UFC 26
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | June 9, 2000 |
| Headquarters | Cedar Rapids , United States |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC 26: Ultimate Field of Dreams was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 9, 2000, taking place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
History
The headline fights included Welterweight Champion Pat Miletich defending his belt against John Alessio, while Heavyweight Champion Kevin Randleman faced challenger Pedro Rizzo to retain his title. The heavyweight title match had originally been planned for UFC 24 but was delayed because Randleman suffered a concussion after an accident backstage.
This event introduced a new bantamweight category for fighters weighing less than 155 pounds; in the inaugural UFC bantamweight contest, Jens Pulver emerged victorious over Joao Roque. The weight divisions were restructured as follows: Lightweight ranged from 155 to 169.9 pounds, Middleweight from 170 to 199.9 pounds, and Heavyweight encompassed competitors over 200 pounds. Referee Mario Yamasaki officiated his fourth UFC event alongside the experienced official "Big" John McCarthy.
UFC 26 also marked the second UFC appearance for rising welterweight athlete Matt Hughes, as well as the sophomore UFC fight for British fighter Ian Freeman, whose preliminary match was broadcast live on pay-per-view.
Due to financial difficulties faced by the parent company SEG, this was the fourth straight UFC event that did not receive a home video or DVD release in the United States. Approximately six months later, SEG sold the UFC to Zuffa, who subsequently included UFC 26 in a DVD collection featuring events 21 through 30.
Encyclopedia awards
In October 2011, Pat Miletich earned recognition in the UFC Encyclopedia for achieving Submission of the Night.