UFC 43

UFC mixed martial arts event in 2003

UFC 43: Meltdown

The poster for UFC 43: Meltdown

Information

Promotion

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Date

June 6, 2003

Venue

Thomas and Mack Center

City

Las Vegas, Nevada

Attendance

9,800

Total gate

$645,140

Buyrate

49,000

Event chronology

UFC 42: Sudden Impact

UFC 43: Meltdown

UFC 44: Undisputed

UFC 43: Meltdown was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 6, 2003, at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States, and later released on DVD.

History

Headlining the card was an Interim Light Heavyweight Championship match between future UFC Hall of Fame inductees Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell.

Ken Shamrock was originally slated to face Ian Freeman at this event, but was forced from the card with a torn ACL. Vernon White would step in as his replacement.^[1]

Results

Main Card
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Light Heavyweight	Randy Couture	def.	Chuck Liddell	TKO (punches)	3	2:39	^[a]
Heavyweight	Kimo Leopoldo	def.	Tank Abbott	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	1	1:59
Light Heavyweight	Vitor Belfort	def.	Marvin Eastman	TKO (knees and punches)	1	1:07
Heavyweight	Vernon White	vs.	Ian Freeman	Draw (split) (28–29, 30–27, 29–29)	3	5:00
Heavyweight	Frank Mir	def.	Wes Sims	Disqualification (kick to head of downed opponent)	1	2:55
Preliminary card
Heavyweight	Pedro Rizzo	def.	Tra Telligman	TKO (doctor stoppage)	2	4:24
Middleweight	Falaniko Vitale	def.	Matt Lindland	KO (slam)	1	1:56
Lightweight	Yves Edwards	def.	Eddie Ruiz	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00

^ For the interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Couture becomes the first person to win a title in two different weight divisions (Couture was a two-time Heavyweight Champion).