UFC 46: B.J. Penn Submits Hughes as Belfort Takes Gold

UFC 46: Supernatural took place on January 31, 2004, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Two championships changed hands, but in very different ways: B.J. Penn submitted Matt Hughes for the welterweight belt, while Vitor Belfort won the light heavyweight title after an injury forced Randy Couture out of their rematch. The card also introduced Georges St-Pierre to UFC audiences.

An abrupt ending to Couture–Belfort

The main event lasted only 49 seconds. A Belfort punch grazed Couture’s eye, with the glove causing a cut to the eyelid. Medical examination brought the contest to an end before the two could develop a sustained exchange. Belfort became champion by doctor stoppage, leaving the rivalry with an unresolved sporting question despite a definite result in the record.

This was a rematch between established UFC names, and the brief finish made its significance different from a conventional knockout. Couture did not lose a long wrestling battle or a judges’ decision. The injury prevented him from continuing, and the championship moved to Belfort. The distinction is central to understanding the evening’s headline.

Penn ends Hughes’ championship run

The welterweight title bout delivered the more decisive championship performance. Penn moved up from lightweight to challenge Hughes and caught the reigning champion in a rear-naked choke late in the opening round. At 4:39, the submission ended Hughes’ title reign and gave Penn his first UFC championship.

For a card called Supernatural, Penn’s victory supplied a fitting centerpiece: a smaller challenger succeeding against a champion whose wrestling and strength had defined the division. The result expanded Penn’s place in UFC history and demonstrated how dangerous his grappling could be at welterweight. It was an actual title change, rather than simply another contender’s victory.

Debuts, rematches and the rest of the card

St-Pierre made a successful UFC debut against Karo Parisyan, winning a unanimous decision after three rounds. Renato Verissimo also won by unanimous decision over former welterweight champion Carlos Newton. Their victories added depth to a division whose championship had just changed hands.

Frank Mir finished Wes Sims with strikes in the second round of their heavyweight rematch. Lee Murray submitted Jorge Rivera in the first round. The lightweight bouts went the distance, with Josh Thomson defeating Hermes Franca and Matt Serra beating Jeff Curran. Those eight contests make UFC 46 a substantial historical card beyond its short main event.

UFC 46: Supernatural full results

• Light heavyweight title: Vitor Belfort def. Randy Couture by TKO (doctor stoppage), Round 1, 0:49.
• Welterweight title: B.J. Penn def. Matt Hughes by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 4:39.
• Renato Verissimo def. Carlos Newton by unanimous decision.
• Frank Mir def. Wes Sims by knockout (punches), Round 2, 4:21.
• Lee Murray def. Jorge Rivera by submission (triangle armbar), Round 1, 1:45.
• Georges St-Pierre def. Karo Parisyan by unanimous decision.
• Josh Thomson def. Hermes Franca by decision.
• Matt Serra def. Jeff Curran by unanimous decision.

Historical sources disagree on whether Thomson’s decision was unanimous or majority; the winner is consistent. The results above therefore retain the decision without an uncertain subtype.

Sources

• UFC 46 | Super Natural | UFC
• UFC 46 – Supernatural
• Full Contact Fighter – UFC 46 Report – January 31, 2004

Article Tags

UFC 46, B.J. Penn, Matt Hughes, Vitor Belfort, Randy Couture, UFC Championship, UFC, MMA