UFC 122
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | November 13, 2010 |
| Headquarters | Oberhausen , Germany |
| Products | Mixed martial arts fights |
| Website | www |
UFC 122: Marquardt vs. Okami was a mixed martial arts event organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on November 13, 2010, at the König Pilsener Arena located in Oberhausen, Germany. The event was broadcast in the U.S. on Spike TV later the same day via tape delay.
Background
This event represented UFC's second appearance in both Germany and continental Europe. Despite facing considerable disapproval from German media and a restriction preventing minors from attending the first German UFC event (UFC 99), the organization continued its efforts. In March 2010, MMA broadcasts were prohibited across Germany due to concerns regarding violence; nevertheless, UFC remained dedicated to expanding within this market, highlighting its commitment despite regulatory obstacles.
Initially, Vitor Belfort was scheduled to compete against Yushin Okami for a chance at the middleweight title. However, Belfort withdrew on September 21, 2010, to prepare for a bout with Anderson Silva. Consequently, Nate Marquardt stepped in as Belfort’s replacement to face Okami in the headline fight to decide the next top contender.
Several alterations affected the fight card: Jason Brilz pulled out because of injury and was replaced by Alexandre Ferreira to fight Vladimir Matyushenko. The original Brilz vs. Matyushenko matchup was postponed to UFC 129. Promotional newcomer Pascal Krauss was set to face debutant Kenny Robertson, who later withdrew due to injury; Mark Scanlon took his place. Additionally, illness forced co-main event participant Alessio Sakara to withdraw from his contest against Jorge Rivera, leading to its cancellation and elevating the fight between Duane Ludwig and Nick Osipczak to the main card.
The event drew an audience of 8,421 attendees and generated gate revenue near $600,000. It achieved an average viewership of 2.2 million on Spike TV, surpassing UFC 120’s previous figure of 1.9 million viewers. This increase indicated rising interest in the U.S. market despite existing broadcast restrictions within Europe.
Bonus awards
Each fighter awarded received $60,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Pascal Krauss vs. Mark Scanlon
- Knockout of the Night: Karlos Vemola
- Submission of the Night: Dennis Siver