UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson - Full Results!

14,728 MMA fans were on hand at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to witness UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson, and millions more were no doubt watching on pay-per-view or getting updates from the Internet. The main event saw “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell trying to avenge an earlier loss against former PRIDE fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. This also marked the first time that a UFC event received massive exposure from the mainstream media.

So did it live up to all the hype? Let’s find out. By the way, I’ve placed the odds according to Bodog next to each fighter‘s name, just so you can get an idea of whether the underdog or favorite came out on top.

UFC 71 RESULTS

Wilson Gouveia (-280) vs. Carmello Marrero (+220) - Gouveia opened up with leg kicks right from the beginning, and it wasn’t long before Marrero was reeling from the effects. One final kick sent him to the canvas, and then Gouveia followed up the assault with punches and a guillotine choke. Gouveia was declared the winner at 3:06 of the opening round.

Jeremy Stephens (+260) vs. Din Thomas (-330) - Thomas took the first round, although Stephens made a comeback at the end. In the second round, Stephens ended up on top, but Thomas locked in an armbar. Stephens tried to counter with a power bomb, but Thomas held on and got the submission victory at 2:44 of the 2nd. Thomas then proceeded to issue an open challenge to any pro boxer who might want to take on a MMA fighter.

“The Talent” Alan Belcher (+115) vs. Sean Salmon (-145) - Early in the fight, Belcher locked in a guillotine choke from the clinch and then jumped up and wrapped his legs around Salmon’s waist. Salmon slammed his opponent down, but this only succeeded in locking in the hold even more. Salmon was forced to tap at 53 seconds of the 1st round.

Thiago Silva (-230) vs. James “The Sandman” Irvin (+190) - Brazil’s Chute Boxe academy returned to the Octagon for the first time in years in the form of Silva. As the two men grappled for position, Irvin’s right knee gave way, and he collapsed to the mat in intense pain. Silva picked up the 1st round victory at 1:06 due to referee stoppage, and Irvin was later diagnosed as having suffered a torn ACL. The crowd was not happy.

Chris “The Crippler” Leben (-225) vs. Kalib Starnes (+185) - In this bout, two Ultimate Fighter veterans squared off, and the crowd awarded them with a standing ovation after three rounds of back and forth action. Starnes picked up the unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28), and he was definitely the fan favorite.

“The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (-500) vs. Houston “The Assassin” Alexander (+350) - Within seconds, Alexander had Jardine in trouble with punches and knees, backing him into the ropes and finally dropping him with an uppercut. As his mouthpiece fell out, referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight at 48 seconds and awarded the win (and the upset) to the 35-year-old Alexander.

Ivan Salaverry (-170) vs. Terry Martin (+140) - Martin slammed Salaverry to the mat and rained down punches until referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight. It was over at 2:04 of the 1st. Salaverry has noticeable swelling after the fight and a brace around his left shoulder. Martin, meanwhile, got on the microphone and called out Middleweight champ Anderson “The Spider” Silva.

Karo “The Heat” Parisyan (-270) vs. Josh Burkman (+210) - In a competitive Welterweight match, Karo Parisyan outpointed Josh Burkman to take a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). Parisyan was in better shape, and it certainly showed in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. While Burkman mainly went for knockout punches, Parisyan worked in throws, right hand leads, and some nice takedown defense. After the fight, Parisyan asked for a title shot, citing the decisive victory which he holds over current Welterweight champ Matt “The Terror” Serra. He then sang a song and got booed by the crowd.

“The Iceman” Chuck Liddell (-170) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (+140) - The Light Heavyweight title is on the line. Huge reaction for Liddell and lots of boos for Rampage. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson, the current PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight champion, is sitting at ringside. It’s likely that the winner of this match will face him next.

As the bout started, Liddell stayed on the outside. Jackson cut off the Octagon with his footwork and urged Chuck to come in and fight. Liddell went for a hook to the midsection, and Jackson caught him on the jaw with an overhand right. Liddell went down and Jackson followed up with a barrage of punches to the fallen champ. By the third punch on the ground, referee John McCarthy jumped in and called the fight at 1:53 of the 1st round. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new champion!

For more on UFC 71, take a look at the following:

UFC 71 Odds and MMA News

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson - Full Results!