UFC 96

Background

The card was headlined by a Light Heavyweight bout between Quinton Jackson and Keith Jardine. Following the main event, Rashad Evans, training partner of Jardine and then-Light Heavyweight Champion, entered the cage and publicly challenged Jackson. It resulted in a long-standing feud between the two that would not be settled until 2010.

A Welterweight bout between Dustin Hazelett and Ben Saunders was originally scheduled for this card, but was cancelled when Hazelett was injured.

Saunders was then scheduled to face replacement Ryan Madigan, but that bout was also cancelled when Saunders suffered a shattered toe in training. Madigan eventually faced Tamdan McCrory on this card.

Results

|Light Heavyweight |Quinton Jackson |def. |Keith Jardine |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) |3 |5:00 | |Heavyweight |Shane Carwin |def. |Gabriel Gonzaga |KO (punch) |1 |1:09 | |Welterweight |Matt Brown |def. |Pete Sell |TKO (punches) |1 |1:32 | |Light Heavyweight |Matt Hamill |def. |Mark Muñoz |KO (head kick) |1 |3:53 | |Lightweight |Gray Maynard |def. |Jim Miller |Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) |3 |5:00 | |Welterweight |Tamdan McCrory |def. |Ryan Madigan |TKO (punches) |1 |3:35 | |Middleweight |Kendall Grove |def. |Jason Day |TKO (punches and elbows) |1 |1:32 | |Light Heavyweight |Jason Brilz |def. |Tim Boetsch |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | |Light Heavyweight |Brandon Vera |def. |Michael Patt |TKO (leg kicks) |2 |1:27 | |Lightweight |Shane Nelson |def. |Aaron Riley |TKO (punches) |1 |0:44 |

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $60,000 bonuses.

• Fight of the Night: Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine
• Knockout of the Night: Matt Hamill
• Submission of the Night: No bonus awarded.

Purses

• Quinton Jackson ($325,000 – includes $100,000 win bonus) def. Keith Jardine ($55,000)
• Shane Carwin ($32,000 – includes $16,000 win bonus) def. Gabriel Gonzaga ($60,000)
• Matt Brown ($16,000 – includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Pete Sell ($12,000)
• Matt Hamill ($40,000 – includes $20,000 win bonus) def. Mark Muñoz ($12,000)
• Gray Maynard ($20,000 – includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Jim Miller ($9,000)
• Tamdan McCrory ($20,000 – includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Ryan Madigan ($3,000)
• Kendall Grove ($44,000 – includes $22,000 win bonus) def. Jason Day ($5,000)
• Jason Brilz ($10,000 – includes $5,000 win bonus) def. Tim Boetsch ($12,000)
• Brandon Vera ($60,000 – includes $30,000 win bonus) def. Michael Patt ($5,000)
• Shane Nelson ($16,000 – includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Aaron Riley ($6,000)

References

References

1. (2008-04-05). "UFC 96 Fighter Salaries: "Rampage" Tops Payroll". MMAFrenzy.com.
2. "UFC 96 – Cancelled & Fizzled Bouts". tapology.com.
3. (February 8, 2009). "Jackson, Jardine and Hamill earn $60K UFC 96 bonuses". MMAjunkie.com.