UFC 28: Randy Couture Stops Kevin Randleman
UFC 28: High Stakes took place on November 17, 2000, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The heavyweight title was on the line in the main event: Randy Couture stopped champion Kevin Randleman in the third round to win the belt. The event was the first UFC held under the Unified Rules of MMA.
Couture regains the heavyweight title
Couture weathered Randleman’s wrestling and finished with punches at 4:13 of round three. Elsewhere, Josh Barnett stopped Gan McGee, Renato Sobral earned a majority decision over Maurice Smith, and Jens Pulver scored the card’s fastest finish at 15 seconds.
Official results
- Randy Couture def. Kevin Randleman — heavyweight title, KO/TKO (punches), round 3, 4:13.
- Josh Barnett def. Gan McGee — KO/TKO, round 2, 4:34.
- Renato Sobral def. Maurice Smith — majority decision, round 3.
- Andrei Arlovski def. Aaron Brink — submission (armbar), round 1, 0:55.
- Jens Pulver def. John Lewis — KO/TKO (punches), round 1, 0:15.
- Mark Hughes def. Alex Stiebling — unanimous decision, round 2.
- Ben Earwood def. Chris Lytle — unanimous decision, round 2.
Couture’s victory over Randleman brought him back to the heavyweight championship after the earlier title had changed hands. The bout was the centerpiece of UFC 28, which also included several fights under the newly adopted Unified Rules. The event took place in New Jersey, where regulatory oversight had shaped the return of the promotion. Its result connects the title chronology to a broader change in how the sport was regulated, while the official card preserves the specific finishes and times. official UFC 28 event record.
Couture’s finish came after he had spent the opening rounds dealing with Randleman’s wrestling. By ending the fight in round three, he became the new champion rather than merely earning a future title shot. The rest of the card included bouts later associated with several prominent heavyweights, but the championship result belongs specifically to Couture and Randleman. The event record provides the official time and method, while the anniversary retrospective places UFC 28 in the promotion’s rules history. official UFC 28 record.
Sources
Article Tags
UFC 28, Randy Couture, Kevin Randleman, Josh Barnett, UFC History
