Introduction
UFC 70: Nations Collide. April 21, 2007. Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England. The second UFC event held in the United Kingdom, the first in Manchester, and the seventh UFC event ever held outside the United States. The card delivered one of the sport’s most iconic moments: Gabriel Gonzaga knocked out Mirko Cro Cop with a left high kick at 4:51 of round one — the King of the Head Kick defeated by his own weapon.
Andrei Arlovski defeated Fabricio Werdum by unanimous decision in the co-main. Michael Bisping made his first UK UFC appearance, stopping Elvis Sinosic by TKO in round two to win Fight of the Night. The Spike TV broadcast averaged 2.8 million US viewers and peaked at 3.5 million for the main 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: April 21, 2007 (Saturday)
Venue: Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England, UK
Attendance: 15,114 (12,708 paid); Gate: approx. £1.3M / $2,628,472
TV: Spike TV USA: 2.8M average, 3.5M peak (main event); UK/Ireland: Setanta Sports PPV
Main Event: Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga — Heavyweight HW #1 Contender Bout
Result: Gabriel Gonzaga def. Mirko Cro Cop — KO (Left High Kick) — R1, 4:51 — KO of the Night
Historic: Second UK UFC; first Manchester UFC; seventh UFC outside USA; first since UFC 38
The Build-Up
The UFC’s first international event in five years was built around two narratives: Mirko Cro Cop as the world’s most feared heavyweight, making his case for a Randy Couture title shot; and Michael Bisping, the TUF 3 winner, fighting in his home country for the first time.
The Manchester Arena was at capacity. The UK audience had been building since UFC 38 in 2002. Bisping was positioned as the UK’s first UFC champion in waiting. The heavyweight main event between Gonzaga and Cro Cop was billed as a title eliminator — the winner would face Randy Couture.
Main Event
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko Cro Cop — Heavyweight (HW Contender Eliminator)
Gonzaga threw punches in the early exchanges. He grabbed Cro Cop’s leg when the Croatian threw a body kick and took him to the mat. On the ground, Gonzaga fired forearms. Cro Cop worked to his feet. The fight returned to the pocket. At 4:51, Gonzaga threw a left high kick that connected flush to the side of Cro Cop’s head. Cro Cop crumpled. The fight was over.
Mirko Cro Cop — the man who had spent a decade knocking opponents out with his devastating left high kick — was finished by a left high kick. The irony was immediate and total. The image of Cro Cop lying face-down on the canvas circulated instantly and became one of the sport’s most replayed KO sequences.
Gonzaga earned the KO of the Night bonus and a title shot against Randy Couture. He challenged for the Heavyweight Championship at UFC 74 in August 2007 but was stopped by Couture in round three.
Co-Main Event
Andrei Arlovski vs. Fabricio Werdum — Heavyweight (Werdum UFC Debut)
Andrei Arlovski defeated Fabricio Werdum, making his UFC debut, by unanimous decision — 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 — over three rounds. Werdum went on to become UFC Heavyweight Champion in 2016. In 2010, he submitted Fedor Emelianenko in a famous upset.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Paul Taylor def. Edilberto de Oliveira — TKO (Head Kick and Punches) — R3, 0:37 — WW
Jess Liaudin def. Dennis Siver — Submission (Armbar) — R1, 1:21 — WW
Junior Assuncao def. David Lee — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) — R2, 1:55 — LW
Terry Etim def. Matt Grice — Submission (Guillotine) — R1, 4:48 — LW; Submission of the Night
Alessio Sakara def. Victor Valimaki — TKO (Punches) — R1, 1:44 — MW
Main Card
Cheick Kongo def. Assuerio Silva — Decision (Majority) — R3, 5:00 — HW
Lyoto Machida def. David Heath — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — LHW
Michael Bisping def. Elvis Sinosic — TKO (Punches) — R2, 1:40 — LHW; Bisping’s UK debut; Fight of the Night
Andrei Arlovski def. Fabricio Werdum — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) — HW; Werdum UFC debut
Main Event — Heavyweight
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Mirko Cro Cop — KO (Left High Kick) — R1, 4:51 — KO of the Night; Gonzaga earns HW title shot
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: Gabriel Gonzaga — left high kick finish of Mirko Cro Cop at 4:51 R1. ($30,000)
Fight of the Night: Michael Bisping vs. Elvis Sinosic. ($30,000 each)
Submission of the Night: Terry Etim — guillotine choke of Matt Grice R1. ($30,000)
Records & Milestones
Second UFC event in the UK; first in Manchester; seventh UFC event ever held outside the USA; first international UFC since UFC 38 in London in 2002.
3.5 million US TV viewers peaked for the main event on Spike TV — the highest US viewership for a UFC international event.
Mirko Cro Cop defeated by his own weapon — a left high kick, the exact technique that had made him famous, applied by Gonzaga at 4:51 of round one.
Fabricio Werdum UFC debut — lost to Arlovski but went on to become UFC HW champion in 2016 and famously submitted Fedor Emelianenko in 2010.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 70 is remembered for one image: Cro Cop face-down after a head kick. The finish confirmed the global unpredictability of the heavyweight division and made Gonzaga an overnight contender. The event’s success in Manchester established the UK as a viable and enthusiastic UFC market. Six more UK UFC events followed within two years.
The Bisping factor was also significant. His TKO win over Sinosic in front of a partisan Manchester crowd established him as the UFC’s primary British star. He would go on to become the first British UFC champion at UFC 199 in 2016.
FAQ
How did Gabriel Gonzaga knock out Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 70?
Gonzaga threw a left high kick that connected flush to Cro Cop's head at 4:51 of round one. The irony was immediate: Cro Cop, known worldwide for knocking opponents out with his devastating left high kick, was finished by the exact same technique.
Was UFC 70 the first UFC event in the UK?
No — it was the second. The first was UFC 38 in London in 2002. UFC 70 was the first UFC event in Manchester and the seventh UFC event ever held outside the United States.
What happened to Mirko Cro Cop after UFC 70?
Cro Cop never recaptured his PRIDE-era dominance in the UFC. He fought several more times, including a famous highlight-reel head kick KO of Cheick Kongo at UFC 75.
Who made notable debuts at UFC 70?
Fabricio Werdum made his UFC debut, losing to Arlovski by unanimous decision. Werdum became UFC Heavyweight Champion in 2016 and famously submitted Fedor Emelianenko in 2010. Michael Bisping made his first UFC appearance in the UK.
What was the US TV audience for UFC 70?
The Spike TV broadcast averaged 2.8 million US viewers and peaked at 3.5 million for the Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop main event.