Date: January 31, 2004
Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center
City: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Preliminary card

  • Lightweight bout:  Matt Serra vs.  Jeff Curran
Serra wins by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 30–27 in favor of Serra.
  • Lightweight bout:  Josh Thomson vs.  Hermes Franca
Thomson wins by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 29–28 in favor of Thomson.
  • Welterweight bout:  Georges St-Pierre vs.  Karo Parisyan
St-Pierre wins by unanimous decision. Judges scored the bout 29–28, 30–27, and 30–27 for St-Pierre.

Main card

  • Middleweight bout:  Lee Murray vs.  Jorge Rivera
Murray wins by submission (Triangle Armbar) at 1:45 of round one.
  • Heavyweight bout:  Frank Mir vs.  Wes Sims
Mir wins by knockout (punches) at 4:21 in round two.
  • Catchweight (175 lbs) Bout:  Renato Verissimo vs.  Carlos Newton
Verissimo wins by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 30–27. The bout was originally slated to take place at 170 lbs, Newton had issues with cutting weight, and agreed to meet Verissimo at 175 lbs.
  • Welterweight Championship bout:  Matt Hughes (c) vs.  B.J. Penn
Penn wins by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:37 of round one. Penn becomes the UFC Welterweight champion.
  • Light Heavyweight Championship Bout:  Randy Couture (c) vs.  Vitor Belfort
Belfort wins by technical knockout (doctor’s stoppage) at :45 of round one. Belfort landed a grazing punch to Couture’s left eyelid, prompting the ringside doctors to call a stop to the bout. Belfort becomes the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

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