UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Tito Wordsmith
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 138: Leben vs. Muñoz. November 5, 2011. LG Arena, Birmingham, United Kingdom. The UFC’s second event in Birmingham, following UFC 89 in 2008 which also featured Chris Leben. The main event between Mark Muñoz and Leben was the first non-title five-round fight in UFC history.
Muñoz defeated Leben by TKO via elbow at the end of round two. Renan Barão defeated Brad Pickett in a bantamweight Fight of the Night in front of the home crowd. Chris Leben was later suspended one year by the UFC after failing a post-event drug test. The event aired tape-delayed on Spike TV in the United States.
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 5, 2011
Venue: LG Arena (National Exhibition Centre), Birmingham, UK (second UFC in Birmingham)
Attendance: 10,823; Gate: $1,500,000
Main Event: Mark Muñoz vs. Chris Leben — MW (5 rounds; FIRST NON-TITLE 5-ROUND FIGHT IN UFC HISTORY)
Result: Muñoz def. Leben — TKO (Elbow) — R2, 5:00
Notable: Leben suspended 1 year (failed drug test post-event); Renan Baraõ def. Brad Pickett (FOTN $70k); Che Mills bonus; tape delay USA; $70k bonuses
The Build-Up
After several planned 2011 UK events in Glasgow, Liverpool, and London were cancelled, the return to Birmingham was announced. Muñoz had won three straight, including a UD over Demian Maia at UFC 131. The non-title five-round format was historically significant; it was the first time the UFC had sanctioned a non-championship bout at five rounds.
Main Event
Mark Muñoz vs. Chris Leben — Middleweight (5 rounds; first non-title UFC 5-round fight)
Muñoz used his wrestling to control the fight through rounds one and two. Leben landed heavy left hands but could not finish. At the end of round two, Muñoz landed an elbow that forced the stoppage. The fight lasted five rounds in the sense that round two ran to its conclusion with the stoppage at the final bell.
Co-Main Event
Renan Barão vs. Brad Pickett — Bantamweight
Pickett was the home favourite and received a loud reception from the Birmingham crowd. Barão controlled the fight with his footwork and combinations, winning a unanimous decision. The fight earned both fighters the Fight of the Night bonus and was the most celebrated performance of the evening from the crowd’s perspective.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Chris Cariaso def. Vaughan Lee — KO — R1, 0:17 — BW
Che Mills def. Chris Cope — TKO — R1 — WW; bonus ($70k to Mills)
John Maguire def. Justin Edwards — Decision — R3 — WW
Terry Etim def. Edward Faaloloto — Sub — R1 — LW
Anthony Perosh def. Cyrille Diabé — Decision — R3 — LHW
Main Card
Thiago Alves def. Papy Abedi — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — WW
Renan Barão def. Brad Pickett — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — BW; Co-Main; Fight of the Night ($70k each)
MW Main Event (5 rounds — first non-title 5-round fight in UFC history)
Mark Muñoz def. Chris Leben — TKO (Elbow) — R2, 5:00 — MW; Leben suspended 1 year post-event (failed drug test)
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Renan Barão vs. Brad Pickett — $70,000 to each fighter.
KO/Performance Bonus: Che Mills vs. Chris Cope — $70,000 to Mills.
Records & Milestones
First non-title five-round fight in UFC history — Muñoz vs. Leben; establishes the precedent for five-round non-championship main events.
Chris Leben suspended one year — UFC’s post-event drug test at UFC 138 returned a positive result; Leben received a one-year suspension, disrupting his career momentum.
Second UFC in Birmingham — following UFC 89 in 2008; Chris Leben featured in the main event at both events.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 138 established the non-title five-round main event as a viable format. Prior to this event, five rounds had been reserved exclusively for title fights and UFC 1 tournament bouts. The addition of extended non-title main events changed how high-profile non-championship fights could be booked and presented.
Renan Barão’s win over Brad Pickett marked his emergence as a legitimate UFC BW contender. His combination of movement, output, and finish rate eventually took him to an undefeated UFC run and the BW championship.
FAQ
Was UFC 138 the first UFC event to have a non-title five-round fight?
Yes. The main event between Mark Munoz and Chris Leben at UFC 138 was the first non-championship bout in UFC history to be scheduled for five rounds.
Why was Chris Leben suspended after UFC 138?
Chris Leben failed a post-event drug test administered by the UFC following UFC 138. He was suspended for one year.
Was UFC 138 the second UFC in Birmingham?
Yes. The first was UFC 89 in October 2008, which also featured Chris Leben in the main event. Leben fought at both Birmingham events.
Why was UFC 138 taped-delayed in the US?
UFC 138 was held in Birmingham in the afternoon (local time) and aired tape-delayed on Spike TV in the United States later that evening.
Who won the Fight of the Night at UFC 138?
Renan Barao and Brad Pickett each received $70,000 Fight of the Night bonuses for their bantamweight bout.
References
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