UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Conor McBragger
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida. November 20, 2010. The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan. The first UFC event in Metro Detroit since UFC 9 in September 1996 — a gap of 14 years. Quinton Jackson defeated Lyoto Machida by split decision — 29-28, 29-28, 28-29 — in a controversial light heavyweight main event. Jackson himself said post-fight: ‘Machida whupped my ass tonight.’
BJ Penn knocked out Matt Hughes at 21 seconds of round one in the WW co-main event — the trilogy’s decisive conclusion. Phil Davis submitted Tim Boetsch. George Sotiropoulos defeated Joe Lauzon. In a private ceremony before the event, José Aldo was awarded the inaugural UFC Featherweight Championship belt by Dana White; fans in the arena were not permitted to witness it. Edson Barboza made his UFC debut.
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: November 20, 2010
Venue: The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA (first UFC in Metro Detroit since UFC 9 in 1996)
Attendance: 16,404; Gate: $2,100,000; PPV: 500,000 buys
Main Event: Quinton Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida — LHW
Result: Quinton Jackson def. Machida — SD (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) — controversial; Rampage said ‘Machida whupped my ass tonight’
Notable: BJ Penn KOs Hughes 21 sec (trilogy); José Aldo awarded UFC FW belt pre-show; Barboza UFC debut; $80k bonuses
The Build-Up
The Metro Detroit area had not hosted a UFC event since UFC 9 in September 1996. At UFC 123, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida — both former LHW champions — collided in a fight with LHW title implications. José Aldo, the WEC Featherweight Champion who had been absorbed into the UFC, was awarded the inaugural UFC FW Championship before the event in a ceremony closed to the general audience.
Main Event
Quinton Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida — Light Heavyweight
Jackson came out aggressively and pushed the pace throughout rounds one and two. Machida used his movement, leg kicks, and counter-striking to control the technical side of the fight. In round three, Machida rocked Jackson and took him down, working for submissions before the bell. Two judges scored 29-28 for Jackson; one scored 28-29 for Machida. Split decision for Jackson.
The result was widely disputed. Machida had out-struck and out-grappled Jackson across the final round and most observers believed he had won. Jackson’s own post-fight comment — ‘Machida whupped my ass tonight’ — became one of the most memorable admissions in the sport.
Co-Main Event
BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes III — Welterweight
BJ Penn opened with punches, dropped Hughes with a right hand, and followed with four more punches. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 21 seconds of round one. The trilogy between Penn and Hughes was settled emphatically. Penn had been submitted by Hughes at UFC 46 in 2004; Hughes had won a decision at UFC 63 in 2006; Penn finished the series with a 21-second knockout.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Nik Lentz def. Tyson Griffin — Decision — R3, 5:00 — LW
Paul Kelly def. TJ O’Brien — Decision — R3, 5:00 — LW
Edson Barboza def. Mike Lullo — TKO — R1 — LW; Barboza UFC debut
Dennis Hallman def. Karo Parisyan — Decision — R3, 5:00 — WW
Main Card
Mark Muñoz def. Aaron Simpson — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — MW
Brian Foster def. Matt Brown — Submission — R1 — WW
Maiquel Falão def. Gerald Harris — Decision — R3, 5:00 — MW; timekeeping controversy (formal complaint filed)
George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Lauzon — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — LW; Fight of the Night ($80k each)
Phil Davis def. Tim Boetsch — Submission — R2 — LHW; Fight of the Night ($80k to Davis)
BJ Penn def. Matt Hughes — TKO (Punches) — R1, 0:21 — WW trilogy finale; Penn wins in 21 seconds; KO Night ($80k)
Main Event — Light Heavyweight
Quinton Jackson def. Lyoto Machida — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) — controversial; Rampage: ‘Machida whupped my ass tonight’
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes — $80,000 to Penn.
Fight of the Night: George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon — $80,000 to each fighter.
Fight of the Night (Performance): Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch — $80,000 to Davis.
Records & Milestones
First UFC in Metro Detroit since UFC 9 (September 1996) — 14-year gap.
BJ Penn def. Matt Hughes in 21 seconds — the fastest finish in the Penn-Hughes trilogy; Penn’s revenge for the UFC 46 submission loss.
José Aldo awarded inaugural UFC FW Championship — private ceremony before the event; fans not permitted to watch.
Edson Barboza UFC debut — TKO win; future LW top contender began career at UFC 123.
Legacy & Impact
Quinton Jackson’s controversial split decision over Machida was one of the most disputed results of 2010. Two rounds of aggressive but imprecise forward pressure gave Jackson the win on two scorecards; Machida’s dominant third round — the round most observers awarded to him — could not overcome the margin. Jackson admitted post-fight that he knew the result was wrong. The controversy added to a growing discussion about how judges scored aggression vs. technique in MMA.
BJ Penn's 21-second KO of Matt Hughes closed one of the sport’s defining rivalry arcs. Hughes and Penn had fought twice before, with each fight ending controversially or closely. The third fight took 21 seconds. Penn landed two right hands and Hughes was done.
FAQ
Why was the UFC 123 main event controversial?
Most observers and media scored the fight for Lyoto Machida, who out-struck Jackson technically and dominated round three. Jackson won on two of three judges' scorecards despite Machida's clear round-three dominance. Jackson himself acknowledged post-fight that Machida had outfought him.
How did BJ Penn beat Matt Hughes at UFC 123?
Penn dropped Hughes with a right hand and followed with four punches. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 21 seconds of round one. It was the trilogy’s decisive conclusion.
Was UFC 123 the first UFC in Michigan?
No, but it was the first in Metro Detroit since UFC 9 in September 1996, a gap of 14 years.
Was Jose Aldo at UFC 123?
Aldo was not on the fight card at UFC 123, but in a private ceremony before the event began, he was awarded the inaugural UFC Featherweight Championship belt. Fans in the arena were not permitted to attend the ceremony.
Who made their UFC debut at UFC 123?
Edson Barboza made his UFC debut at UFC 123, winning by TKO in round one. He went on to become a top-five UFC lightweight contender.
References
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