UFC 12: Coleman Beats Severn for Heavyweight Crown
UFC 12: Judgement Day took place on February 7, 1997, at the Dothan Civic Center in Dothan, Alabama. It was the first UFC event to divide tournament entrants into weight classes, staging separate heavyweight and lightweight brackets. The night also featured Mark Coleman’s victory over Dan Severn in a separate superfight, and Vitor Belfort’s UFC debut and heavyweight tournament win.
Belfort wins the heavyweight tournament
Nineteen-year-old Belfort made an immediate impression. He stopped Tra Telligman by TKO due to a cut in 1:17, then knocked out Scott Ferrozzo with punches in 43 seconds to win the heavyweight bracket. Ferrozzo had advanced by stopping Jim Mullen. These were tournament bouts, not a fight with Mark Coleman or Dan Severn.
Two weight classes, two tournament winners
UFC 12 introduced separate lightweight and heavyweight tournaments, a major format change for the promotion. In the lightweight bracket, Jerry Bohlander beat Rainy Martinez, while Kazuo Takahashi defeated Wallid Ismail by decision. Takahashi could not continue to the final, so Nick Sanzo stepped in; Bohlander won the final by submission. Separately, Coleman submitted Severn in a superfight that crowned Coleman the UFC’s first heavyweight champion. The finish was a scarf-hold neck crank, not a kimura.
UFC 12 results
- Nick Sanzo def. Jackie Lee — TKO (punches), 0:48.
- Justin Martin def. Eric Martin — submission (heel hook), 0:14.
- Jerry Bohlander def. Rainy Martinez — submission (rear-naked choke), 1:18.
- Kazuo Takahashi def. Wallid Ismail — unanimous decision, 15:00.
- Scott Ferrozzo def. Jim Mullen — TKO (punches), 8:02.
- Vitor Belfort def. Tra Telligman — TKO (cut), 1:17.
- Jerry Bohlander def. Nick Sanzo — submission (crucifix choke), 0:39; lightweight tournament final.
- Vitor Belfort def. Scott Ferrozzo — TKO (punches), 0:43; heavyweight tournament final.
- Mark Coleman def. Dan Severn — submission (scarf-hold neck crank), 2:57; superfight.
A format change, not a night of chaos
The defining change at UFC 12 was the introduction of tournament weight classes. The event’s records show two bracket finals and a separate superfight. Belfort’s rapid wins launched his UFC career, while Coleman’s submission of Severn made him the first UFC heavyweight champion.
Sources
Article Tags
UFC 12, Vitor Belfort, Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, UFC History
