UFC 57

UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 4, 2006. It was held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, and broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States.

Headlining the card was an anticipated rubber match between top UFC stars and former coaches of The Ultimate Fighter Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, widely touted and marketed as MMA's first major trilogy.

It was the UFC's largest grossing gate to date, $3.3 million ^[2], in addition to an estimate of over 400,000 pay-per-view buys. The disclosed fighter payroll for the event was $667,000. ^[3]

Results

Preliminary card

• Light Heavyweight bout: Keith Jardine vs. Mike Whitehead

Jardine wins by a unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28). This match was a preliminary match and was not aired on the pay-per-view broadcast.

• Heavyweight bout: Jeff Monson vs. Branden Lee Hinkle

Monson wins by technical submission (referee stoppage) with a North/South choke in the first round at 4:35. This match was a preliminary match, but was aired on the pay-per-view broadcast.

• Heavyweight bout: Paul Buentello vs. Gilbert Aldana

Buentello wins by technical knockout in the second round at 2:27. This match was a preliminary match, but was aired on the pay-per-view broadcast.

• Light Heavyweight bout: Alessio Sakara vs Elvis Sinosic

Sakara wins by unanimous decision (29–25, 29–26, 29–26). Sakara got a point deduction for an illegal vertical elbow to the head of Elvis Sinosic. This match was a preliminary match and was not aired on the pay-per-view broadcast.

Main card

• Welterweight bout: Joe Riggs vs. Nick Diaz

Riggs wins by unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 29–28).

• Light Heavyweight bout: Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs Mike van Arsdale

Sobral wins by submission (rear naked choke) in the first round at 2:19.

• Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs Marcio Cruz

Cruz wins by technical knockout in the first round at 4:10.

• Heavyweight bout: Brandon Vera vs. Justin Eilers

Vera wins by knockout in the first round at 1:22.

• Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Chuck Liddell (c) vs. Randy Couture

Liddell wins by knockout in the second round at 1:28. Couture announces his retirement after the loss.

Fighter Payouts

• Chuck Liddell: $250,000
• Randy Couture: $225,000
• Renato "Babalu" Sobral: $32,000
• Frank Mir: $26,000
• Paul Buentello: $22,000
• Joe Riggs: $20,000
• Mike Van Arsdale: $16,000
• Keith Jardine: $10,000
• Nick Diaz: $10,000
• Alessio Sakara: $10,000
• Brandon Vera: $10,000
• Marcio Cruz: $8,000
• Elvis Sinosic: $6,000
• Jeff Monson: $6,000
• Mike Whitehead: $5,000
• Justin Eilers: $5,000
• Branden Lee Hinkle: $4,000
• Gilbert Aldana: $2,000

• Total Fighter Payouts: $667,000

Sources

• "Liddell’s KO Outshone Only by Couture’s Retirement" by Josh Gross, Sherdog, February 5, 2006, retrieved February 19, 2006
• Mixed martial arts show results, Mandalay Bay, February 4, 2006 (PDF), Nevada State Athletic Commission, retrieved February 23, 2006
• Top MMA Gates, Nevada State Athletic Commission, retrieved February 19, 2006
• UFC PPV Buys Explode in 2006
• UFC Fighter Salaries for 2006 (includes fighter salaries for UFC 57)

Notes