UFC 99: The Comeback | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Conor McBragger
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 99: The Comeback. June 13, 2009. Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany. The first UFC event held in Germany and the first in mainland Europe. Rich Franklin defeated Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision over three rounds in a catchweight 195 lb main event — a fight that earned Fight of the Night honours and gave the German crowd exactly what it paid for.
Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipović made his UFC comeback, stopping Mostapha Al-Turk by TKO in round one — his first UFC fight since the Cheick Kongo loss at UFC 75 in 2007. Cain Velasquez continued his unbeaten run with a TKO of Kongo. 12,800 fans. Gate: $1.3M. PPV: ~365,000 buys.
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 13, 2009
Venue: Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany (first UFC in Germany; first in mainland Europe)
Attendance: 12,800; Gate: $1.3M; PPV: ~365,000 buys
Main Event: Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva — Catchweight (195 lbs)
Result: Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00; Fight of the Night
Notable: Mirko Cro Cop UFC comeback (TKO R1); Cain Velasquez TKOs Kongo; Peter Sobotta German debut; $60k bonuses
The Build-Up
The event’s name — ‘The Comeback’ — applied to multiple fighters. Rich Franklin was rebuilding after being twice stopped by Anderson Silva and losing to Dan Henderson in Dublin. Wanderlei Silva had been knocked out by Quinton Jackson at UFC 92. Mirko Cro Cop was returning after two years away from the UFC following consecutive defeats. The matchup was a 195 lb catchweight — Franklin’s natural MW vs. Silva’s LHW frame.
The event marked the UFC’s first entry into continental Europe. Previous European shows had been in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Germany was the gateway to the mainland market.
Main Event
Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva — Catchweight (195 lbs)
A stand-up battle between two fighters with no interest in wrestling. Rich Franklin used his boxing precision and jab to control exchanges; Silva brawled forward with his left hands and leg kicks. Both men landed. Both men hurt the other. Franklin’s cleaner punching and boxing movement carried all three rounds on the scorecards.
The German crowd was electric throughout. The Fight of the Night bonus was well earned.
Co-Main Event
Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick Kongo — Heavyweight
Cain Velasquez was in only his second UFC fight. He took Kongo down repeatedly with his wrestling and ground and pound, stopping him by TKO. The result showed the full extent of Velasquez’s ceiling in the HW division.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Dennis Siver def. Dale Hartt — Submission (RNC) — R1, 3:23 — LW
Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — WW; Sobotta UFC debut (German)
Paul Kelly def. Rolando Delgado — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — WW
Stefan Struve def. Denis Stojnic — Submission (RNC) — R2, 2:37 — HW
John Hathaway def. Rick Story — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — WW
Main Card
Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis — Decision — R3, 5:00 — WW
Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz — Submission (D’arce Choke) — R2, 2:38 — LW; Sub Night ($60k to Etim)
Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders — Submission — R? — WW; Sub Night ($60k to Swick)
Mirko Cro Cop def. Mostapha Al-Turk — TKO — R1 — HW; Cro Cop UFC comeback
Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo — TKO — R2 — HW; Co-Main; Velasquez 2nd UFC fight
Main Event — Catchweight 195 lbs
Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — Fight of the Night ($60k each)
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva — $60,000 to each fighter.
Sub of the Night: Terry Etim (D’arce choke) and Mike Swick — $60,000 each.
Records & Milestones
First UFC in Germany and mainland Europe — Lanxess Arena, Cologne; the event opened the Central European market.
Mirko Cro Cop’s UFC return — first UFC fight since the Kongo loss at UFC 75 in September 2007.
Cain Velasquez unbeaten — continued his rise through the HW division.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 99 proved the mainland European market was viable. The Cologne event preceded a wave of UFC events across Germany and other continental European cities. Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva delivered exactly the kind of crowd-pleasing main event the UFC needed for its first major continental debut.
Cain Velasquez’s TKO of Kongo was the most consequential result of the card in retrospect. He won the UFC HW Championship at UFC 121 in October 2010 by stopping Brock Lesnar. The trajectory from UFC 99 to UFC 121 was barely 16 months.
FAQ
Was UFC 99 the first UFC event in mainland Europe?
Yes. UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany was the first UFC event in Germany and the first in mainland Europe. Previous European events were held in the United Kingdom (London, Birmingham, Newcastle) and Ireland (Dublin).
What was the main event of UFC 99?
Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva at catchweight 195 lbs. Franklin won by unanimous decision over three rounds. Both fighters were in comeback narratives and the fight earned Fight of the Night.
Was Mirko Cro Cop’s UFC 99 comeback successful?
Yes. Cro Cop stopped Mostapha Al-Turk by TKO in round one. It was his first UFC fight since losing to Cheick Kongo at UFC 75 in September 2007.
How did Cain Velasquez perform at UFC 99?
Velasquez defeated Cheick Kongo by TKO in round two — only his second UFC fight. The performance highlighted his wrestling and ground and pound as elite HW tools.
Why was the UFC 99 main event at catchweight?
Rich Franklin was a natural middleweight (185 lbs) and Wanderlei Silva was a natural light heavyweight (205 lbs). The 195 lb catchweight was a compromise that made the matchup commercially viable without one fighter giving up a significant size advantage.
References
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