UFC 72: Victory | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Tito Wordsmith
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 72: Victory. June 16, 2007. The Odyssey, Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first UFC event in Belfast. The third European UFC. Rich Franklin defeated Yushin Okami by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) to rebound from his Middleweight Championship loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 64.
Forrest Griffin won the co-main against Hector Ramirez by UD (30-27 x3). Clay Guida and Tyson Griffin delivered a split decision war that won Fight of the Night — Guida received the bonus despite losing. The event drew ~200,000 PPV buys and a gate of £700,000.
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: June 16, 2007
Venue: The Odyssey, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Attendance: 7,850; Gate: £700,000 (~$1.2M); PPV: ~200,000 buys
Main Event: Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami — Middleweight
Result: Rich Franklin def. Yushin Okami — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (29-28 x3)
Historic: First UFC in Belfast/Northern Ireland; third European UFC
Context: Yushin Okami replaced Martin Kampmann (withdrew, injury)
The Build-Up
The third European UFC capitalised on the momentum from UFC 70 in Manchester two months earlier. The Belfast crowd was one of the most passionate the UFC had performed for outside Las Vegas. Rich Franklin's road back from the Anderson Silva KO at UFC 64 was the event’s narrative: a win over Okami would put him back in title contention.
Martin Kampmann had been the original main event opponent for Franklin but withdrew with injury. Yushin Okami, coming off wins over Mike Swick and others, stepped in.
Main Event
Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami — Middleweight
Rich Franklin controlled the fight with his boxing precision over three rounds. Okami was active but unable to consistently find takedowns or land clean striking combinations. All three judges scored it 29-28 for Franklin.
The win reinstated Rich Franklin as a top MW contender and earned him a Middleweight Championship rematch with Anderson Silva at UFC 77 in October 2007.
Co-Main Event
Forrest Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez — Light Heavyweight
Forrest Griffin defeated Hector Ramirez by unanimous decision — 30-27 on all three cards — in a solid LHW co-main. Griffin continued building his case for a LHW title shot, which he eventually earned and won at UFC 86 in July 2008.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Dustin Hazelett def. Steven Lynch — Submission (Anaconda Choke) — R1, 2:50
Eddie Sanchez def. Colin Robinson — TKO (Punches) — R2, 0:32
Marcus Davis def. Jason Tan — KO (Punch) — R1, 1:15
Ed Herman def. Scott Smith — Submission (RNC) — R2, 2:25
Main Card
Tyson Griffin def. Clay Guida — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) — Fight of the Night
Jason MacDonald def. Rory Singer — TKO (Punches & Elbows) — R2, 3:18 — MW
Forrest Griffin def. Hector Ramirez — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x3) — Co-Main
Main Event — Middleweight
Rich Franklin def. Yushin Okami — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (29-28 x3)
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Clay Guida vs. Tyson Griffin — split decision war; $40,000 to each fighter.
Records & Milestones
First UFC in Belfast/Northern Ireland — The Odyssey; third European UFC overall.
~200,000 PPV buys — modest for the era, strong for a first-time international market.
Rich Franklin's win over Okami set up his MW title rematch vs. Silva at UFC 77.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 72 is the UFC’s Belfast debut. The city’s MMA fanbase was among the most passionate in Europe. The Odyssey crowd was loud throughout. The Irish market became a consistent fixture on the UFC’s European calendar.
Forrest Griffin's win over Ramirez was another step toward the LHW title he eventually won at UFC 86. Clay Guida, losing the FOTN fight, built his reputation as one of the sport’s most entertaining lightweights off the back of exactly these competitive performances.
FAQ
Was UFC 72 the first UFC event in Belfast?
Yes. UFC 72: Victory at The Odyssey in Belfast was the first UFC event in Northern Ireland. It was the third European UFC overall, after UFC 38 in London (2002) and UFC 70 in Manchester (April 2007).
What was the main event of UFC 72?
Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami in a middleweight bout. Franklin won by unanimous decision — 29-28 on all three scorecards.
Why was Yushin Okami in the main event at UFC 72?
Martin Kampmann was the original scheduled opponent but withdrew with injury. Okami stepped in as a late replacement.
What fight won Fight of the Night at UFC 72?
Clay Guida vs. Tyson Griffin — a split decision that went 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 for Griffin. Both fighters received $40,000.
What did Rich Franklin's win at UFC 72 lead to?
It earned Franklin a rematch with Anderson Silva for the Middleweight Championship at UFC 77 in October 2007.
References
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