UFC 16

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title: "UFC 16" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["ultimate-fighting-championship-flagship-events", "1998-in-mixed-martial-arts", "mixed-martial-arts-events-in-louisiana", "1998-in-sports-in-louisiana", "kenner,-louisiana", "march-1998-sports-events-in-the-united-states"] description: "UFC mixed martial arts event in 1998" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_16" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary UFC mixed martial arts event in 1998 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox MMA event"]

Field	Value
name	UFC 16: Battle in the Bayou
image	Ufc16.gif
promotion	Ultimate Fighting Championship
date	March 13, 1998
venue	Pontchartrain Center
city	Kenner, Louisiana
attendance	4,600
previousevent	UFC Japan: Ultimate Japan
followingevent	UFC 17: Redemption
::

| name = UFC 16: Battle in the Bayou | image = Ufc16.gif | promotion = Ultimate Fighting Championship | date = March 13, 1998 | venue = Pontchartrain Center | city = Kenner, Louisiana | attendance = 4,600 | gate = | buyrate = | purse = | previousevent = UFC Japan: Ultimate Japan | followingevent =UFC 17: Redemption UFC 16: Battle in the Bayou was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 13, 1998, in Kenner, Louisiana. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.

History

UFC 16 featured the first ever UFC Welterweight tournament in the USA (for fighters under 170 lb), as well as a Light Heavyweight Championship bout, a Heavyweight and a Light Heavyweight Superfight, and two alternate bouts in case of tournament injury.

UFC 16 marked the first appearance of the influential fighter Pat Miletich, who would go on to create Miletich Fighting Systems. Tank Abbott was a guest commentator for the Heavyweight Superfight.

The UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout, was billed to be champion Frank Shamrock's biggest test, in Battlecade star, Igor Zinoviev. This would end up being the final match of Zinoviev's career, as he suffered a career-ending collarbone injury from Shamrock's victorious KO slam.

Kimo Leopoldo returned to the UFC at UFC 16 and fought top Japanese fighter Tsuyoshi Kohsaka. Kimo dominated the first portion of the fight but began to fatigue and eventually lost the fight by decision.

Results

| Light Heavyweight | Frank Shamrock (c) | def. | Igor Zinoviev | KO (slam) | | 0:22 | For the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. | Heavyweight | Tsuyoshi Kohsaka | def. | Kimo Leopoldo | Decision (unanimous) | | 15:00 | | Light Heavyweight | Jerry Bohlander | def. | Kevin Jackson | Technical submission (armbar) | | 10:21 | Jackson refused to tap, referee John McCarthy stopped the fight. | Welterweight | Pat Miletich | def. | Chris Brennan | Submission (shoulder choke) | | 9:01 | Mikey Burnett withdrew from the tournament due to a broken finger and was replaced by Brennan. | Welterweight | Mikey Burnett | def. | Eugenio Tadeu | TKO (punches) | | 9:46 | Burnett had to withdraw from the tournament due to a broken finger suffered during this bout. | Welterweight | Pat Miletich | def. | Townsend Saunders | Decision (split) | | 15:00 | | Welterweight | LaVerne Clark | def. | Josh Stuart | TKO (punches) | | 1:15 | | Welterweight | Chris Brennan | def. | Courtney Turner | Submission (armbar) | | 1:20 |

UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Bracket

| RD1-seed1= | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team1= Mikey Burnett | RD1-team2= Eugenio Tadeu | RD1-score1=TKO | RD1-score2=9:46 | RD1-seed3= | RD1-seed4= | RD1-team3= Pat Miletich | RD1-team4= Townsend Saunders | RD1-score3=DEC | RD1-score4=15:00 | RD2-seed1= | RD2-team1= Pat Miletich | RD2-team2= Chris Brennan1 | RD2-score1=SUB | RD2-score2=9:02 1 Mikey Burnett withdrew from the tournament due to a broken finger and was replaced by Chris Brennan.

Encyclopedia awards

The following fighters were honored in the October 2011 book titled UFC Encyclopedia.

• Fight of the Night: Tsuyoshi Kohsaka vs. Kimo Leopoldo
• Knockout of the Night: Frank Shamrock def. Igor Zinoviev
• Submission of the Night: Jerry Bohlander def. Kevin Jackson

References

References

1. (14 September 2018). "UFC 16 | Battle in the Bayou | UFC".
2. "UFC 16: Battle in the Bayou | MMA Event".
3. "Archived copy".
4. Gerbasi, Thomas. (2011-10-17). "UFC Encyclopedia - The Definitive Guide to the Ultimate Fighting Championship". DK.

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