UFC 82: Championship Collision

Photo: Dan Henderson (mmamania.com)

UFC 82: Pride of a Champion – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena – March 1, 2008

Dan Henderson’s second PRIDE-UFC title unification fight didn’t go any better than the first.

Six months after losing his PRIDE middleweight title to UFC light heavyweight champ Rampage Jackson, Henderson dropped the PRIDE welterweight title to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Silva used a rear naked choke to win the fight late in Round 2.

“The Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring beat fellow rising heavyweight Cheick Kongo by split decision.

Yushin Okami knocked out Evan Tanner with a knee strike in Round 2. Chris Leben beat Alessio Sakara by TKO at the 3:16 mark.

In the pay-per-view opener, Jon Fitch improved to 9-0 in the UFC with a unanimous decision over Chris “The Professor” Wilson.

Poor Andrei Arlovski, a former UFC heavyweight champion, was relegated to the pre-show. He beat Jake O’Brien by TKO in Round 2.

Josh Koscheck used a head kick a flurry of punches to beat Dustin Hazelett by TKO in Round 2.

Diego Sanchez, who invented the “YES!” chant, made David Bielkheden of Sweden tap out to strikes late in the first round.

Other pre-show results included Luigi FIoravanti over Luke Cummo by unanimous decision; and Jorge Gurgel over John Halverson by unanimous decision.