UFC Fight Night 3 | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Ariel Helwhiney
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 3. January 16, 2006. The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. Free on Spike TV. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Eight fights. One lasted six seconds.
Duane Ludwig knocked out Jonathan Goulet at 0:06 of the first round — the fastest knockout in UFC history at the time. In the main event, Tim Sylvia defeated Assuerio Silva by unanimous decision over three rounds. Stephan Bonnar submitted James Irvin with a kimura at 4:30 of round one in the co-main. Chris Leben stopped Jorge Rivera by KO at 1:44.
The event drew 1,008 in attendance and 1.7 million television viewers on Spike TV.
Contents
1. Introduction | 2. Quick Stats | 3. The Build-Up | 4. Main Event | 5. Co-Main Event | 6. Full Results | 7. Standout Performances | 8. Records & Milestones | 9. Legacy & Impact | 10. FAQ | 11. References
Quick Stats
Date: January 16, 2006 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Venue: The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Broadcast: Free on Spike TV — 1.7 million viewers
Attendance: 1,008; Gate: $144,600
Main Event: Tim Sylvia vs. Assuerio Silva — Heavyweight
Result: Tim Sylvia def. Assuerio Silva — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
Record: Duane Ludwig def. Jonathan Goulet — KO — R1, 0:06 (fastest KO in UFC history at the time)
The Build-Up
Tim Sylvia was on a post-title rebuild, having lost the Heavyweight Championship to Frank Mir and then Andrei Arlovski. A win over a credible heavyweight opponent would push him back toward title contention. Assuerio Silva was a Brazilian heavyweight making his UFC debut.
The co-main featured Stephan Bonnar — the TUF Season 1 fan favourite — against James Irvin. Duane Ludwig vs. Jonathan Goulet was a preliminary bout that no one had circled on the card.
Main Event
Tim Sylvia vs. Assuerio Silva — Heavyweight
Tim Sylvia controlled the fight with his jab and reach advantage over three rounds. Silva, a late-replacement debut fighter, was active but unable to solve Sylvia's range. Sylvia won by unanimous decision on all three scorecards.
The win kept Tim Sylvia in the heavyweight title picture. He later reclaimed the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 59 in April 2006 by stopping Andrei Arlovski in a dramatic round-one exchange.
Co-Main Event
Stephan Bonnar vs. James Irvin — Light Heavyweight
Stephan Bonnar had become one of the UFC's most popular fighters after his instant-classic TUF Season 1 Finale fight with Forrest Griffin. Against James Irvin at Fight Night 3, Bonnar showed his grappling credentials, submitting Irvin with a kimura at 4:30 of the first round.
Stephan Bonnar continued as a top light heavyweight contender, eventually earning UFC title shots against Jon Jones in 2012.
Full Results
Full Card
Duane Ludwig def. Jonathan Goulet — KO — R1, 0:06 — fastest UFC KO record at the time
[Additional preliminary bouts] — (8 fights total on the card)
Chris Leben def. Jorge Rivera — KO (Punch) — R1, 1:44
Stephan Bonnar def. James Irvin — Submission (Kimura) — R1, 4:30 — Co-Main Event
Main Event — Heavyweight
Tim Sylvia def. Assuerio Silva — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
Standout Performances
Duane Ludwig's 6-second KO of Jonathan Goulet was the night's defining moment and one of the UFC's most replayed historical highlights. The finish required a single knee and the fight was over before the crowd had fully settled.
Stephan Bonnar's kimura submission of Irvin in 4:30 demonstrated that the TUF Season 1 fan favourite had genuine technical credentials beyond his crowd-pleasing brawling style.
Records & Milestones
Duane Ludwig def. Jonathan Goulet in 0:06 — fastest knockout in UFC history at the time; record stood for years.
1.7 million Spike TV viewers — strong free-to-air numbers continuing the post-TUF audience growth.
Staged on Martin Luther King Jr. Day — one of the few UFC events held on a US public holiday.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 3 is remembered almost entirely for six seconds. Ludwig's knockout of Goulet was the fastest finish in the organisation's history and the clip circulated widely. The Fight Night format was working: each event added viewers to the Spike TV audience and kept the UFC visible between PPV events.
The 1.7 million viewers for FN3 represented a free-to-air audience that had not existed before TUF Season 1. UFC Fight Night cards were delivering both fight content and audience development — feeding PPV buy rates for the numbered events that followed.
FAQ
When was UFC Fight Night 3 held?
January 16, 2006, at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Broadcast free on Spike TV on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
How fast was Duane Ludwig's KO at UFC Fight Night 3?
Duane Ludwig knocked out Jonathan Goulet in 6 seconds (0:06 of round one) — the fastest KO in UFC history at that time.
Who was the main event of UFC Fight Night 3?
Tim Sylvia vs. Assuerio Silva in a heavyweight bout. Sylvia won by unanimous decision over three rounds.
Who did Stephan Bonnar fight at UFC Fight Night 3?
Stephan Bonnar defeated James Irvin by submission (kimura) at 4:30 of round one in the co-main event.
Was UFC Fight Night 3 on pay-per-view?
No — UFC Fight Night 3 was free on Spike TV and drew 1.7 million television viewers.
References
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