- Saturday 08.21.2004
- U.S. Broadcast:
- Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Ownership: Zuffa, LLC
- Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Enclosure: Octagon
- TV Announcers: Mike Goldberg, Joe Rogan
- Ring Announcer: Bruce Buffer
- Post-Fight Interviews: Joe Rogan
- Ticket Revenue (live gate): $1,293,035
- Attendance: 12,100 (Paid: 8,597)
- TV Ratings:
- MMA Bouts: 8
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Promotion Links:
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Event Links:
Fight Card
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UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
KO/TKO, Doctor Stoppage
5:00 Round 3 of 5, 15:00 Total8Main Event
205
5 x 5 | Pro
Cancelled & Fizzled Bouts
Referees
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John McCarthy
Couture vs. Belfort III (8), Eilers vs. Kyle (4) -
Steve Mazzagatti
Riggs vs. Doerksen (7), Edwards vs. Thomson (1) -
Mario Yamasaki
Liddell vs. White (6), Parisyan vs. Diaz (2) -
Herb Dean
Terrell vs. Lindland (5), Lytle vs. Jhun (3)
Wiki
UFC 49 Wiki
Continuing the UFC’s upward Pay Per View trend, the UFC 49 main event between former Light Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture and reigning champion Vitor Belfort drew 80,000 buys for the promotion.
After their first fight at UFC 46 ended inconclusively when Couture's eyelid was unexpectedly lacerated by an early strike thrown by Belfort, the rematch was one of the most anticipated of the year. As many fans and analysts expected, Couture retook the title, stopping the younger Belfort during a low point in Belfort’s career. After a bloodbath of ground and pound by Couture, the end mercifully came following the third round via the doctor's intervention. The photos snapped of Couture bathed in Belfort’s blood have become the signature images of “The Natural” inside the cage.