UFC 76: Jardine Upsets Liddell as Griffin Submits Shogun
UFC 76: Knockout took place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on September 22, 2007. Despite its subtitle, none of the nine fights ended by knockout or TKO. Six went to decisions and three finished by submission. The biggest stories belonged to Keith Jardine, who defeated Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin, who spoiled Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s UFC debut.
Jardine defeats Liddell by split decision
The headliner was a three-round, non-title light heavyweight fight. Both men were returning from knockout defeats at UFC 71: Liddell had lost his championship to Quinton Jackson, and Jardine had been stopped by Houston Alexander. Anaheim offered each a chance to recover against a recognizable opponent.
Jardine built much of his success around kicks to Liddell’s legs and body, mixed with punches from an unusual rhythm. He dropped Liddell with a right hand in round two, but the former champion quickly stood and continued fighting. Liddell had his own effective punching exchanges, ensuring that the fight remained competitive through the final bell.
Two judges favored Jardine 29–28, while the third scored it 29–28 for Liddell. The split decision was a major victory for Jardine and a second consecutive defeat for Liddell. Its defining feature was the accumulated effect of Jardine’s varied striking across three rounds, rather than an early knockout.
Forrest Griffin submits Shogun
Rua’s arrival from PRIDE gave the co-feature particular significance. Griffin met him with a sustained pace, mixing strikes with takedowns and work from dominant positions. Rua secured takedowns of his own and opened a cut on Griffin, but he struggled to maintain momentum as the contest wore on.
In round three, Griffin reversed the course of a ground exchange, established top position, and continued attacking. He eventually took the back and secured a rear-naked choke at 4:45, just 15 seconds before the final horn. The submission provided a decisive finish to an important win over an accomplished incoming contender.
For Griffin, the result demonstrated that he could compete with leading international light heavyweights. For Rua, his first UFC appearance ended in defeat. Their fight was a contest of persistence and grappling as well as the striking for which Shogun was widely known.
Fitch, Machida, and Tyson Griffin win decisions
Jon Fitch defeated Diego Sanchez by split decision in a welterweight bout. Sanchez threatened with submissions, including a guillotine and a triangle, but Fitch survived the danger and used his wrestling and positional control. The judges scored it 30–27 and 29–28 for Fitch, with one 29–28 card for Sanchez.
Lyoto Machida defeated Kazuhiro Nakamura by unanimous decision, 30–27 on all three cards. Tyson Griffin also won unanimously against Thiago Tavares, with scores of 30–27, 29–28, and 29–28. Their lightweight bout featured lively scrambles and repeated submission threats that Griffin managed to escape.
The preliminary card
Rich Clementi submitted Anthony Johnson with a rear-naked choke at 3:05 of round two. Christian Wellisch submitted Scott Junk with a heel hook at 3:19 of the first round. Jeremy Stephens defeated Diego Saraiva by unanimous decision, and Matt Wiman defeated Michihiro Omigawa by unanimous decision.
The event’s name promised striking finishes, but the actual card rewarded more varied skills. Jardine’s combinations and kicks changed Liddell’s trajectory, Griffin’s late submission supplied the biggest finish, and the supporting fights underlined the importance of wrestling and submission defense.
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UFC 76, Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Shogun Rua, UFC Results
