UFC 58: Franklin Dominates Loiseau, St-Pierre Edges Penn
UFC 58: USA vs. Canada took place on March 4, 2006, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The international theme paired American and Canadian fighters, but the event itself remained in the United States. Rich Franklin defended his middleweight championship against David Loiseau, and Georges St-Pierre faced BJ Penn in a consequential welterweight contender matchup.
Franklin controls the championship fight
Franklin entered after his first-round knockout of Nate Quarry at UFC 56. Loiseau offered a different challenge, bringing dangerous striking and elbows to a five-round championship contest. Instead of producing another quick finish, Franklin put together a sustained performance that carried him through the full 25 minutes.
Loiseau had a notable moment when a left hook hurt Franklin in the third round, but the champion recovered and continued to dictate the fight. Franklin’s pressure, striking volume and ability to mix in grappling kept the challenger from turning that moment into a lasting shift. The unanimous decision preserved Franklin’s title and showed a different side of his championship game from the Quarry knockout.
St-Pierre edges Penn in their first meeting
Penn’s return to the UFC brought him into a three-round fight with St-Pierre, not a title defense. Penn had previously held the welterweight championship, while St-Pierre was rebuilding toward another chance against Matt Hughes. Their meeting therefore carried championship implications without a belt being directly at stake.
Penn bloodied St-Pierre early with sharp striking. St-Pierre adjusted in the later rounds, using takedowns and more effective work as Penn’s pace slowed. The judges awarded St-Pierre a split decision. Its closeness became part of the rivalry’s story, and the two would meet again at UFC 94 under different championship circumstances.
Lightweight wins broaden the card
Mark Hominick submitted Yves Edwards with a triangle armbar in round two. That result came after competitive striking exchanges and gave Hominick a successful UFC debut. Sam Stout also won his debut, taking a split decision against Spencer Fisher in the first installment of their eventual series.
Mike Swick finished Steve Vigneault with a first-round guillotine, while Nate Marquardt defeated Joe Doerksen by unanimous decision. Jason Lambert’s kimura against Rob MacDonald and Tom Murphy’s third-round stoppage of Icho Larenas completed the card. The variety of outcomes gave the international theme substance beyond the two headline matchups.
Complete UFC 58 results
Rich Franklin defeated David Loiseau by unanimous decision after five rounds, retaining the middleweight title. Georges St-Pierre defeated BJ Penn by split decision. Mike Swick defeated Steve Vigneault by submission (guillotine choke), round 1, 2:09. Nate Marquardt defeated Joe Doerksen by unanimous decision.
Mark Hominick defeated Yves Edwards by submission (triangle armbar), round 2, 1:52. Sam Stout defeated Spencer Fisher by split decision. Jason Lambert defeated Rob MacDonald by submission (kimura), round 1, 1:54. Tom Murphy defeated Icho Larenas by TKO (strikes), round 3, 1:59.
A card with two different kinds of decisions
UFC 58 is remembered for Franklin’s clear championship win and St-Pierre’s much closer victory over Penn. One preserved an established reign; the other advanced a challenger and began a rivalry. Hominick and Stout’s wins also gave Canadian newcomers a meaningful presence on an event built around national matchups.
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UFC 58, Rich Franklin, David Loiseau, Georges St-Pierre, B.J. Penn, UFC Results
