UFC 99: Rich Franklin Outpoints Wanderlei Silva in Germany
UFC 99: The Comeback brought the promotion to Germany for the first time on June 13, 2009. At the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva met at a 195-pound catchweight, while Cain Velasquez faced Cheick Kongo in a significant heavyweight test. Twelve bouts marked the UFC’s first event in mainland Europe, combining established stars with a substantial European contingent.
Video context: This official UFC career retrospective celebrates Rich Franklin’s Hall of Fame induction. It provides background on the UFC 99 headliner, rather than a replay of the Cologne card.
Franklin and Silva deliver a competitive main event
Franklin and Silva arrived with championship histories from different organizations. Franklin had held the UFC middleweight belt, while Silva had built his reputation in PRIDE. The catchweight allowed them to meet between the middleweight and light heavyweight limits. Their three-round headline contest carried no championship belt, but it offered a compelling matchup between two experienced competitors.
Franklin used movement and straight punches to create a workable rhythm. Silva pressed forward and found opportunities to turn the fight into the aggressive exchanges that had defined his career. His second-round surge tested Franklin’s composure, giving the contest a momentum shift that made the closing round meaningful.
Franklin weathered the pressure and completed all three rounds. The judges awarded him a unanimous decision, with two scores of 30–27 and one of 29–28. The result restored his momentum after the split-decision loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 93, while Silva remained a dangerous and competitive opponent despite another setback.
Velasquez answers a heavyweight examination
Velasquez entered as an unbeaten prospect facing a more experienced heavyweight in Kongo. The matchup mattered because it offered a test of his ability to impose his wrestling against a powerful striker. Rather than securing a quick knockout, Velasquez had to maintain his approach through the full fifteen minutes.
Kongo’s striking gave the contest moments of danger, but Velasquez repeatedly used takedowns and control to dictate where much of it unfolded. He won a unanimous decision and kept his unbeaten record. The performance strengthened his standing in a division where effective wrestling could neutralize opponents who were threatening on the feet.
Mirko Cro Cop’s return ended with a first-round TKO of Mostapha Al-Turk at 3:06. An eye poke during the finishing sequence made the result controversial, and that incident belongs in any account of the fight. The recorded outcome remained a Cro Cop victory, but describing the finish without the controversy would leave out a central part of the evening.
Welterweights and European prospects add depth
Mike Swick stopped Ben Saunders in the second round, continuing his productive run at welterweight. Dan Hardy and Marcus Davis went the distance in their anticipated matchup, with Hardy taking a split decision. Spencer Fisher also earned a decision, defeating returning lightweight Caol Uno.
Dennis Siver gave the home audience a first-round submission win against Dale Hartt. Terry Etim recovered from a difficult opening round to submit Justin Buchholz with a D’Arce choke in the second. Stefan Struve survived a bloody first round and found a rear-naked choke against Denis Stojnic, earning his first UFC victory.
Paul Taylor, Paul Kelly and John Hathaway completed the preliminary card’s winners with unanimous decisions. The Cologne card paired German and British fighters with established international names.
Complete UFC 99 results
Main card
- Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00; 195-pound catchweight.
- Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Mirko Cro Cop def. Mostapha Al-Turk — TKO (punches), round 1, 3:06.
- Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders — TKO (punches), round 2, 3:47.
- Spencer Fisher def. Caol Uno — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis — split decision, round 3, 5:00.
Preliminary card
- Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz — submission (D’Arce choke), round 2, 2:38.
- Dennis Siver def. Dale Hartt — submission (rear-naked choke), round 1, 3:23.
- Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Paul Kelly def. Roli Delgado — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
- Stefan Struve def. Denis Stojnic — submission (rear-naked choke), round 2, 2:37.
- John Hathaway def. Rick Story — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
The significance of the Germany debut
UFC 99 paired geographic expansion with meaningful competitive results. Franklin won a hard-fought meeting of former champions, Velasquez passed another heavyweight test, and several European fighters supplied wins for the local and traveling crowds. Its lasting story includes both the quality of those performances and the controversy surrounding Cro Cop’s finish.
Sources
Article Tags
UFC 99, Rich Franklin, Wanderlei Silva, Cain Velasquez, Cheick Kongo, UFC Results
