UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Daniel Cornmeat
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar. February 2, 2013. Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas. Jose Aldo defended the UFC Featherweight Championship against Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision in five rounds — Aldo’s fourth FW title defence and Edgar’s first fight at featherweight after moving down from lightweight.
The card also featured Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva knocking out Alistair Overeem in Overeem’s return after a nine-month drug suspension. Rashad Evans lost to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by unanimous decision — the first non-title loss of Evans’ career. Tyron Woodley made his UFC debut with a win over Jay Hieron. Demian Maia submitted Jon Fitch. $50,000 bonuses were awarded at this event.
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: February 2, 2013
Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Attendance: 10,275; Gate: $2,437,000
Main Event: Jose Aldo (c) vs. Frankie Edgar — UFC FW Championship (5 rounds; originally planned for UFC 153; Aldo motorcycle accident delayed it)
Result: Aldo def. Edgar — UD — fourth FW title defence; Edgar’s FW debut; close fight; Edgar first to take Aldo down twice
Notable: Bigfoot Silva KOs Overeem (KOTN; Overeem’s return from drug ban); Nogueira upsets Evans UD; Woodley UFC debut; Maia subs Fitch; $50k bonuses
The Build-Up
This fight was originally planned for UFC 153 in October 2012, but Aldo suffered a foot injury in a motorcycle accident and was forced to withdraw. Edgar, who had lost two consecutive LW title fights to Benson Henderson, made the permanent move down to featherweight for this fight. Aldo’s previous FW title defences had been against Hominick, Florian, and Mendes. Edgar was the highest-profile challenger of his title reign.
Main Event
Jose Aldo (c) vs. Frankie Edgar — UFC FW Championship
Edgar applied pressure throughout five rounds and was the first fighter to take Aldo down more than once in a single fight — a remarkable achievement against the champion’s historically strong takedown defence. Aldo countered with leg kicks and accurate punching in combination. Social media scored the fight close to a split. The three judges scored it unanimously for Aldo.
Edgar’s comment post-fight: ‘Close fight, I keep finding myself in these situations.’ The result ended his title opportunities at two weight classes in the same calendar year.
Co-Main Event
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Rashad Evans — Light Heavyweight
Rashad Evans was considered the clear favourite. Nogueira controlled the fight with his boxing and clinch work, landing the cleaner shots across three rounds. Judges scored 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 for Nogueira. It was
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Francisco Rivera def. Edwin Figueroa — KO — R1 — BW
Dustin Kimura def. Chico Camus — Decision — R3 — BW
Isaac Vallie-Flagg def. Yves Edwards — Decision — R3 — LW
Tyron Woodley def. Jay Hieron — KO — R? — WW; Woodley UFC debut from Strikeforce
Evan Dunham def. Gleison Tibau — Decision — R3 — LW
Main Card
Joseph Benavidez def. Ian McCall — Decision (Split) — R3 — FW [125 lbs]
Demian Maia def. Jon Fitch — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — WW; Fitch landed just 6 significant strikes in the fight
Antonio Silva def. Alistair Overeem — KO — R? — HW; Overeem’s return after 9-month drug suspension; KO Night ($50k to Silva)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Rashad Evans — UD (29-28 x3) — LHW; Co-Main; Evans’ first non-title UFC loss
UFC FW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Jose Aldo def. Frankie Edgar — Decision (Unanimous) — R5, 5:00 — FW Championship; fourth defence; FOTN ($50k each)
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar — $50,000 to each fighter.
KO of the Night: Antonio Silva vs. Alistair Overeem — $50,000 to Silva.
Sub of the Night: Bobby Green vs. Jacob Volkmann — $50,000 to Green.
Records & Milestones
Frankie Edgar — first fighter to take Jose Aldo down more than once in a single fight; Edgar was the first FW opponent to successfully complete two takedowns in the same fight against the champion.
Rashad Evans — first non-title loss of career; Evans had been previously only defeated in UFC title fights.
Tyron Woodley UFC debut — KO win over Jay Hieron from Strikeforce; Woodley became UFC WW Champion in 2016 and made four consecutive defences.
Antonio Bigfoot Silva KOs Overeem — Overeem returned after nine months suspended and was knocked out in his first fight back.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 156 was the card where the storylines running through 2012 and into 2013 converged at featherweight. Edgar made the weight class move after two consecutive disputed LW title losses. Aldo defended his belt for the fourth time. The fight was close enough to maintain Aldo’s reputation as beatable while confirming his ability to win the close rounds.
Overeem’s knockout loss to Bigfoot was a second high-profile setback for a fighter who had arrived in the UFC in December 2011 as a major international star. The Bigfoot KO — Silva’s right hand over Overeem’s jab — was the KO Night winner and one of 2013’s most discussed results. Rashad Evans’ loss to Nogueira was the card’s other significant upset.
FAQ
Why was the UFC 156 FW title fight delayed?
It was originally scheduled as the UFC 153 main event in October 2012. Jose Aldo suffered a foot injury in a motorcycle accident on September 1, 2012, and was forced to withdraw. The fight was rescheduled for UFC 156 in February 2013.
Was UFC 156 Frankie Edgar's first featherweight fight?
Yes. Edgar had competed at lightweight throughout his UFC career, including two LW title fights against Benson Henderson. UFC 156 was his first fight at featherweight.
Why was Alistair Overeem's UFC 156 appearance notable?
Overeem had been suspended by the NSAC for nine months following a failed drug test ahead of UFC 146 in May 2012. UFC 156 was his first fight after completing the suspension. He was knocked out by Antonio Silva.
What happened to Rashad Evans at UFC 156?
Evans lost to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by unanimous decision (29-28 x3). It was the first non-title loss of Evans' career.
Who made their UFC debut at UFC 156?
Tyron Woodley made his UFC debut with a KO win over Jay Hieron in a welterweight bout. Woodley came from Strikeforce and became UFC WW Champion in 2016.
References
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