UFC 18
Encyclopedia
UFC 18: The Road to the Heavyweight Title was a mixed martial arts
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
on January 8, 1999 in New Orleans, Louisiana
. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States
, and later released on home video
.
(due to contract disputes).
Part one was held at UFC Brazil
, with Tsuyoshi Kosaka
taking a win to advance to UFC 18. UFC 18 featured the first US appearance of MMA legend Bas Rutten
, and the first appearance of the late Evan Tanner
, who would go on to become the UFC Middleweight Champion.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
on January 8, 1999 in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and later released on home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
.
History
The event featured a UFC Lightweight Championship (now known as the Welterweight Championship) bout and six other bouts. UFC 18 was technically part two of what the UFC called "The Road To The Heavyweight Title", a tournament, spanning four events, held to crown the new UFC Heavyweight Champion after the title was vacated by Randy CoutureRandy Couture
Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
(due to contract disputes).
Part one was held at UFC Brazil
UFC Brazil
UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in São Paulo, Brazil on October 16th, 1998...
, with Tsuyoshi Kosaka
Tsuyoshi Kosaka
is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist. He has competed in notable mixed martial arts promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, RINGS, and Pancrase. He holds notable wins over Kimo Leopoldo, Mario Sperry, Volk Han, Gilbert Yvel and Egan Inoue. He is one of only four fighters to defeat...
taking a win to advance to UFC 18. UFC 18 featured the first US appearance of MMA legend Bas Rutten
Bas Rutten
Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten is a retired Dutch mixed martial artist, Karate and Taekwondo blackbelt, and kickboxer. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak...
, and the first appearance of the late Evan Tanner
Evan Tanner
Evan Loyd Tanner was an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a former UFC Middleweight and USWF Heavyweight champion with a professional record of 32 wins and 8 losses...
, who would go on to become the UFC Middleweight Champion.
Results
- Lightweight Alternate bout:
Laverne Clark vs. Frank Caracci
- Clark defeated Caracci via submission (strikes) at 6:59.
- Middleweight bout: Evan TannerEvan TannerEvan Loyd Tanner was an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a former UFC Middleweight and USWF Heavyweight champion with a professional record of 32 wins and 8 losses...
vs. Darrel Gholar
- Tanner defeated Gholar via submission (rear naked choke) at 7:57.
- Lightweight bout: Mikey BurnettMikey BurnettMichael Wayne Burnett is a former American mixed martial artist who was a member of the legendary fight team the Lion's Den...
vs. Townsend SaundersTownsend SaundersTownsend Saunders is an Olympic silver medalist in wrestling who was a two-time All-American at Arizona State University. In 1987 Saunders became an NCAA Div. II National Champion for California State University-Bakersfield.-Biography:Known in college as "Junior" Saunders, he adopted his given...
- Burnett defeated Saunders via unanimous decision at 15:00.
- Middleweight bout: Tito OrtizTito OrtizJacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...
vs. Jerry BohlanderJerry BohlanderJerry Bohlander is an American former mixed martial artist. He is most notable for his UFC appearances and was a former UFC champion, winning the first lightweight tournament at UFC 12. He was a member of the legendary fight team the Lion's Den alongside other notable fighters such as Ken...
- Ortiz defeated Bohlander via TKO (cut) at 14:31.
- Heavyweight bout:
Pedro RizzoPedro RizzoPedro Augusto Rizzo is an Brazilian mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter. He has a professional MMA record of 19–9–0 as of July 17, 2010. He holds notable victories over former UFC Champions Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, Ricco Rodriguez and Ken Shamrock.-Mixed...
vs. Mark ColemanMark ColemanMark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
- Rizzo defeated Coleman via split decision at 15:00.
- Lightweight Championship bout: Pat MiletichPat MiletichPatrick Jay Miletich is a retired American mixed martial artist and a current sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 tournament champion....
(c) vs. Jorge PatinoJorge PatinoJorge Luis Patino is a Brazilian vale tudo fighter whose career began in the 1990s. His style is focused around his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills. He is best remembered for his two epic vale tudo fights with Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons. Although he lost both fights, the pace and brutality of the fights...
- Miletich defeated Patino via unanimous decision at 21:00 to retain the UFC Lightweight Championship.
- Heavyweight bout:
Bas RuttenBas RuttenSebastiaan "Bas" Rutten is a retired Dutch mixed martial artist, Karate and Taekwondo blackbelt, and kickboxer. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak...
vs.
Tsuyoshi KosakaTsuyoshi Kosakais a Japanese retired mixed martial artist. He has competed in notable mixed martial arts promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, RINGS, and Pancrase. He holds notable wins over Kimo Leopoldo, Mario Sperry, Volk Han, Gilbert Yvel and Egan Inoue. He is one of only four fighters to defeat...
- Rutten defeated Kosaka via TKO (punches) at 14:15.