UFC 81

UFC mixed martial arts event in 2008

UFC 81: Breaking Point

The poster for UFC 81: Breaking Point

Information

Promotion

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Date

February 2, 2008

Venue

Mandalay Bay Events Center

City

Las Vegas, Nevada

Attendance

10,583 (7,167 paid)

Total gate

$2,437,890

Buyrate

650,000^[1]

Event chronology

UFC Fight Night: Swick vs. Burkman

UFC 81: Breaking Point

UFC 82: Pride of a Champion

UFC 81: Breaking Point was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held on February 2, 2008, by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip.

Background

The main event featured Tim Sylvia and Antônio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira for the UFC Interim World Heavyweight Championship. UFC Heavyweight champion Randy Couture declined a championship fight with Nogueira,^[2] which resulted in the creation of the interim title.

This event also saw the UFC debut of WWE wrestler Brock Lesnar in a bout against former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir.^[3]

Results

Main card (PPV)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Heavyweight	Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira	def.	Tim Sylvia	Submission (guillotine choke)	3	1:28	^[a]
Heavyweight	Frank Mir	def.	Brock Lesnar	Submission (kneebar)	1	1:30	^[b]
Middleweight	Nate Marquardt	def.	Jeremy Horn	Submission (guillotine choke)	2	1:37
Middleweight	Ricardo Almeida	def.	Rob Yundt	Submission (guillotine choke)	1	1:08
Lightweight	Tyson Griffin	def.	Gleison Tibau	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Preliminary card
Welterweight	Chris Lytle	def.	Kyle Bradley	TKO (punches)	1	0:33
Middleweight	Marvin Eastman	def.	Terry Martin	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Light Heavyweight	Tim Boetsch	def.	David Heath	TKO (slam and punches)	1	4:52
Lightweight	Rob Emerson	def.	Keita Nakamura	Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 30–27)	3	5:00

^ For the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.
^ Lesnar had 1 point deducted in round 1 for strikes to the back of the head.

Bonus awards

At the end of this event, $60,000 was awarded to each of the fighters who received one of these three awards.^[4]

Fight of the Night: Tim Sylvia vs. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira
Knockout of the Night: Chris Lytle
Submission of the Night: Frank Mir

References

^ "Report: UFC 81 Registers 650,000 PPV "Buys"". 18 February 2008.
^ Morgan, Adam (December 4, 2007). "Randy Couture Turns Down Title Defense Against Minotauro Nogueira". Five Ounces of Pain. Archived from the original on February 24, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
^ "Super Bowl Showdown set between Lesnar and Mir". ufc.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
^ Stupp, Dan (February 3, 2008). "Nogueira, Sylvia, Lytle and Mir Earn $60,000 UFC 81 "Fight Night" Bonuses". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2008-02-02.