UFC 40: Vendetta

MMA

UFC 40: Vendetta — Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock II for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. The most-watched UFC event of its era, helping legitimise MMA as mainstream entertainment in the United States. Ortiz submitted Shamrock in round 3 to retain his title. The event drew record PPV numbers for UFC at the time and is credited with reigniting mainstream interest in the sport.

Eventinformatie

Locatie: MGM Grand Garden Arena
Stad: Las Vegas
Land: United States
Datum: 22-11-2002
Organisatie: Ultimate Fighting Championship

Achtergrond

Betekenis

UFC 40 was a watershed moment for MMA in North America. The Ortiz vs. Shamrock rivalry had built enormous mainstream attention, and UFC 40 delivered the payoff — drawing record pay-per-view numbers that proved MMA could compete with established combat sports for audience share. Ortiz's dominant victory over the sport's original star Ken Shamrock signalled a generational shift. Combined with the sold-out MGM Grand, this event is widely cited as the moment the UFC began its rise toward mainstream legitimacy.

Deelnemers