UFC 26
Encyclopedia
UFC 26: Ultimate Field Of Dreams was a mixed martial arts
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
on June 9, 2000 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
.
Champion Pat Miletich
defending his title against John Alessio
, and Heavyweight
Champion Kevin Randleman
defending his title against Pedro Rizzo
. The Heavyweight Championship bout was first scheduled to take place at UFC 24
, but was rescheduled due to a backstage accident involving Kevin Randleman, who slipped and fell on the concrete floor, sustaining a concussion.
A bantamweight
division was added at UFC 26 for fighters under 155 pounds; Jens Pulver defeated Joao Roque in the first ever UFC bantamweight bout. Lightweight was now 155-169.9 pounds, Middleweight 170-199.9 pounds, and Heavyweight 200+ pounds. This was the fourth event to feature now-regular referee, Mario Yamasaki
in addition to "Big" John McCarthy.
UFC 26 featured the second appearance of Matt Hughes
in the UFC, who would go on to dominate the welterweight
division. The event also marked the second UFC appearance of British fighter Ian Freeman
, whose preliminary bout was shown on the live pay per view broadcast. This is the first event where Bruce Buffer
, in his 18th appearance, coins the term "We are live" to begin the UFC card as well as saying, "The judges are ready, the fighters are ready, the great fans of (insert city) and the millions of fans around the world are ready...".
UFC 26 was the fourth straight UFC event to have never received a home video or DVD release in the US, as the UFC's parent company SEG was incurring financial difficulties, and would eventually sell the company to Zuffa just six months later.
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 June 9, 2000 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
History
The main card featured LightweightLightweight (MMA)
The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
Champion Pat Miletich
Pat Miletich
Patrick 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....
defending his title against John Alessio
John Alessio
John Paul Alessio is a Canadian mixed martial artist who currently competes as a Welterweight. Alessio has fought for many of the major MMA promotions, including WEC, UFC, PRIDE, KOTC, MFC and DREAM.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
, and Heavyweight
Heavyweight (MMA)
The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...
Champion Kevin Randleman
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
defending his title against Pedro Rizzo
Pedro Rizzo
Pedro 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...
. The Heavyweight Championship bout was first scheduled to take place at UFC 24
UFC 24
UFC 24: First Defense was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 10, 2000 at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana.-History:...
, but was rescheduled due to a backstage accident involving Kevin Randleman, who slipped and fell on the concrete floor, sustaining a concussion.
A bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
division was added at UFC 26 for fighters under 155 pounds; Jens Pulver defeated Joao Roque in the first ever UFC bantamweight bout. Lightweight was now 155-169.9 pounds, Middleweight 170-199.9 pounds, and Heavyweight 200+ pounds. This was the fourth event to feature now-regular referee, Mario Yamasaki
Mario Yamasaki
Mario Yamasaki is a mixed martial arts referee licensed in many states, most recognizable from his duties with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as founder and chief instructor of the Yamasaki Academy in the USA...
in addition to "Big" John McCarthy.
UFC 26 featured the second appearance of Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes (fighter)
Matthew Allen Hughes is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer, and former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. Hughes put together two separate six-fight winning streaks in the UFC, won the welterweight title on two occasions, defended the belt a record seven times, and holds the...
in the UFC, who would go on to dominate the welterweight
Welterweight (MMA)
The welterweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The UFC's & Strikeforce's welterweight division, which groups competitors within 156 to 170 lb...
division. The event also marked the second UFC appearance of British fighter Ian Freeman
Ian Freeman
Ian William Freeman, a.k.a. "The Machine," is a retired English mixed martial artist. He used to fight as a light heavyweight for Cage Rage. He was their final British Light Heavyweight champion....
, whose preliminary bout was shown on the live pay per view broadcast. This is the first event where Bruce Buffer
Bruce Buffer
Bruce Anthony Buffer is the main octagon announcer for Zuffa main events. On UFC broadcasts, he is introduced as the "Veteran Voice of the Octagon." He is the half brother of the well-known boxing and wrestling ring announcer Michael Buffer, and is President and CEO of their company "The Buffer...
, in his 18th appearance, coins the term "We are live" to begin the UFC card as well as saying, "The judges are ready, the fighters are ready, the great fans of (insert city) and the millions of fans around the world are ready...".
UFC 26 was the fourth straight UFC event to have never received a home video or DVD release in the US, as the UFC's parent company SEG was incurring financial difficulties, and would eventually sell the company to Zuffa just six months later.
Preliminary card
- Lightweight bout:
Shonie CarterShonie CarterMearion Shonie Bickhem III , better known as Shonie Carter, is an American mixed martial artist. He is a former World Extreme Cagefighting welterweight champion, an Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran, and a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 4 reality show...
vs. Adrian Serrano
- Carter wins by unanimous decision at 10:00.
- Heavyweight bout:
Ian FreemanIan FreemanIan William Freeman, a.k.a. "The Machine," is a retired English mixed martial artist. He used to fight as a light heavyweight for Cage Rage. He was their final British Light Heavyweight champion....
vs. Nate Schroeder
- Freeman wins by submission due to strikes at 2:13 of the second round.
Main card
- Bantamweight bout: Jens PulverJens PulverJens Johnnie Pulver is an American mixed martial artist . He was the first Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion and was a coach on the The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show, which aired on Spike TV. He was formerly signed as a featherweight with World Extreme Cagefighting , which is...
vs.
Joao RoqueJoao RoqueJoão Roque is a former Pluma weight Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt World Champion and a retired Angola mixed martial artist. He competed in the Featherweight division in MMA ....
- Pulver wins by unanimous decision at 15:00.
- Lightweight bout: Matt HughesMatt Hughes (fighter)Matthew Allen Hughes is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer, and former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. Hughes put together two separate six-fight winning streaks in the UFC, won the welterweight title on two occasions, defended the belt a record seven times, and holds the...
vs.
Marcelo Aguiar
- Hughes wins by TKO (Doctor stoppage due to cut) at 4:34 of the first round.
- Middleweight bout: Amaury Bitetti vs. Alex Andrade
- Bitetti wins by disqualification at 0:43 of the second round. Iowa MMA rules banned kicking while wearing shoes. Andrade, wearing wrestling shoes, kicked Bitetti three times. Andrade was disqualified by referee Big John McCarthyJohn McCarthy (referee)John Michael McCarthy, the 'Octagon's ninth side', is the first head referee for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a retired Los Angeles Police Officer, and a Tactical Self-Defense Instructor at the Los Angeles Police Academy. He formerly provided commentary and analysis for The Fight Network's...
.
- 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.
John AlessioJohn AlessioJohn Paul Alessio is a Canadian mixed martial artist who currently competes as a Welterweight. Alessio has fought for many of the major MMA promotions, including WEC, UFC, PRIDE, KOTC, MFC and DREAM.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
- Miletich wins by submission (armbar) at 1:43 of the second round.
- Middleweight bout: Tyrone RobertsTyrone RobertsTyrone "Native Warrior" Roberts born in USA is a mixed martial arts fighter. He competes in the Middleweight division. He won his last fight at RCF 10 - Revolution Cage Fighting 10 against Bryan Robinson on December 8, 2007.-Mixed martial arts record:...
vs. David Dodd
- Roberts wins by unanimous decision at 15:00.
- Heavyweight Championship bout: Kevin RandlemanKevin RandlemanKevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
(c) vs. 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...
- Randleman wins by unanimous decision at 25:00.