Introduction
UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II. July 7, 2012. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. International Fight Week. Anderson Silva retained the UFC Middleweight Championship against
Chael Sonnen dominated round one with wrestling and ground and pound, as he had in their first fight at UFC 117. In round two, Sonnen threw a reckless spinning back fist that left him out of position. Silva landed a knee to the chest, followed with punches, and Yves Lavigne stopped the fight. It was
Tito Ortiz was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame during the Fan Expo, then fought
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: July 7, 2012 (International Fight Week)
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Attendance: 15,104; Gate: $6,901,655 (record US live gate at the time); PPV: 925,000
Main Event: Anderson Silva (c) vs. Chael Sonnen — UFC MW Championship (5 rounds; REMATCH of UFC 117)
Result: Silva def. Sonnen — TKO (Punches) — R2, 1:55 — 10th consecutive title defence (UFC record); Sonnen reckless backfist opened the finish
Notable: Record US gate; Tito Ortiz HOF induction + retirement fight (loses to Griffin); Khabib's second UFC fight; Silva shoulder/punch at weigh-ins; $75k bonuses
The Build-Up
The build-up to Anderson Silva vs.
Main Event
Anderson Silva (c) vs. Chael Sonnen — UFC MW Championship
Chael Sonnen controlled round one with takedowns and ground and pound, as he had done through the first four and a half rounds of UFC 117.
Co-Main Event
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz III — Light Heavyweight
Tito Ortiz was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on the afternoon of UFC 148. That same night, he fought
Full Results
Preliminary Card (FX / Facebook)
Rafaello Oliveira def. Yoislandy Izquierdo — Decision — R3 — LW
Shane Roller def. John Alessio — Decision — R3 — LW
Costas Philippou def. Riki Fukuda — Decision — R3 — MW
Khabib Nurmagomedov def. Gleison Tibau — Decision — R3 — LW; Khabib's second UFC fight
Melvin Guillard def. Fabricio Camões — TKO — R? — LW
Mike Easton def. Ivan Menjivar — Decision — R3 — BW
Main Card
Chad Mendes def. Cody McKenzie — KO (Knee to the Body) — R1, 0:31 — FW
Demian Maia def. Dong Hyun Kim — TKO (Injury from Takedown) — R1, 0:47 — MW/WW
Cung Le def. Patrick Cote — Decision — R3 — MW
Forrest Griffin def.
UFC MW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Anderson Silva def.
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Forrest Griffin vs.
KO of the Night: Anderson Silva vs.
Records & Milestones
Anderson Silva — 10th consecutive MW title defence; UFC record; only MW champion to defend the belt ten times consecutively.
Record US live gate — $6,901,655 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena; largest domestic UFC gate at the time.
Khabib Nurmagomedov UFC debut — def. Gleison Tibau UD; future undefeated UFC LW champion went 29-0 before retirement.
Tito Ortiz inducted into UFC Hall of Fame — and fought his retirement fight at the same event.
Legacy & Impact
Anderson Silva’s second win over
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s debut at UFC 148 was a footnote on the night. It would become, retrospectively, the opening chapter of the most dominant run in LW history. He arrived at UFC 148 undefeated. He left undefeated. He remained so for eleven more years.
FAQ
Was UFC 148 the rematch of UFC 117?
Yes. The main event was a rematch of UFC 117 in August 2010, where Anderson Silva defended his MW title against Chael Sonnen by submitting him with a triangle choke in round five after being dominated for four-and-a-half rounds.
How did Anderson Silva finish Chael Sonnen at UFC 148?
Sonnen threw a spinning back fist in round two that left him in a vulnerable position. Silva landed a knee to Sonnen's chest and followed with punches. Referee Yves Lavigne stopped the fight at 1:55 of round two.
Was UFC 148 the largest US live gate in UFC history?
At the time of the event, yes. UFC 148 set the record for the largest live gate for a UFC event in the United States at $6,901,655.
Did Khabib Nurmagomedov make his UFC debut at UFC 148?
Yes. Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Gleison Tibau by unanimous decision in a lightweight bout at UFC 148. He went on to become UFC Lightweight Champion and retired undefeated at 29-0.
Was UFC 148 Tito Ortiz's retirement fight?
Yes. Tito Ortiz was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame during the Fan Expo on UFC 148 fight day, then fought Forrest Griffin in the co-main event as his officially declared retirement fight. Griffin won by unanimous decision.