Fight Coverage
UFC's Last Time In Miami | UFC 30th Anniversary
Take A Look Back At April Of 2003, The Last Time That The Octagon Touched Down In The 305.
On Saturday April 8, the UFC finally returns to Miami after an almost 20-year hiatus, and the world fight leader is doing so in style as UFC 287 is headlined by the rematch between newly crowned middleweight champion Alex Pereira and his rival, former champ Israel Adesanya.
The co-main event is an absolute welterweight banger that will get the fight fans of the 305 on their feet as Gilbert Burns faces Miami’s own Jorge Masvidal.
The rest of the fight card is littered with a combination of current stars and rising stars that you won’t want to miss throw down at Kaseya Center.
Order UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2
But before we watch Pereira and Adesanya fight for UFC gold, it’s the perfect time to turn the clock back and remember what took place the last time the UFC was in “Magic City”.
This is what happened at UFC 42: Sudden Impact
- UFC 42 was a landmark event for UFC, as it was the first event to happen in the state of Florida.
- The card featured a welterweight title showdown between Matt Hughes and Sean Sherk.
- Hughes defeated Sherk by unanimous decision, defending his welterweight title for the fourth time.
- Future UFC champions Robbie Lawler and Rich Franklin (debut) were also on the card.
- A controversial doctor’s break in the fight between Duane Ludwig and Genki Sudo, in which Sudo was striking Ludwig from full guard, would prompt the rule change that a fight should be restarted after a referee timeout in the same position as which it was halted.
Watch UFC 42: Sudden Impact on UFC Fight Pass
Life In April 2003
- Jorge Masvidal attends UFC 42 as a fan, makes his professional MMA debut later that year.
- The Ultimate Fighter hadn’t premiered on television.
- Georges St-Pierre hadn’t made his UFC debut
- Chuck Liddell hadn’t broken through as UFC’s first mainstream star.
- Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram didn’t exist.
- There were only five weight classes in the UFC (heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, and lightweight)
- Adam Sandler’s “Anger Management” was the box office hit of April 2003
- “In da Club” by 50 Cent sat atop the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2003
- Fun bonus Miami fact: The Miami Marlins won the World Series in 2003, defeating the New York Yankees.
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