Introduction
UFC 35: Throwdown. January 11, 2002. Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut. One of the more unusual events in early UFC history — the entire show was conducted while a flu-like illness swept through the venue. Fighters, trainers, and production staff all reported symptoms ranging from vomiting to hallucinations. Despite widespread illness across the roster, the card ran as planned.
Two title fights headlined. Jens Pulver defended the Lightweight Championship against B.J. Penn over five rounds, winning a tight majority decision. Murilo Bustamante stopped Dave Menne in the second round to win the Middleweight Championship. Ricco Rodriguez stopped Jeff Monson. Chuck Liddell defeated Amar Suloev. The card delivered results despite the conditions surrounding it.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: January 11, 2002
📍 Venue: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut, USA
🏆 Lightweight Championship: Jens Pulver (c) def. B.J. Penn — Decision (Majority) — R5, 5:00 (scores: 45-48, 47-48, 47-47; Pulver retains)
🏆 Middleweight Championship: Murilo Bustamante def. Dave Menne (c) — TKO (Punch) — R2, 0:44 (Bustamante becomes new UFC MW Champion)
🤢 Context: Flu-like illness spread through fighters, trainers, and production staff; event ran despite widespread sickness
Pulver vs. Penn: Five Rounds of High-Level Lightweight
Jens Pulver and B.J. Penn produced one of the best lightweight fights the UFC had seen. Penn, who had finished his previous opponents in under a minute, was taken the distance by Pulver across five gruelling rounds. Pulver’s movement, wrestling, and pace made him difficult to catch cleanly; Penn’s BJJ and striking created consistent danger. The majority decision for Pulver was close enough that one judge scored it a draw.
For Penn, the loss was the first of his UFC career — a setback against the one fighter in the division who could match him for discipline and physicality over five rounds. For Pulver, it was confirmation that he was one of the best lightweights in the world. The two would meet again more than five years later at The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale in 2007, where Penn avenged the loss with a second-round submission. Their first meeting remained a touchstone for how competitive the 155-pound division had become.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Eugene Jackson def. Keith Rockel — Submission (Guillotine Choke) — R2
Gil Castillo def. Chris Brennan — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
Kevin Randleman def. Renato Sobral — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
Andrei Semenov def. Ricardo Almeida — TKO (Punches) — R2, 2:01
Chuck Liddell def. Amar Suloev — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
Main Card
Ricco Rodriguez def. Jeff Monson — TKO (Punches) — R3, 3:00
UFC Middleweight Championship
Murilo Bustamante def. Dave Menne (c) — TKO (Punch) — R2, 0:44 (Bustamante becomes new UFC Middleweight Champion)
UFC Lightweight Championship (5 rounds)
Jens Pulver (c) def. B.J. Penn — Decision (Majority) — R5, 5:00 (Pulver retains; scores 45-48, 47-48, 47-47)
Records & Milestones
🤢 UFC 35 flu outbreak — a flu-like illness spread through fighters, trainers, and production staff before and during the event. Multiple fighters competed while ill. The show ran regardless.
🏆 Murilo Bustamante wins the UFC Middleweight Championship — the Brazilian stopped Dave Menne with a single punch in 44 seconds of the second round.
🌟 Jens Pulver def. B.J. Penn over five rounds — Penn’s first UFC loss; one of the most competitive lightweight bouts the organisation had produced.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 35 is remembered for two things: the Pulver/Penn fight and the illness. The contest itself was high-level; both fighters were near their peaks in this period and the five-round majority decision was genuinely contested. Penn’s career would continue upward despite the loss; Pulver’s reign was approaching its end.
Bustamante’s stoppage of Menne was swift and decisive. He had debuted at UFC 25 as a submission specialist; his win here via strikes demonstrated the rounded development that had made him a world-class fighter. His tenure as Middleweight Champion would be brief — he would later vacate the title upon signing with PRIDE.
FAQ
What was the flu outbreak at UFC 35?
A flu-like illness spread through fighters, trainers, and production staff before UFC 35. Pat Miletich later described in a 2008 interview that the sickness spread “like wildfire,” with symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and hallucinations. Despite widespread illness across the roster, the event proceeded as scheduled.
Who won between Jens Pulver and B.J. Penn?
Jens Pulver won by majority decision over five rounds, retaining the UFC Lightweight Championship. The scores were 45-48, 47-48, and 47-47 (draw). Penn, who had previously finished his opponents in under a minute, was taken the distance by Pulver for the first time in his UFC career. It was Penn’s first professional loss.
Did Murilo Bustamante go on to defend the Middleweight Championship?
Bustamante defended the title once, against Matt Lindland at UFC 37. He was later stripped of the title in October 2002 after signing with PRIDE Fighting Championships. The UFC Middleweight Championship remained vacant until UFC 51 in February 2005, when Evan Tanner defeated David Terrell for the title.