Introduction
UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson. February 21, 2009. The O2 Arena, London, England. The third UFC event at The O2. Diego Sanchez defeated Joe Stevenson by unanimous decision — 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 — in a three-round lightweight main event between two Ultimate Fighter winners.
Paulo Thiago knocked out Josh Koscheck in round one in one of the event’s biggest upsets — Thiago’s first UFC fight on a one-event contract. Dan Hardy stopped Rory Markham in 1:09 of round one to announce himself as a serious welterweight contender in front of his home country crowd. Stefan Struve made his UFC debut. Demian Maia defeated Chael Sonnen.
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: February 21, 2009
Venue: The O2 Arena, London, England, UK (third UFC at The O2)
Broadcast: Live Setanta Sports (UK/Ireland); tape delay Spike TV USA
Main Event: Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson — Lightweight (TUF S1 winner vs. TUF S2 winner)
Result: Diego Sanchez def. Joe Stevenson — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28); FOTN
Notable: Paulo Thiago KOs Koscheck R1 (Thiago’s first UFC fight); Dan Hardy KOs Markham 1:09; Stefan Struve debut; $40k bonuses
The Build-Up
The card was billed around Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson: two TUF winners meeting in the lightweight main event. Sanchez had won TUF Season 1 (2005); Stevenson TUF Season 2. The O2 crowd was fully engaged, with Dan Hardy headlining British interest on the card.
Paulo Thiago had been offered a single-fight UFC contract against Koscheck. Thiago was largely unknown to the wider audience. Koscheck had been a top WW contender with wins over Fitch, Sanchez, and others. The fight was expected to be a Koscheck showcase.
Main Event
Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson — Lightweight
Diego Sanchez used his wrestling and volume striking to control Stevenson over three rounds. Stevenson’s attempts to establish his own wrestling were neutralised. Two judges scored 30-27 for Sanchez; one 29-28. Unanimous decision.
Co-Main Event
Paulo Thiago vs. Josh Koscheck — Welterweight
The biggest shock of the night. Thiago came out aggressively, landed a right hand that staggered Koscheck, and followed with a left hook that put him down. The fight was stopped in round one. Thiago, fighting his first UFC bout on a one-event contract, had just knocked out one of the division’s most established contenders. He earned a long-term UFC deal.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Paul Kelly def. Troy Mandaloniz — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27, 30-27, 30-28) — WW
Mike Ciesnolevicz def. Neil Grove — Submission (Heel Hook) — R1, 1:03 — HW
Evan Dunham def. Per Eklund — TKO — R1, 2:14 — LW
Junior dos Santos def. Stefan Struve — TKO — R1, 0:54 — HW; Struve UFC debut
Main Card
Dan Hardy def. Rory Markham — KO (Punch) — R1, 1:09 — WW; KO of the Night ($40k to Hardy)
Nate Marquardt def. Wilson Gouveia — TKO (Strikes) — R3, 3:10 — MW
Demian Maia def. Chael Sonnen — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — MW
Paulo Thiago def. Josh Koscheck — TKO (Punches) — R1, 3:29 — WW; Thiago’s first UFC fight; massive upset
Terry Etim def. Brian Cobb — Submission (Guillotine) — R2, 2:16 — LW
Main Event — Lightweight
Diego Sanchez def. Joe Stevenson — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) — Fight of the Night ($40k each)
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson — $40,000 to each fighter.
KO of the Night: Dan Hardy vs. Rory Markham — $40,000 to Hardy.
Submission of the Night: Demian Maia vs. Chael Sonnen — triangle choke at 2:37 R1; $40,000 to Maia. Paulo Thiago also received a performance bonus for his first-round TKO of Koscheck.
Records & Milestones
Paulo Thiago KOs Koscheck in first UFC fight — on a one-event contract, Thiago knocked out one of the WW division’s most experienced contenders; earned a long-term UFC deal.
Dan Hardy KOs Markham in London — Hardy’s first major statement win; positioned him for a WW title shot, which he received at UFC 111 (vs. GSP) in March 2010.
Stefan Struve UFC debut — the 6’4” Dutch heavyweight made his first UFC appearance, losing to Junior dos Santos.
Third UFC at The O2, London — establishing it as the UFC’s standard UK venue.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 95 delivered two of the most important British MMA moments in The O2’s history: Dan Hardy’s KO of Markham gave the UK a genuine WW contender, and the London crowd had a homegrown fighter to follow at the highest level.
Paulo Thiago’s KO of Koscheck is one of the sport’s great one-fight upset stories. Koscheck had been a perennial top-five WW who never got stopped. Thiago knocked him out in his very first UFC appearance and built a solid UFC career from that springboard.
FAQ
What was the main event of UFC 95?
Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson in a lightweight bout at The O2 in London. Both were Ultimate Fighter winners — Sanchez (Season 1) and Stevenson (Season 2). Sanchez won by unanimous decision.
What was Paulo Thiago's connection to UFC 95?
Thiago had been given a single-fight UFC contract to fight Josh Koscheck. He knocked Koscheck out in round one — Koscheck’s first KO loss — and immediately earned a long-term deal.
How quickly did Dan Hardy win at UFC 95?
Hardy stopped Rory Markham with a punch at 1:09 of round one. The London crowd erupted. Hardy earned KO of the Night and positioned himself as a top WW contender.
Did Chael Sonnen fight at UFC 95?
Yes. Sonnen was defeated by Demian Maia by unanimous decision in a middleweight bout. This was early in Sonnen’s UFC career, before the trash-talking persona and title contention that defined his later career.
Was UFC 95 the first time Stefan Struve fought in the UFC?
Yes. The 6’4” Dutch heavyweight Stefan Struve made his UFC debut at UFC 95, losing to Junior dos Santos.