UFC 91
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events |
UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar was a mixed martial arts spectacle organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on November 15, 2008, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
The headline bout showcased then UFC Heavyweight Championship titleholder Randy Couture defending his belt against former WWE personality Brock Lesnar. Lesnar’s opportunity for the title stirred debate due to his UFC record standing at 1–1 and an overall MMA tally of 2–1; however, the relatively shallow heavyweight roster and promotional considerations supported this matchmaking choice.
Matthew Riddle was forced to withdraw from his scheduled contest with Ryan Thomas because of injury, leading to Matt Brown stepping in as his replacement.
Amir Sadollah had to pull out from his middleweight clash with Nick Catone owing to a leg infection. Since no substitute opponent was secured, that fight was canceled. As a result, the welterweight bout between Dustin Hazelett and Tamdan McCrory, initially planned for the preliminary card, was elevated to the main card lineup.
A distinctive aspect of this event was that every fight was broadcast on pay-per-view, facilitated by the rapid conclusions of the main card matches.
This event also marked the UFC debut of future Lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos.
Bonus awards
Performance bonuses of $60,000 were distributed as follows:
- Fight of the Night: Aaron Riley vs. Jorge Gurgel
- Knockout of the Night: Jeremy Stephens
- Submission of the Night: Dustin Hazelett
Purses
The total fighter payroll amounted to $1,118,000.
Brock Lesnar earned $450,000, which included a $200,000 victory bonus, after defeating Randy Couture, who received $250,000.
Other significant payouts included:
- Kenny Florian: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus) over Joe Stevenson ($35,000)
- Dustin Hazelett: $28,000 ($14,000 win bonus) against Tamdan McCrory ($10,000)
- Gabriel Gonzaga: $110,000 ($55,000 win bonus) defeating Josh Hendricks ($8,000)
- Demian Maia: $40,000 ($20,000 win bonus) beating Nate Quarry ($25,000)
Additional competitors earned amounts ranging from $3,000 to $18,000 depending on their fight outcomes and performances.