UFC 123
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | November 20, 2010 |
| Headquarters | Auburn Hills, Michigan , United States |
Area served | Metro Detroit region |
UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida was a mixed martial arts event organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 20, 2010, at the Palace of Auburn Hills located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. This event marked the UFC's first appearance in the Metro Detroit region since UFC 9.
Background
Prior to the event, a private ceremony took place during which José Aldo was presented with the first-ever UFC Featherweight Championship belt by Dana White. This presentation was not open to the public.
The preliminary fights of UFC 123 were broadcast live on Spike TV.
Several notable alterations to the fight card occurred: On October 13, Rory MacDonald withdrew from his scheduled bout against Matt Brown, and Brian Foster stepped in as his replacement. Later, on October 25, Gabe Ruediger pulled out of his match with Paul Kelly due to a groin injury; T.J. O'Brien took his place. Furthermore, Darren Elkins exited his fight against debuting competitor Edson Barboza and was substituted by Mike Lullo.
The event attracted an audience of 16,404 attendees and achieved a live gate revenue totaling $2.1 million, alongside roughly 500,000 pay-per-view purchases.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $80,000 were awarded to fighters as follows:
- Fight of the Night: George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon
- Knockout of the Night: B.J. Penn
- Submission of the Night: Phil Davis
Controversy
A formal grievance was submitted to Michigan's Unarmed Combat Commission concerning the timekeeping during the Harris-Falcão fight. The complaint alleged that the first round concluded six seconds prematurely while Falcão was applying a chokehold, potentially affecting a stoppage decision. Although Falcão secured victory via judges' decision, this issue was officially raised on January 13, 2011.