UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort. September 19, 2009. American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas. The first UFC event in Texas. Vitor Belfort stopped Rich Franklin by TKO with punches at 3:02 of round one in a catchweight 195 lb main event — Belfort’s UFC return after four years away. Junior dos Santos stopped Mirko Cro Cop in round three (eye injury).
Paul Daley made his UFC debut replacing the injured Mike Swick and stopped Martin Kampmann by TKO in round one. The event featured 13 fights — the most in UFC history at the time — and was the first to air preliminary card bouts live on Spike TV. 17,428 attended. Gate: $2.4M.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: September 19, 2009
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, USA (first UFC in Texas)
Attendance: 17,428; Gate: $2.4M; PPV: 375,000 buys
Main Event: Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort — Catchweight 195 lbs
Result: Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin — TKO (Punches) — R1, 3:02; KO Night ($65k to Belfort)
Notable: First UFC in Texas; Paul Daley debut; 13 fights (largest UFC card); first live Spike TV prelims; JDS def. Cro Cop
The Build-Up
The original main event was Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson 2 — a rematch of their Dublin split decision. Fan backlash over the matchup was immediate. Dana White changed it: ‘Fans didn’t like it, so we changed it.’ Vitor Belfort — the 2005 UFC LHW champion, absent from the UFC since 2005 — stepped in. The fight was made at 195 lbs catchweight.
Paul Daley had been building a knockout reputation in European promotions. Replacing the injured Mike Swick against Martin Kampmann, he was given his UFC debut on short notice. The preliminary card airing live on Spike TV was the UFC’s first step toward free TV exposure at scale.
Main Event
Vitor Belfort vs. Rich Franklin — Catchweight 195 lbs
Rich Franklin was the more experienced UFC fighter; Belfort was four years removed from UFC competition. Belfort’s speed and power answered the question in 3:02: he landed punches in a combination that hurt Franklin, followed him down, and the referee stopped it. Clean, emphatic, decisive.
Belfort was back in the UFC. The performance re-established him as a dangerous striker and set up further championship contention.
Co-Main Event
Junior dos Santos vs. Mirko Cro Cop — Heavyweight
Junior dos Santos pressed Cro Cop from the start, using his boxing effectively. In round three, Cro Cop suffered an eye injury that prevented him from continuing. The fight was stopped and awarded to dos Santos. This was Cro Cop’s final competitive UFC appearance.
Full Results
Preliminary Card (4 bouts aired live on Spike TV)
Efrain Escudero def. Cole Miller — KO — R1, 3:36 — LW; shown live on Spike
Tomasz Drwal def. Drew McFedries — Submission (RNC) — R2, 1:03 — MW; shown live on Spike
Jim Miller def. Steve Lopez — TKO (Injury) — R2, 0:48 — LW; shown live on Spike
Rick Story def. Brian Foster — Submission (Arm Triangle) — R2 — WW; shown live on Spike; FOTN ($65k each)
Nik Lentz def. Rafaello Oliveira — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
Rafael dos Anjos def. Rob Emerson — Decision — R3, 5:00 — LW
Igor Pokrajac def. Vladimir Matyushenko — Decision — R3, 5:00
Main Card
Tyson Griffin def. Hermes França — KO (Punches) — R2, 3:26 — catchweight
Josh Koscheck def. Frank Trigg — TKO (Punches) — R1, 1:25 — WW
Paul Daley def. Martin Kampmann — TKO (Punches) — R1 — WW; Daley UFC debut (replaced injured Swick)
Junior dos Santos def. Mirko Cro Cop — TKO (Eye Injury) — R3 — HW; Co-Main
Catchweight 195 lbs — Main Event
Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin — TKO (Punches) — R1, 3:02 — KO Night ($65k to Belfort)
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: Vitor Belfort vs. Rich Franklin — $65,000 to Belfort.
Fight of the Night: Rick Story vs. Brian Foster — $65,000 to each fighter.
Records & Milestones
First UFC in Texas — American Airlines Center, Dallas; concurrent with Mayweather vs. Marquez boxing.
First UFC prelims live on Spike TV — four prelim bouts aired live before the PPV main card; 1.4M viewers.
13 fights — largest UFC card in the promotion’s history at the time.
Paul Daley UFC debut — TKO of Kampmann in round one on short notice; established himself immediately as a dangerous WW knockout artist.
Legacy & Impact
Vitor Belfort’s return at UFC 103 was one of the most effective ‘comeback’ performances in UFC history. After four years away, he walked in and stopped a seasoned former champion in three minutes. Rich Franklin's career as a main event fighter at a top UFC card effectively ended with this loss.
The Spike TV live prelims experiment was the beginning of the UFC’s path to free television at scale. What started as four prelim fights on Spike in 2009 expanded into the Fox deal in 2011 and eventually the ESPN/ESPN+ structure that defines the promotion today.
FAQ
Was UFC 103 the first UFC event in Texas?
Yes. UFC 103 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas was the first UFC event held in Texas.
Who was the original main event for UFC 103?
Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson in a rematch of their UFC 93 Dublin split decision. Fan backlash to the matchup led UFC President Dana White to change it to Franklin vs. Belfort. White acknowledged the decision directly: 'Fans didn't like it, so we changed it.'
What happened to Vitor Belfort's career between his last UFC fight and UFC 103?
Belfort's last UFC fight before UFC 103 was a first-round TKO loss to Chuck Liddell at UFC 62 in August 2006, over three years earlier. He competed in Brazilian promotions and was working to rebuild.
Why was Paul Daley at UFC 103 on short notice?
Mike Swick, who was scheduled to face Martin Kampmann for a WW number one contender spot, suffered an injury and withdrew. Daley — known for his knockout power in European promotions — stepped in as a replacement on short notice and stopped Kampmann by TKO in round one.
Why was UFC 103 historically significant for broadcasting?
It was the first UFC event to air preliminary card bouts live on Spike TV. Four prelim fights were shown live before the PPV main card, drawing 1.4 million viewers. This began the UFC’s expansion from PPV-only to free TV exposure.
References
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