UFC 50: The War of '04 | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy

Daniel Cornmeat
6 days ago
4 min read

Introduction

UFC 50: The War of ’04. October 22, 2004. Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Matt Hughes submitted Georges St-Pierre with an armbar at 4:59 of the first round to win the vacant UFC Welterweight Championship for a record sixth time. St-Pierre’s first career loss. The co-main event featured Tito Ortiz defeating late-replacement Patrick Côté by unanimous decision after original opponent Guy Mezger was taken to hospital with stroke-like symptoms days before the event.

The most consequential moment of the evening may not have taken place inside the Octagon. At UFC 50, Dana White announced the creation of The Ultimate Fighter — a reality television series that would premiere in January 2005 on Spike TV. UFC 50 was later featured in the broadcast of TUF Season 1, positioned as context for the promotion’s state in 2004. The series’ finale — featuring Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar — would air five months later and change everything.

Quick Stats

📅 Date: October 22, 2004

📍 Venue: Trump Plaza (Boardwalk Hall), Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

🏆 WW Championship (vacant): Matt Hughes def. Georges St-Pierre — Submission (Armbar) — R1, 4:59 (Hughes wins WW title for record 6th time; GSP’s first UFC loss)

🏆 Main Event: Tito Ortiz def. Patrick Côté — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (Guy Mezger was original opponent; pulled with stroke-like symptoms)

📺 Historic: Dana White announces The Ultimate Fighter reality series at this event; TUF S1 aired from January 2005; UFC 50 featured in the broadcast

Matt Hughes Submits Georges St-Pierre

GSP was 22 years old and unbeaten when he challenged Hughes at UFC 50. He had won his first three UFC fights and was considered one of the most promising welterweights in the sport. Hughes controlled the fight with wrestling and, late in round one, secured the armbar and extended it to force the tap at 4:59. The submission came as GSP was defending from the bottom.

It was Hughes’ sixth welterweight title reign — a record at the time and a reflection of the extraordinary dominance he had maintained over the division since 2001. GSP would go on to defeat Hughes twice in subsequent meetings and establish himself as arguably the greatest welterweight in the sport’s history. UFC 50 was where that story began with a loss.

Dana White Announces The Ultimate Fighter

At UFC 50, Dana White announced that the UFC was launching a reality television series called The Ultimate Fighter, which would air on Spike TV beginning in January 2005. The series would feature sixteen fighters competing in a house, training under coaches, and fighting elimination bouts for a UFC contract. TUF Season 1’s coaches were Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture.

The finale of TUF Season 1 — Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar on April 9, 2005 — produced an audience and emotional response that far exceeded projections and is widely credited with making MMA a mainstream sport in the United States. The announcement at UFC 50 was the seed of that explosion.

Full Results

Preliminary Card

Travis Lutter def. Marvin Eastman — KO (Punch) — R2, 0:43

Ivan Salaverry def. Tony Fryklund — Submission (Body Lock) — R1, 1:36

Main Card

Evan Tanner def. Robbie Lawler — Submission (Triangle Choke) — R1, 2:22

Frank Trigg def. Renato Verissimo — TKO (Elbows) — R2, 2:11 (Fight of the Night)

UFC Welterweight Championship (vacant)

Matt Hughes def. Georges St-Pierre — Submission (Armbar) — R1, 4:59 (Hughes wins WW title for record 6th time; GSP’s first UFC loss)

Rich Franklin def. Jorge Rivera — Submission (Armbar) — R3, 4:28

Main Event — Light Heavyweight

Tito Ortiz def. Patrick Côté — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (Guy Mezger original opponent; pulled with stroke-like symptoms week of fight; Côté stepped in on one week’s notice)

Records & Milestones

🏆 Matt Hughes’ sixth WW title reign — a UFC record; Hughes had won and defended the welterweight title at a level of dominance no fighter had achieved at that point.

🌟 Georges St-Pierre’s first career loss — he had been unbeaten at 22 years old; the loss to Hughes began a rivalry that produced two of the sport’s most significant bouts.

📺 The Ultimate Fighter announced — Dana White’s announcement at UFC 50 of the forthcoming TUF reality series was the beginning of the UFC’s transition to mainstream American television.

🏥 Guy Mezger medical emergency — Mezger, a Lion’s Den veteran, was hospitalised with stroke-like symptoms days before UFC 50; Côté was promoted from the undercard to the main event slot on one week’s notice.

Legacy & Impact

UFC 50’s most lasting contribution is not what happened inside the Octagon but what was announced at it. The Ultimate Fighter changed the UFC’s commercial position in America more decisively than any single fight. The show’s premiere in January 2005, its Spike TV platform, and the Griffin/Bonnar finale in April 2005 produced an audience the UFC had never previously reached. The announcement happened here.

The Hughes/GSP fight is the starting point of one of MMA’s best rivalries. Hughes won convincingly. GSP absorbed the loss, retooled, and came back to defeat Hughes twice — first at UFC 65 in November 2006 and again at UFC 79 in December 2007. UFC 50 is where the GSP legacy begins in defeat.

FAQ

How did Matt Hughes submit Georges St-Pierre at UFC 50?

Hughes secured control of the fight on the ground and applied an armbar late in round one. St-Pierre tapped at 4:59. It was GSP’s first career loss. Hughes was awarded the vacant UFC Welterweight Championship for a record sixth time.

Why was The Ultimate Fighter announced at UFC 50?

The announcement was part of the UFC’s strategy to expand onto mainstream American television. The UFC had agreed a deal with Spike TV to produce a reality series featuring fighters competing for a UFC contract. Dana White made the announcement at UFC 50 in October 2004. The show premiered in January 2005. The TUF Season 1 finale — Griffin vs. Bonnar — aired in April 2005 and is widely credited with making the UFC commercially viable on a mainstream level for the first time.

What happened to Guy Mezger before UFC 50?

Guy Mezger, a veteran Lion’s Den fighter and former UFC light heavyweight contender, was taken to hospital with stroke-like symptoms in the days before UFC 50. He was unable to compete. Patrick Côté, who was already on the undercard, was moved up to the main event slot on one week’s notice to face Tito Ortiz. Côté lost by unanimous decision.