Completed MMA Event

UFC 53: Heavy Hitters

UFC 53
  • Saturday 06.04.2005
  • U.S. Broadcast: Pay Per View
  • Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Ownership: Zuffa, LLC
  • Venue: Boardwalk Hall
  • Location: Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
  • Enclosure: Octagon
  • TV Announcers: Mike Goldberg, Joe Rogan
  • Ring Announcer: Bruce Buffer
  • Post-Fight Interviews: Joe Rogan
  • Ticket Revenue (live gate): $1,100,000
  • Attendance: 12,000
  • PPV Buys / Buyrate: 90,000 | TV Ratings:
  • MMA Bouts: 8
  • Promotion Links:
  • Event Links:

Fight Card

Referees

  • John McCarthy
    Arlovski vs. Eilers (8)Buentello vs. Jordan (4)Loiseau vs. McCarthy (2)
  • Mario Yamasaki
    Parisyan vs. Serra (7)Quarry vs. Carter (3)Diaz vs. Oishi (1)
  • Herb Dean
    Franklin vs. Tanner II (6)Griffin vs. Mahood (5)

Wiki

UFC 53 Wiki

Featuring one of the weakest main events in UFC history, UFC 53 featured an Interim Heavyweight Championship bout between Andrei Arlovski and Justin Eilers. Not only was Eilers coming off of a knockout loss to Paul Buentello prior to being awarded the title shot, but the fight itself failed to live up to its own low expectations. Eilers was stopped after injuring his knee, leaving him unable to defend himself in the first round.


Also on the card was a UFC Middleweight Championship bout between Evan Tanner and Rich Franklin which resulted in one of the worst beatings in recent MMA history. After continuously punishing Tanner en route to the win, Franklin took the title and the coaching responsibilities for Season Two of the hit Spike TV reality show The Ultimate Fighter, opposite Matt Hughes.

Last updated 09.26.2012, 10:56 PM ET
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