UFC 79
UFC 79: Nemesis was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), that took place on December 29, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
The main events featured the long anticipated fight between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva,[2] as well as the highly anticipated rubber match between former UFC Welterweight Champions Georges St-Pierre and Matt Hughes.[3]
Additionally, PRIDE light heavyweight sensation Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou made his UFC debut against undefeated Lyoto Machida.[4]
The main event was originally to pit The Ultimate Fighter 6 coaches Matt Serra and Matt Hughes for Serra's UFC Welterweight Championship, which Serra won at UFC 69: Shootout on April 7, 2007 in an upset victory over Georges St-Pierre.[1] Serra, however, withdrew from the fight due to a back injury,[5] and was replaced by St-Pierre.
Results
Preliminary card
* Lightweight bout: Canada Mark Bocek vs. United States Doug Evans
Bocek wins via unanimous decision. All judges scored the bout 29–28. This bout was not aired on the broadcast.
* Welterweight bout: Brazil Roan Carneiro vs. Flag of Peru (state).svg Tony DeSouza
Carneiro wins via TKO (strikes) at 3:30 of round two. This bout was not aired on the broadcast.
* Middleweight bout: United States Dean Lister vs. Bulgaria Jordan Radev
Lister wins via unanimous decision. All judges scored the bout 30–27. This bout was not aired on the broadcast.
* Lightweight bout: Armenia Manvel Gamburyan vs. United States Nate Mohr
Gamburyan wins via submission (achillies lock) at 1:31 of round one. This bout was aired at the end of the broadcast.
* Light Heavyweight bout: United States James Irvin vs. Brazil Luiz Cane
Irvin wins via disqualification (illegal knee) at 1:51 of round one. This bout was not aired on the broadcast.
Main card
* Lightweight bout: United States Rich Clementi vs. United States Melvin Guillard
Clementi wins via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:40 of round one.
* Light heavyweight bout : Brazil Lyoto Machida vs. Cameroon Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Machida wins via submission (arm triangle) at 4:20 of round two.
* Heavyweight bout: United States Eddie Sanchez vs. Australia Soa Palelei
Sanchez wins via TKO (strikes) at 3:24 of round three.
* Light heavyweight bout: United States Chuck Liddell vs. Brazil Wanderlei Silva
Liddell wins via unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 29–28, 30–27, and 30–27.
* Interim welterweight championship bout: Canada Georges St-Pierre vs. United States Matt Hughes
St-Pierre wins via submission (armbar) at 4:52 of round two to become the Interim UFC Welterweight Champion.
- Fight of the Night: Brazil Wanderlei Silva vs United States Chuck Liddell
- Submission of the Night: Canada Georges St-Pierre
- Knockout of the Night: United States Eddie Sanchez
