Introduction
UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida. May 23, 2009. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Lyoto Machida knocked out Rashad Evans at 3:57 of round two to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion — the first title of his career.
Both fighters were undefeated: Rashad Evans at 14-0-1, Machida at 16-0. Machida’s karate-based counterstrike system had made him the most frustrating opponent in LHW history — nobody had found an answer. Evans was dropped in round one, recovered, then knocked out in round two. The Machida era had begun.
Matt Hughes defeated Matt Serra by unanimous decision in the TUF 6 coaches’ grudge match. Frankie Edgar defeated Sean Sherk to build his LW title case. The original main event was Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir; both injury-related replacements occurred before Machida vs. Evans was made.
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: May 23, 2009
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Main Event: Rashad Evans (c) vs. Lyoto Machida — UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (5 rounds)
Result: Lyoto Machida def. Rashad Evans — KO — R2, 3:57 — Machida wins LHW title; KO Night
Co-Main: Matt Hughes def. Matt Serra — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — WW; FOTN
Notable: Both fighters undefeated going in; Machida era begins; Edgar def. Sherk; Frankie Edgar LW title trajectory
The Build-Up
The card’s history: (1) Original main event was Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir — unification of interim and actual HW titles. Mir withdrew with a knee injury; postponed to UFC 100. (2) Replacement: Quinton Jackson vs. Evans for the LHW title. Jackson required jaw surgery; removed. (3) Final main event: Lyoto Machida vs. Evans.
Rashad Evans had won the LHW title at UFC 92 with a third-round TKO of Forrest Griffin. He had never been knocked out or finished in professional MMA. Machida was undefeated but polarising — his karate-based system produced narrow decision wins that drew mixed reviews despite his dominance.
Main Event
Rashad Evans (c) vs. Lyoto Machida — UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Round one: Machida controlled distance with his karate stance and movement. Rashad Evans landed a left hook combination that dropped Machida mid-round. Machida recovered. Late in round one, Machida landed a straight left that dropped Evans; Evans survived. Round two: Machida picked his shots. Evans could not solve the range. A straight left hurt Evans badly against the cage. Machida followed with a left hook that landed flush. Evans collapsed. Stoppage at 3:57.
Lyoto Machida became UFC Light Heavyweight Champion at 17-0. His post-fight celebration — raising the belt with his family in the octagon — was one of the more emotional championship moments of the 2009 era.
Co-Main Event
Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra — Welterweight
Matt Hughes defeated Matt Serra by unanimous decision over three rounds in the TUF 6 coaches’ grudge match. Serra had knocked out Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69 in April 2007 to win the WW title, then lost it back to GSP at UFC 83. Hughes, always the grappler, controlled the fight and won clearly.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Yoshiyuki Yoshida def. Brandon Wolff — Submission (Guillotine Choke) — R1, 2:24 — WW
George Roop def. Dave Kaplan — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Andre Gusmao — KO (Punches) — R1, 3:17 — LHW
Kyle Bradley def. Phillipe Nover — TKO (Punches) — R1, 1:03
Tim Hague def. Pat Barry — Submission (Guillotine Choke) — R1, 1:42 — HW
Brock Larson def. Mike Pyle — Submission (Arm Triangle) — R1, 3:06 — WW; Sub of the Night ($60k to Larson)
Main Card
Frankie Edgar def. Sean Sherk — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — LW; Edgar def. former LW champion
Chael Sonnen def. Dan Miller — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — MW
Drew McFedries def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam — TKO — R1, 0:37 — MW
Matt Hughes def. Matt Serra — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — WW; TUF 6 coaches rematch; Fight of the Night ($60k each)
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Lyoto Machida def. Rashad Evans — KO — R2, 3:57 — Machida wins LHW title; KO of the Night ($60k to Machida)
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans — $60,000 to Machida.
Fight of the Night: Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra — $60,000 to each fighter.
Sub of the Night: Brock Larson vs. Mike Pyle — $60,000 to Larson.
Records & Milestones
Lyoto Machida wins LHW Championship — first title of his career; 17-0 record at the time of winning.
Rashad Evans first KO loss — Evans had never been stopped before UFC 98.
Matt Hughes def. Matt Serra — TUF 6 coaches settled their rivalry; Hughes won clearly.
Frankie Edgar def. Sean Sherk — important LW result; Edgar built toward his LW title shot at UFC 112 vs. Penn in April 2010.
Legacy & Impact
Lyoto Machida’s LHW Championship win at UFC 98 launched one of the sport’s most distinctive champion eras. His karate-based system — counterstriking from an open stance, using footwork and timing rather than pressure — had frustrated every opponent for years. Winning the title confirmed the style was not just defensive but genuinely championship-level.
Rashad Evans's career continued after the Evans loss: he won the rematch of his rivalry with Quinton Jackson at UFC 114 in May 2010. But his run as unbeaten and champion was over after UFC 98.
FAQ
How did Lyoto Machida win the LHW title at UFC 98?
Machida dropped Evans in round one with a straight left and survived the round. In round two, he picked Evans apart with his counterstrike game and landed a left hook that knocked Evans unconscious at 3:57.
Was this Rashad Evans' first ever KO loss?
Yes. Evans had never been stopped before UFC 98. Machida’s KO was the first finish of Evans' career.
Why was the original UFC 98 main event different?
The original plan was Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir (HW title unification). Mir withdrew with a knee injury and the fight was postponed to UFC 100. Quinton Jackson was then booked against Evans for the LHW title but required jaw surgery. Machida was matched with Evans instead.
What was the Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra fight at UFC 98?
It was the TUF Season 6 coaches’ grudge match. Hughes, always the superior grappler, dominated and won by unanimous decision over three rounds.
What was Lyoto Machida's record when he won the LHW title?
Machida was 16-0 going into UFC 98 and became 17-0 after winning the title.