UFC 43
UFC mixed martial arts event in 2003
title: "UFC 43" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["ultimate-fighting-championship-flagship-events", "2003-in-mixed-martial-arts", "ultimate-fighting-championship-events-at-thomas-&-mack-center", "2003-in-sports-in-nevada", "june-2003-sports-events-in-the-united-states"] description: "UFC mixed martial arts event in 2003" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_43" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary UFC mixed martial arts event in 2003 ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox MMA event"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | UFC 43: Meltdown |
| image | UFC43.jpg |
| promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
| date | June 6, 2003 |
| venue | Thomas and Mack Center |
| city | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| attendance | 9,800 |
| gate | $645,140 |
| buyrate | 49,000 |
| previousevent | UFC 42: Sudden Impact |
| followingevent | UFC 44: Undisputed |
| :: |
| name = UFC 43: Meltdown | image =UFC43.jpg | promotion = Ultimate Fighting Championship | date = June 6, 2003 | venue =Thomas and Mack Center | city = Las Vegas, Nevada | attendance = 9,800 | gate =$645,140 | buyrate = 49,000 | purse = | previousevent =UFC 42: Sudden Impact | followingevent = UFC 44: Undisputed
UFC 43: Meltdown was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 6, 2003, at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States, and later released on DVD.
History
Headlining the card was an Interim Light Heavyweight Championship match between future UFC Hall of Fame inductees Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell. This was the first interim title fight in UFC history.
Ken Shamrock was originally slated to face Ian Freeman at this event, but was forced from the card with a torn ACL. Vernon White would step in as his replacement.
Results
|Light Heavyweight |Randy Couture |def. |Chuck Liddell |TKO (punches) |3 |2:39 |For the interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Couture becomes the first person to win a title in two different weight divisions (Couture was a two-time Heavyweight Champion). |Heavyweight |Kimo Leopoldo |def. |Tank Abbott |Submission (arm-triangle choke) |1 |1:59 | |Light Heavyweight |Vitor Belfort |def. |Marvin Eastman |TKO (knees and punches) |1 |1:07 | |Heavyweight |Vernon White |vs. |Ian Freeman |Draw (split) (28–29, 30–27, 29–29) |3 |5:00 | |Heavyweight |Frank Mir |def. |Wes Sims |DQ (kicking a downed opponent) |1 |2:55 | |Heavyweight |Pedro Rizzo |def. |Tra Telligman |TKO (doctor stoppage) |2 |4:24 | |Middleweight |Falaniko Vitale |def. |Matt Lindland |KO (slam) |1 |1:56 | |Lightweight |Yves Edwards |def. |Eddie Ruiz |Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) |3 |5:00 |
Encyclopedia awards
The following fighters were honored in the October 2011 book titled UFC Encyclopedia.
- Fight of the Night: Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell
- Knockout of the Night: Vitor Belfort
- Submission of the Night: Kimo Leopoldo
References
References
- (May 21, 2003). "Shamrock out at UFC 43". BoxingScene.com.
- Gerbasi, Thomas. (2011-10-17). "UFC Encyclopedia - The Definitive Guide to the Ultimate Fighting Championship". DK.
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