Few events have resonated as profoundly as UFC 200 in the remarkable journey of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). From its humble beginnings as a spectacle of raw combat on the brink of bankruptcy to its evolution into a global phenomenon verging on cracking the mainstream, the UFC has continuously evolved over the years. UFC 200, held on July 9, 2016, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, marked the culmination of this evolution, showcasing the apex of mixed martial arts (MMA) competition on a grand stage in a redesigned gold-matted octagon.
Main Event – Miesha Tate (C) vs. Amanda Nunes
The women’s bantamweight title was on the line as reigning champion Miesha Tate defended her belt against the surging Brazilian contender Amanda Nunes. Tate, coming off a victory over Holly Holm at UFC 196 in which she captured the title, looked to solidify her reign at the top of the division against Nunes, who was 12-4 going into UFC 200 and had just beaten the highly-rated Valentina Shevchenko.
Nunes landed crisp combinations pretty much from the outset, staggering Tate with heavy punches. Despite the champion’s attempts to grapple the Brazilian, Nunes’s relentless assault proved too much to handle. In what was a stunning upset at the time, Nunes secured a first-round submission victory via rear-naked choke, winning the women’s bantamweight title and announcing herself as a dominant force in the division. As we now know, the rest is history.
Co-Main Event – Brock Lesnar vs. Mark Hunt
The co-main event of UFC 200 featured the highly anticipated return of WWE superstar turned MMA phenom, Brock Lesnar, against the heavy-handed striker, Mark Hunt. Lesnar hadn’t competed in the Octagon for over four-and-a-half years, and given his star power, his return sparked immense excitement among fans worldwide.
His opponent, Mark Hunt posed a significant threat to Lesnar’s comeback aspirations and had recently knocked out Frank Mir in the first round during their fight in Brisbane, Australia. Lesnar used his wrestling advantage to neutralize Hunt’s striking. His grappling advantage was evident, and he paved the way for a unanimous decision victory. The result was later overturned because Lesnar tested positive for the prohibited substance clomiphene, and it was amended to a no-contest.
Daniel Cormier (C) vs. Anderson Silva
Daniel Cormier was originally supposed to fight Jon Jones at UFC 200 in what would have been the second meeting between the pair. Jones won the first bout via unanimous decision at UFC 182, and the pair had been at loggerheads ever since, setting in motion one of the greatest rivalries in UFC history. The card for UFC 200 suffered a major setback when Jones was removed from proceedings due to a potential anti-doping violation. Stepping in for Jones was MMA legend Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva, who agreed to move up to 205lb on short notice from middleweight to face the American.
Cormier, the reigning champion, utilized his superior wrestling and grappling expertise to control Silva throughout the fight, making use of his fight-night weight advantage. While Silva displayed moments of brilliance with his striking and elusive footwork, Cormier’s relentless pressure resulted in a unanimous decision victory over the legend (30-26 x3), reaffirming his status as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport and improving his MMA record to 18-1 in the process.
Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar
In a highly anticipated rematch for the interim featherweight championship, former champion Jose Aldo squared off against perennial contender Frankie Edgar. The bout was a rematch of their 2013 encounter at UFC 156, in which the Brazilian emerged victorious via unanimous decision.
Known for his lightning-fast strikes and astute takedown defense, Aldo showcased his prowess against the relentless pressure of Edgar. Despite Edgar’s efforts to close the distance and impose his grappling game, Aldo’s precise striking and effective counterattacks proved to be the difference-maker. In a closely contested five-round battle, Aldo emerged victorious once again, winning 49-46 (x2), 48-47 on the judges scorecards, capturing the interim featherweight title and setting the stage for a highly anticipated unification bout with reigning champion Conor McGregor. The fight would never materialize, and Aldo was later promoted to the undisputed champion as McGregor moved up in weight class and, as a result, never defended the belt he won against Aldo at UFC 194.
Cain Velasquez vs. Travis Browne
Former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and perennial contender Travis Browne opened the main card at UFC in a fight which promised fireworks, with both fighters known for their devastating knockout power and aggressive fighting styles. Fair to say, the fight lived up to expectations while it lasted.
From the outset, Velasquez established his dominance with relentless pressure and high-volume striking, overwhelming Browne with a relentless barrage of punches and kicks. Despite Browne’s resilience and sporadic counterattacks, Velasquez’s superior conditioning and technical proficiency proved to be the difference-maker. In a one-sided affair, Velasquez secured a first-round TKO victory with three seconds on the clock, reminding the MMA world of his status as one of the most formidable heavyweights in UFC history as he made it five wins in his last six.
Preliminary Fights:
It wouldn’t be a marquee event without a stacked preliminary card, and that’s what UFC 200 provided. Among the standout performances was the lightweight clash between The Ultimate Fighter Season stars Diego Sanchez (season 1 winner) and Joe Lauzon (season 5). Sanchez lived up to his reputation as a no-holds-barred, all-or-nothing style fighter and engaged in a back-and-forth war with Lauzon. It was a victory for the TUF season 5 contestant as Lauzon won via TKO in round 1.
Another notable prelim matchup was between Gegard Mousasi and Thiago Santos. Mousasi, the kick-boxer, faced off against knockout the specialist in Santos, who had won four of his five UFC fights by knockout going into this one. Mousasi weathered Santos’s early onslaught and took control of the fight with precise striking, earning a KO victory with 30 seconds remaining of round one. The prelims featured Jim Miller, who, on April 13, will become the only fighter to have competed at UFC 100, 200, and 300. He knocked out Takanori Gomi in the opening fight on the card.
All the other preliminary fights went to decision, and big names were aplenty. Future champion Julianna Pena outscored Cat Zingano, and Kelvin Gastelum defeated Johnny Hendricks. Another future champ, T.J. Dillashaw, won a convincing points win over Raphael Assuncao (20-27 x3) in the bantamweight division, and Sage Northcutt beat Enrique Marin 29-28 (x3) at lightweight.
UFC 200 Results
Main Card
Amanda Nunes defeated Miesha Tate – submission in Rd 1
Brock Lesnar defeated Mark Hunt via UD – later overruled to No Contest
Daniel Cormier defeated Anderson Silva via UD
Jose Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar via UD
Cain Velasquez defeated Travis Brown – TKO in Rd 1
Prelims
Julianna Pena defeated Cat Zingano via UD
Kelvin Gastelum defeated Johnny Hendricks via UD
T.J. Dillashaw defeated Raphael Assuncao via UD
Sage Northcutt defeated Enrique Martin via UD
Joe Lauzon defeated Diego Sanchez – TKO in Rd 1
Gegard Mousasi defeated Thiago Santos – KO in Rd 1
Jim Miller defeated Takanori Gomi – TKO in Rd 1
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