Fighting Championships organization after a stint as a middleweight in the UFC. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is a member of American Top Team...
- Gouveia defeated Lambert via KO (punch) at 0:37 of round 2.
- Welterweight bout: Marcus DavisMarcus DavisMarcus Paul Davis , is an Irish-American mixed martial artist. He currently fights as a welterweight. He was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 2 on Spike TV. He holds notable wins over Chris Lytle, Paul Taylor, Jonathan Goulet, and Shonie Carter.-Boxing career:Marcus began boxing at 14...
vs.
Jess LiaudinJess LiaudinJess Liaudin is a French mixed martial artist who currently fights out of London, England. Jess trained in martial arts from eight years old; in karate initially and then moving on to kickboxing....
- Davis defeated Liaudin via KO (punch) at 1:04 of round 1.
- Heavyweight bout: Gabriel GonzagaGabriel GonzagaGabriel Gonzaga , is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who most recently competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is a former member of Chute Boxe Academy and now fights out of Ludlow, Massachusetts as a part of Team Link...
vs. Fabricio WerdumFabricio WerdumFabricio Werdum is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, a two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, a two-time ADCC world heavyweight champion and European Jiu-Jitsu champion. He holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Muay Thai. Werdum has competed in Pride Fighting Championships, the...
- Werdum defeated Gonzaga via TKO (strikes) at 4:34 of round 2.
- Lightweight Championship bout: B.J. PennB. J. PennJay Dee "B.J." Penn is an American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Penn was the first non-Brazilian winner of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in the black-belt category...
vs. Joe StevensonJoe StevensonJoseph Christopher Stevenson is an American mixed martial artist fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Competing as a welterweight, he won The Ultimate Fighter 2 welterweight tournament. Stevenson fought most of his UFC career as a lightweight, and made his featherweight debut at UFC Live: Kongo vs....
- Penn defeated Stevenson via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:02 of round 2 to become the new UFC Lightweight Champion.
Bonus awards
At the end of this event, $35,000 was awarded to each of the fighters who received one of these three awards.- Fight of the Night: Paul TaylorPaul Taylor (fighter)Paul Simon Taylor is an English mixed martial artist from Walsall. He stands 6'0" and weighs . He has fought regularly for Ultimate Fighting Championship. He holds notable wins over Jess Liaudin and Gabe Ruediger....
vs. Paul Kelly
- Submission of the Night: B.J. PennB. J. PennJay Dee "B.J." Penn is an American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Penn was the first non-Brazilian winner of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in the black-belt category...
- Knockout of the Night: Wilson GouveiaWilson GouveiaWilson Gouveia is a Brazilian mixed martial artist.At and , Gouveia fights as a light heavyweight in the Maximum Fighting Championships organization after a stint as a middleweight in the UFC. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is a member of American Top Team...