UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Daniel Cornmeat
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez. December 12, 2009. FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee. The first UFC event in Tennessee. BJ Penn retained the UFC Lightweight Championship with a dominant five-round performance over
BJ Penn stuffed all 27 of Sanchez’s takedown attempts. He dropped Sanchez multiple times across five rounds, controlled every exchange, and extended his record to three consecutive lightweight title defences — a new UFC LW record. Joe Rogan called it: ‘That right there is the greatest lightweight in the history of the sport.’
Frank Mir submitted Cheick Kongo with a guillotine choke in round one — Kongo went unconscious. Kenny Florian submitted Clay Guida in round two. 13,896 fans attended. Gate: $1.5M. PPV: 620,000 buys.
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: December 12, 2009
Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee, USA (first UFC in Tennessee)
Attendance: 13,896; Gate: $1.5M; PPV: 620,000 buys
Main Event: BJ Penn (c) vs. Diego Sanchez — UFC Lightweight Championship (5 rounds)
Result: BJ Penn def. Diego Sanchez — TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage; Cut) — R5, 2:37 — Penn retains LW title; record 3rd consecutive LW defence
Co-Main: Frank Mir def. Cheick Kongo — Submission (Guillotine Choke) — R1 — Kongo unconscious
Notable: Penn stuffed 27 takedowns; Florian subs Guida; Johny Hendricks 2nd UFC fight UD win
The Build-Up
Diego Sanchez was the TUF Season 1 winner and one of the most relentless fighters in LW history. His record at the time was 22-2. His takedown volume and non-stop pressure had been the answer to most opponents.
BJ Penn had taken his training seriously for this fight — Dana White commented post-fight that he was proud of Penn’s dedication in camp. The performance was the direct result.
Main Event
BJ Penn (c) vs. Diego Sanchez — UFC Lightweight Championship
Round one: BJ Penn landed a right hook that dropped
Rounds two through four: Diego Sanchez shot for 27 takedowns across the fight.
Round five: BJ Penn landed a right high kick that split Sanchez’s forehead open above the left eye. The cut was severe. The ringside doctor examined it and stopped the fight at 2:37. Penn retained the title.
Co-Main Event
Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo — Heavyweight
Frank Mir landed a left hand that dropped Kongo to the mat in the first round. He jumped on, locked in a guillotine choke, and Kongo went unconscious. The stoppage was immediate. One of the more emphatic first-round submissions in UFC HW history.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
TJ Grant def. Kevin Burns — Decision — R3, 5:00
DaMarques Johnson def. Edgar Garcia — Decision — R3, 5:00
Rousimar Palhares def. Lucio Linhares — Submission — R? — MW
Johny Hendricks def. Ricardo Funch — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x2, 30-25) — WW; Hendricks 2nd UFC fight
Main Card
Matt Wiman def. Shane Nelson — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x3) — LW
Alan Belcher def. Wilson Gouveia — TKO — R1, 3:02 — MW
Stefan Struve def. Paul Buentello — Decision (Majority) — R3, 5:00 — HW
Jon Fitch def. Mike Pierce — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — WW
Kenny Florian def. Clay Guida — Submission (RNC) — R2 — LW; Florian earns next LW title shot
Frank Mir def. Cheick Kongo — Submission (Guillotine Choke) — R1 — HW; Kongo unconscious
UFC Lightweight Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
BJ Penn def. Diego Sanchez — TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage; Cut) — R5, 2:37 — Penn retains LW title; record 3rd LW defence; Fight & KO Night bonuses
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez — $60,000 to each fighter.
KO of the Night: BJ Penn (additional) — $60,000 for the high kick finish.
Dana White in the post-fight press conference: ‘I’m proud of him. He finally took MMA seriously. That’s what happens when he trains.’
Records & Milestones
BJ Penn record third LW title defence — surpassing Jens Pulver’s record of two; Penn became the only fighter ever to stop Diego Sanchez.
BJ Penn stuffed 27 takedowns — Sanchez’s signature weapon neutralised completely; the most one-sided LW title fight in Penn’s reign.
First UFC in Tennessee — FedExForum, Memphis; 13,896 fans; 620,000 PPV buys.
Frank Mir guillotines Kongo unconscious — one of the most dramatic HW submissions in UFC history.
Legacy & Impact
BJ Penn's performance at UFC 107 stands as the most dominant of his title reign. He shut down everything Sanchez had — 27 takedown attempts, leg kicks, volume striking — and finished the fight with a high kick that opened a medical stoppage cut in round five. The breadth of control, over five rounds, against one of the toughest fighters in LW history, represents Penn at his absolute peak.
BJ Penn lost the LW title to Frankie Edgar at UFC 112 in April 2010, in a fight that ended his eight-year unbeaten streak at LW. The Penn-Edgar trilogy defined 2010’s LW division; but the foundation for what Edgar stepped into was the dominance Penn showed at UFC 107.
FAQ
Was UFC 107 the first UFC event in Tennessee?
Yes. UFC 107 at the FedExForum in Memphis was the first UFC event held in Tennessee.
How dominant was BJ Penn against Diego Sanchez?
Penn dropped Sanchez multiple times, stuffed all 27 of his takedown attempts, and controlled every round of a five-round fight before a high kick opened a cut that stopped the fight via doctor's stoppage at 2:37 of round five.
What record did BJ Penn set at UFC 107?
Penn made his third consecutive LW title defence, surpassing Jens Pulver's record of two. He also became the only fighter in UFC history to stop Diego Sanchez.
How did Frank Mir defeat Cheick Kongo?
In round one, Mir dropped Kongo with a left hand, jumped on him, and locked in a guillotine choke. Kongo went unconscious. The stoppage was immediate.
What happened after Kenny Florian's win at UFC 107?
Florian's submission of Clay Guida positioned him as the number one LW contender. He subsequently challenged BJ Penn for the title at UFC 101 — wait, that had already happened. Actually after UFC 107, with Penn set to defend next at UFC 112 against Frankie Edgar, Florian's title shot was eventually booked for UFC 131 in June 2011 against Frankie Edgar.
References
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