UFC 115: Franklin Floors Liddell as Cro Cop and Condit Rally

UFC 115 delivered a dramatic first visit to Vancouver on June 12, 2010, at General Motors Place. Rich Franklin knocked out Chuck Liddell despite suffering a broken left arm, Mirko Cro Cop recovered to submit Pat Barry, and Carlos Condit stopped Rory MacDonald with seven seconds remaining. Eleven bouts made up the card, which combined veteran headliners with a major test for one of Canada’s most promising young fighters.

Video: UFC’s contemporary extended preview of the Vancouver card.

Franklin finishes Liddell with five seconds left

The main event matched two former champions at light heavyweight. Liddell was returning after his loss to Mauricio Rua at UFC 97, while Franklin had been stopped by Vitor Belfort at UFC 103. Neither was defending a belt; both were seeking a result that could restore momentum.

Liddell’s offense created real problems, including a kick that broke Franklin’s left arm. Franklin stayed in the fight and found the finishing right hand as Liddell pressed forward late in the round. The knockout came at 4:55, only five seconds before the first bell would have ended the opening frame.

The broken arm made Franklin’s win especially memorable, but the technical moment mattered too: he still had the composure to locate an opening under pressure. For Liddell, the result was another painful knockout defeat. It became the end of his original UFC fighting run, although describing it as his final professional appearance would overlook his later return outside the promotion.

The fight’s appeal came from established names meeting with something to prove. Its conclusion showed how quickly the initiative could change. Liddell had inflicted meaningful damage, yet Franklin landed the attack that determined the outcome before the injury could force a longer test.

Cro Cop survives Barry’s power and finds a choke

Barry dropped Cro Cop twice in the first round, putting the veteran in immediate trouble. The matchup between accomplished strikers seemed likely to be decided on the feet, but Cro Cop’s recovery allowed it to develop into a longer and more varied contest. Barry could hurt him without securing the finish.

In round three, Cro Cop built the decisive attack and moved into a rear-naked choke. Barry tapped at 4:30. The submission was an unusual ending for a fighter famous for his kicks, and it gave Cro Cop a satisfying result after defeating Anthony Perosh at UFC 110. It also reinforced the evening’s pattern: an early advantage did not guarantee the eventual victory.

Condit’s last-round comeback denies MacDonald

MacDonald made a strong start against Condit, putting the experienced former WEC welterweight champion behind entering the final round. The young Canadian showed he could compete against a high-level opponent, but Condit’s experience and persistence mattered as the fight wore on. He increased his offense in the third and made the closing minutes decisive.

Condit’s ground strikes brought the stoppage at 4:53 of round three. Seven seconds separated MacDonald from the final bell, yet the contest ended with his first professional defeat. It was a comeback win for Condit and a demanding lesson for MacDonald, with the fight’s quality giving both men a lasting place in the event’s memory.

Kampmann and Rothwell secure decisions

Martin Kampmann defeated Paulo Thiago by unanimous decision, ending the momentum Thiago had built with his submission of Mike Swick at UFC 109. Ben Rothwell also won unanimously, beating Gilbert Yvel in a heavyweight contest. Their full-distance victories gave the main card a balance between sudden endings and sustained work.

Dunham advances, while Wiman’s stoppage draws dispute

Evan Dunham defeated Tyson Griffin by split decision in the preliminary card’s leading lightweight matchup. Matt Wiman’s fight with Mac Danzig ended much more controversially: the referee stopped it during a guillotine, believing Danzig had lost consciousness. Danzig disputed that assessment. Wiman’s official technical-submission win remained the recorded result, but the circumstances should accompany it.

Mario Miranda stopped David Loiseau with punches in round two. James Wilks defeated Peter Sobotta by unanimous decision, Claude Patrick submitted Ricardo Funch with a guillotine, and Mike Pyle finished Jesse Lennox with a triangle choke late in round three. Those six results complete the event’s actual lineup and preserve its supporting performances alongside the three main-card comebacks.

Complete UFC 115 results

Main card

• Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell — KO (punch), round 1, 4:55.
• Mirko Cro Cop def. Pat Barry — submission (rear-naked choke), round 3, 4:30.
• Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
• Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
• Carlos Condit def. Rory MacDonald — TKO (punches), round 3, 4:53.

Preliminary card

• Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin — split decision, round 3, 5:00.
• Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig — technical submission (guillotine choke), round 1, 1:45; disputed referee stoppage.
• Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau — TKO (punches), round 2, 4:07.
• James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta — unanimous decision, round 3, 5:00.
• Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch — submission (guillotine choke), round 2, 1:48.
• Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox — technical submission (triangle choke), round 3, 4:44.

Sources

• UFC: Franklin–Liddell report.
• UFC: main-card report.
• UFC: Condit–MacDonald retrospective.
• UFC: preliminary-card report.
• UFC: venue and final card.
• Sherdog: complete results.

Article Tags

UFC 115, Rich Franklin, Chuck Liddell, Mirko Cro Cop, UFC Results