UFC 33

History

The card was headlined by three title bouts, Tito Ortiz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko for the Light Heavyweight Title (Vitor Belfort was unable to fight due to arm injury while training), Dave Menne vs Gil Castillo for the new Middleweight Title and Jens Pulver vs Dennis Hallman for the Lightweight Title.

UFC 33 was the first mixed martial arts event sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which were first established by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board in April 2001.

UFC 33 is commonly pointed to as one of the worst in UFC history, failing to captivate the new pay-per-view audience due to the large number of decisions on the card – UFC 33 was in fact the first event where all main card fights went to a decision. The Ortiz-Matyushenko and Pulver-Hallman fights in particular have been judged the two most uneventful five-round title fights in UFC history, up to at least 2009, by some metrics. Additionally, the broadcast ran over and cut out early on many cable systems (in the middle of the Ortiz-Matyushenko fight). After this event, the UFC reduced the number of live fights to five and didn't schedule an event with 3 title fights for over 15 years.

During the post fight press conference for UFC 111, in response to questions about a perceived boring fight between Georges St-Pierre and Dan Hardy, UFC president Dana White commented that "UFC 33 is the only one I can remember where every fight sucked."

Years later at the UFC 149 post-fight press conference, after a similarly lackluster card, Dana White quipped, "It felt like I was at UFC 33 again".

In 2013, following UFC on Fox 6 post-fight press conference, Dana White once again referenced UFC 33 as "The worst show we've ever had".

In 2024, at the post-fight press conference following Power Slap 6, Dana White again remarked "I don't know if you remember UFC 33 when we came to Vegas for the first time, the worst show in UFC history." (Later) "You couldn't up an event more than we up UFC 33."

Results

| Light Heavyweight | Tito Ortiz (c) | def. | Vladimir Matyushenko | Decision (unanimous) (50–43, 50–44, 50–44) | 5 | 5:00 | For the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. | Lightweight | Jens Pulver (c) | def. | Dennis Hallman | Decision (unanimous) (49–47, 48–47, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | For the UFC Lightweight Championship. | Middleweight | Dave Menne | def. | Gil Castillo | Decision (unanimous) (49–43, 49–44, 49–45) | 5 | 5:00 | For the inaugural UFC Middleweight Championship. | Light Heavyweight | Chuck Liddell | def. | Murilo Bustamante | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–27, 29–27) | 3 | 5:00 | | Welterweight | Matt Serra | def. | Yves Edwards | Decision (majority) (30–26, 30–27, 29–29) | 3 | 5:00 | | Welterweight | Jutaro Nakao | def. | Tony DeSouza | KO (punch) | 2 | 0:15 | | Middleweight | Ricardo Almeida | def. | Eugene Jackson | Submission (triangle choke) | 1 | 4:06 | | Lightweight | Din Thomas | def. | Fabiano Iha | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–27, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 |

Encyclopedia awards

The following fighters were honored in the October 2011 book titled UFC Encyclopedia.

• Fight of the Night: Matt Serra vs. Yves Edwards
• Knockout of the Night: Jutaro Nakao
• Submission of the Night: Ricardo Almeida

References

References

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2. "The Fray At Mandalay Bay {{!".
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4. (2002-09-05). "Mixed Martial arts Unified Rules of Conduct". [[New Jersey State Athletic Control Board]].
5. (August 3, 2012). "UFC 149 and the 10 Worst Cards in UFC History". bleacherreport.com.
6. ""Worst Title Fight Ever? Check the Numbers"".
7. "UFC 111 Post Fight Press Conference Part 3 - George St. Pierre".
8. (May 1, 2011). "UFC 129 Results: Zuffa and the UFC Finally Hit It Big". bloodyelbow.com.
9. "Dana White 'Embarrassed' at UFC 149 Post-Fight Press Conference".
10. (July 22, 2012). "Dana White 'Embarrassed' by UFC 149 Main Card, Praises Undercard Fighters". mmaweekly.com.
11. "UFC on FOX: Johnson vs Dodson Post-fight Press Conference".
12. Gerbasi, Thomas. (2011-10-17). "UFC Encyclopedia - The Definitive Guide to the Ultimate Fighting Championship". DK.