UFC 81

UFC 81: Breaking Point was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held on February 2, 2008, by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip.

UFC 81: Breaking Point
The poster for UFC 81: Breaking Point
Promotion	Ultimate Fighting Championship
Date	February 2, 2008
Venue	Mandalay Bay Events Center
City	Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance	10,583 (7,167 paid)
Total gate	$2,437,890
Buyrate	650,000[1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Swick vs. Burkman UFC 81: Breaking Point UFC 82: Pride of a Champion

Background

The main event featured Tim Sylvia and Antônio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira for the UFC Interim World Heavyweight Championship. UFC Heavyweight champion Randy Couture declined a championship fight with Nogueira,^[2] which resulted in the creation of the interim title.

This event also saw the UFC debut of WWE wrestler Brock Lesnar in a bout against former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir.^[3]

Results

Main card (PPV)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Heavyweight	Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira	def.	Tim Sylvia	Submission (guillotine choke)	3	1:28	[a]
Heavyweight	Frank Mir	def.	Brock Lesnar	Submission (kneebar)	1	1:30	[b]
Middleweight	Nate Marquardt	def.	Jeremy Horn	Submission (guillotine choke)	2	1:37
Middleweight	Ricardo Almeida	def.	Rob Yundt	Submission (guillotine choke)	1	1:08
Lightweight	Tyson Griffin	def.	Gleison Tibau	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Preliminary card
Welterweight	Chris Lytle	def.	Kyle Bradley	TKO (punches)	1	0:33
Middleweight	Marvin Eastman	def.	Terry Martin	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Light Heavyweight	Tim Boetsch	def.	David Heath	TKO (slam and punches)	1	4:52
Lightweight	Rob Emerson	def.	Keita Nakamura	Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 30–27)	3	5:00

1. For the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.
2. Lesnar had 1 point deducted in round 1 for strikes to the back of the head.

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $60,000 bonuses.^[4]

• Fight of the Night: Tim Sylvia vs. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira
• Knockout of the Night: Chris Lytle
• Submission of the Night: Frank Mir

See also

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
• List of UFC champions
• List of UFC events
• 2008 in UFC