UFC 34’s Unforgettable Slam: Matt Hughes Takes Carlos
UFC 34: High Voltage took place on November 2, 2001, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Two championships were at stake: Randy Couture defended the heavyweight title against Pedro Rizzo, and Carlos Newton defended the welterweight belt against Matt Hughes. Both bouts ended in dramatic second- or third-round finishes, with Hughes capturing the welterweight championship and Couture retaining his.
Hughes wins the welterweight title
Newton’s defense against Hughes became one of the sport’s most memorable title changes. In round two, Newton caught Hughes in a triangle choke. Hughes lifted Newton and slammed him to the canvas; Newton was knocked unconscious on impact, ending the fight at 1:27. The official result was a knockout for Hughes, who left the Octagon as the new UFC welterweight champion.
The finish was dramatic because both fighters were in danger at the same moment: Newton had the choke secured, while Hughes was trying to escape. Hughes’s lift and slam changed the outcome instantly. The sequence became a defining highlight of his championship career.
Couture settles the Rizzo rematch
Couture and Rizzo met again after their five-round title fight at UFC 31. This time the championship did not go the distance. Couture stopped Rizzo with punches at 3:22 of round three, successfully defending the heavyweight title and completing a much shorter rematch.
Eight bouts across the card
The rest of the lineup produced several finishes. B.J. Penn stopped Caol Uno with punches in just 11 seconds of the first round. Josh Barnett defeated Bobby Hoffman by TKO in round two, and Ricco Rodriguez stopped Pete Williams with punches in the same round. Matt Lindland beat Phil Baroni by majority decision, while Evan Tanner submitted Homer Moore with an armbar.
UFC 34 also marked the UFC debut of Frank Mir, who submitted Roberto Traven with an armbar in the opening round. Taken together, the event’s eight fights featured two title bouts, a new welterweight champion, and several quick finishes.
Official results
- Matt Hughes def. Carlos Newton — welterweight title, KO (slam), round 2, 1:27.
- Randy Couture def. Pedro Rizzo — heavyweight title, TKO (punches), round 3, 3:22.
- B.J. Penn def. Caol Uno — KO/TKO (punches), round 1, 0:11.
- Josh Barnett def. Bobby Hoffman — TKO (strikes), round 2, 4:25.
- Ricco Rodriguez def. Pete Williams — TKO (punches), round 2, 4:02.
- Matt Lindland def. Phil Baroni — majority decision.
- Evan Tanner def. Homer Moore — submission (armbar), round 2, 0:55.
- Frank Mir def. Roberto Traven — submission (armbar), round 1, 1:05.
Sources
Article Tags
Matt Hughes, Carlos Newton, Randy Couture, UFC 34, MMA History, Fight Results
