UFC 88: Breakthrough | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Ariel Helwhiney
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 88: Breakthrough. September 6, 2008. Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia. The first UFC event in Atlanta since UFC 13 in 1997 — an eleven-year gap. Rashad Evans knocked out
Rich Franklin stopped Matt Hamill with a body kick and punches at 0:39 of round three in the co-main. Dan Henderson defeated Rousimar Palhares by unanimous decision. Nate Marquardt TKO’d Martin Kampmann in round one. 14,736 attended. $2.6M gate.
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: September 6, 2008
Venue: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (first UFC in Atlanta since 1997)
Attendance: 14,736; Gate: $2.6M; PPV: ~480,000 buys
Main Event: Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans — Light Heavyweight
Result: Rashad Evans def. Chuck Liddell — KO (Punch) — R2, 1:51 — Liddell unconscious; KO of the Year 2008
Co-Main: Rich Franklin def. Matt Hamill — TKO (Body Kick & Punches) — R3, 0:39
Notable: Evans earns LHW title shot; Karo Parisyan withdrew 2 hours before weigh-ins; Henderson def. Palhares
The Build-Up
Chuck Liddell had won his last fight (vs. Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79 in December 2007) but had gone 1-3 in his previous four.
Karo Parisyan was scheduled to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida but withdrew two hours before the weigh-ins. No replacement was found in time; the fight was removed from the card.
Main Event
Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans — Light Heavyweight
Round two: Chuck Liddell loaded up on an uppercut.
Rashad Evans's KO of Liddell was named Knockout of the Year 2008 by Sherdog. The result earned him a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship fight against Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 in December 2008.
Co-Main Event
Rich Franklin vs. Matt Hamill — Light Heavyweight
Rich Franklin fought at LHW for this bout, stepping up from his natural MW. He dominated Hamill and finished the fight at 0:39 of round three with a body kick followed by punches, scoring a TKO stoppage.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Ryo Chonan def. Roan Carneiro — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 — WW
Jason MacDonald def. Jason Lambert — Submission (RNC) — R2, 1:20 — MW; Sub of the Night ($60k)
Tim Boetsch def. Michael Patt — TKO — R1, 2:03 — LHW
Kurt Pellegrino def. Thiago Tavares — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — LW; Fight of the Night ($60k each)
Main Card
Dong Hyun Kim def. Matt Brown — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) — WW
Nate Marquardt def. Martin Kampmann — TKO (Punches) — R1, 1:22 — MW
Dan Henderson def. Rousimar Palhares — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) — MW
Rich Franklin def. Matt Hamill — TKO (Body Kick & Punches) — R3, 0:39 — LHW; Co-Main
Main Event — Light Heavyweight
Rashad Evans def. Chuck Liddell — KO (Punch) — R2, 1:51 — Evans earns LHW title shot; KO of the Year 2008; KO of the Night ($60k to Evans)
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell — $60,000 to Evans.
Fight of the Night: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares — $60,000 to each fighter.
Sub of the Night: Jason MacDonald vs. Jason Lambert — $60,000 to MacDonald.
Records & Milestones
Rashad Evans KOs Liddell R2 — Liddell unconscious for several minutes; the most dramatic finish of Evans’ career; KO of the Year 2008.
First UFC in Atlanta since UFC 13, May 1997 — an eleven-year absence; Philips Arena; $2.6M gate.
Chuck Liddell's career effectively ended at UFC 88 — though he fought once more at UFC 97 in April 2009, the Liddell who had defined the LHW division from 2004 to 2007 was gone after this result.
Legacy & Impact
Rashad Evans's knockout of Liddell is a permanent moment in MMA history. Liddell’s unconscious body on the canvas; the overhand right coming over a loaded uppercut; the silence before the crowd erupted — it remains one of the defining images of the sport’s 2008 era. Evans won the LHW title at UFC 92 three months later by stopping Forrest Griffin in round three.
Chuck Liddell was the defining LHW champion of the mid-2000s. UFC 88 was his last great fight — not a performance he was proud of, but a result that framed his legacy by what he had been before it.
FAQ
How did Rashad Evans knock out Chuck Liddell at UFC 88?
Liddell threw an uppercut in round two. Evans countered with an overhand right that landed on Liddell's chin. Liddell went unconscious immediately and remained on the canvas for several minutes.
Was UFC 88 the first UFC event in Atlanta?
No, but it was the first in eleven years. The previous UFC event in Atlanta was UFC 13 in May 1997.
What happened to Karo Parisyan at UFC 88?
Parisyan was scheduled to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida but withdrew approximately two hours before the weigh-ins. No replacement was found and the fight was removed from the card entirely.
What did Rashad Evans earn from his UFC 88 win?
Evans received the Knockout of the Night bonus ($60,000) and earned a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship fight against Forrest Griffin, which took place at UFC 92 in December 2008.
What was Rashad Evans' record going into UFC 88?
Evans entered UFC 88 with an unbeaten UFC record of 11 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw (the Evans-Ortiz draw at UFC 73).
References
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