UFC 97: Redemption | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 97: Redemption. April 18, 2009. Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The second UFC in Montreal broke the attendance record set 364 days earlier at UFC 83 — by 61 people, reaching 21,451 fans. Anderson Silva retained the Middleweight Championship with a unanimous decision over Thales Leites — 49-46, 48-47, 50-46 — but was booed relentlessly for five rounds. The Montreal crowd chanted “G-S-P.” Dana White called the performance “embarrassing.”
Rashad Evans’ recent KO of the person it might go here...
Mauricio Rua stopped Chuck Liddell by TKO in round one. Liddell’s trainer urged him to retire. Krzysztof Soszynski stopped Brian Stann. Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman, moved from the prelims to the main card, won Fight of the Night.
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 18, 2009
Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (second UFC in Montreal)
Attendance: 21,451 (new UFC attendance record; broke UFC 83’s 21,390 by 61 fans)
Main Event: Anderson Silva (c) vs. Thales Leites — UFC Middleweight Championship (5 rounds)
Result: Anderson Silva def. Thales Leites — UD (49-46, 48-47, 50-46) — crowd booed heavily; “G-S-P” chants
Co-Main: Mauricio Rua def. Chuck Liddell — TKO — R1, 3:16
Notable: Dana White ‘embarrassed’ by Silva; Leites first to take Silva 5 rounds; Quebec rules controversy; $70k bonuses
The Build-Up
The event was nearly derailed. Quebec’s provincial regulator (RACJ) proposed rule changes that would have banned elbows, banned knee strikes, used a smaller cage, and stopped fights on knockdowns. The UFC negotiated: the RACJ agreed to use the Unified Rules as a concession, with one alteration — no foot stomps at UFC 97. The crisis resolved itself by February 18.
Anderson Silva was six months removed from UFC 90, where he had also been criticised for lack of aggression vs. Patrick Côté. Thales Leites was a submission specialist who had upset Nate Marquardt at UFC 85. The main event’s dynamic — a striker vs. a grappler — had potential that was never realised.
Main Event
Anderson Silva (c) vs. Thales Leites — UFC Middleweight Championship
Anderson Silva spent five rounds showboating: dancing, lowering his guard to invite exchanges, trying to goad Leites into standing and fighting. Leites shot for takedowns repeatedly. Neither would fight on the other’s terms. The crowd turned in round two and never turned back. By round four, the chants of “G-S-P” were deafening.
Anderson Silva won all five rounds on two scorecards (50-46 on one) and four of five on the third (48-47). He apologised to fans post-fight. Dana White was “embarrassed.” Silva’s next fight — against Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 in August 2009 — produced one of the most spectacular UFC performances of all time.
Co-Main Event
Mauricio Rua vs. Chuck Liddell — Light Heavyweight
Shogun Rua stopped Chuck Liddell by TKO at 3:16 of round one. Liddell had been stopped four times in his last five fights. His long-time trainer and coach John Hackleman urged him to retire. This was effectively the end of Liddell’s active career as a genuine top-level LHW.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Eliot Marshall def. Vinicius Magalhães — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
TJ Grant def. Ryo Chonan — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
Mark Bocek def. David Bielkheden — Submission (RNC) — R1, 4:57 — LW
Ed Herman def. David Loiseau — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Denis Kang def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam — Decision — R3, 5:00
Nate Quarry def. Jason MacDonald — Decision — R3, 5:00
Main Card
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Brian Stann — TKO — R? — LHW; Perf/KO Night ($70k to Soszynski)
Luiz Cané def. Steve Cantwell — TKO — R? — LHW
Cheick Kongo def. Antoni Hardonk — Decision — R3, 5:00 — HW
Sam Stout def. Matt Wiman — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 — LW; moved from prelims to main card; Fight of the Night ($70k each)
Mauricio Rua def. Chuck Liddell — TKO — R1, 3:16 — LHW; Co-Main; KO of the Night ($70k to Rua)
UFC Middleweight Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Anderson Silva def. Thales Leites — UD (49-46, 48-47, 50-46) — booed; “G-S-P” chants; crowd hostile throughout
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman — $70,000 to each fighter.
KO of the Night: Mauricio Rua vs. Chuck Liddell — $70,000 to Rua.
Perf/KO Night: Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann — $70,000 to Soszynski.
Records & Milestones
New UFC attendance record — 21,451 fans at Bell Centre, Montreal; broke UFC 83’s 21,390 by 61.
Anderson Silva retains MW title — ninth consecutive UFC win; ninth straight title defence; Leites first opponent to take him to 5 rounds.
Chuck Liddell's career ends — effectively retired after this; fourth stoppage loss in his last five fights.
Quebec (RACJ) rules negotiation — UFC agreed to ban foot stomps as concession to use Unified Rules; precedent for future international regulatory negotiations.
Legacy & Impact
Anderson Silva's UFC 97 performance is the low point of his title reign. The response was immediate: at UFC 101 in August 2009, fighting Forrest Griffin at LHW, Silva produced a first-round knockout that Joe Rogan called one of the most complete performances he had ever seen in MMA. The contrast with UFC 97 was total.
The Rua win over Chuck Liddell completed the final chapter of a great LHW champion’s story. Rua’s 2009 comeback — wins at UFC 93, UFC 97, and a controversial performance at UFC 104 vs. Machida — re-established him as a legitimate title contender.
FAQ
Why was UFC 97 controversial for Anderson Silva?
Silva spent five rounds showboating and attempting to goad Leites into standing and fighting. He never committed to finishing the fight. The Montreal crowd booed relentlessly and chanted 'G-S-P.' Dana White stated he was 'embarrassed' by the performance.
Was the UFC 97 Montreal attendance bigger than UFC 83?
Yes. UFC 97 drew 21,451 fans — 61 more than UFC 83's record of 21,390 — making it the new UFC attendance record at the time.
What happened to Chuck Liddell after his loss at UFC 97?
Liddell was stopped by TKO by Mauricio Rua in round one. It was his fourth stoppage loss in his last five fights. His long-time coach John Hackleman urged him to retire, and Liddell's career as a top-level active fighter effectively ended at UFC 97.
What was the Quebec rules controversy at UFC 97?
Quebec's provincial regulator (RACJ) proposed rule changes that would ban elbows, ban knee strikes, use a smaller cage, and stop fights when a fighter is knocked down. After negotiations, the UFC convinced the RACJ to use the standard Unified Rules, with one concession: foot stomps were banned at UFC 97.
What was Anderson Silva's record after UFC 97?
Silva extended his UFC win streak to nine consecutive victories and successfully defended the Middleweight Championship for the seventh time.
References
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