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UFC 24
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| UFC 24: First Defense | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for UFC 24: First Defense | ||||
| Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
| Date | March 10, 2000 | |||
| Venue | Lake Charles Civic Center | |||
| City | Lake Charles, Louisiana | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
UFC 24: First Defense was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 10, 2000, at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
History
[edit]The event featured the first UFC appearances of Ian Freeman, future UFC Middleweight Champion Dave Menne and Shonie Carter. UFC 24 also featured the first televised appearance of Jens Pulver, who had fought in an untelevised preliminary bout at UFC 22.
The name "First Defense" refers to a scheduled Heavyweight title Bout between Kevin Randleman and Pedro Rizzo, which did not happen due to injury. While warming up backstage during the event, Randleman slipped on the concrete floor and hit his head, knocking himself out completely. Randleman was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he was revived, and diagnosed with a concussion. As the incident happened during the broadcast, fans in attendance and viewers watching on pay per view were not notified until the end of the show. The bout was rescheduled and took place at UFC 26.
This event also marked the appearance of Dan Severn as a referee for the preliminary bouts. Unlike the traditional solid black garb of a UFC referee, he wore black and white stripes and red shoes.
UFC 24 was initially seen live on pay per view, but was not released on home video at the time. A double DVD with UFC 23 and 24 was released in 2007.
Results
[edit]| Main Card | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Heavyweight | Tedd Williams | def. | Steve Judson | TKO (punches) | 1 | 3:23 | |
| Middleweight | Lance Gibson | def. | Jermaine Andre | KO (knee) | 3 | 3:35 | |
| Lightweight | Dave Menne | def. | Fabiano Iha | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Bob Cook | def. | Tiki Ghosn | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 2 | 1:29 | |
| Lightweight | Jens Pulver | def. | David Velasquez | TKO (punches) | 2 | 2:41 | |
| Preliminary Card | |||||||
| Heavyweight | Scott Adams | def. | Ian Freeman | Submission (achilles lock) | 1 | 3:09 | |
| Lightweight | Shonie Carter | def. | Brad Gumm | Decision (unanimous) | 2 | 5:00 | |
Encyclopedia awards
[edit]The following fighters were honored in the October 2011 book titled UFC Encyclopedia.[1]
- Fight of the Night: Bob Cook vs. Tiki Ghosn
- Knockout of the Night: Lance Gibson
- Submission of the Night: Scott Adams
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Gerbasi, Thomas (2011-10-17). UFC Encyclopedia - The Definitive Guide to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. New York: DK. p. 179. ISBN 978-0756683610.
External links
[edit]
UFC 24
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
UFC 24: First Defense was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on March 10, 2000, at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana.[1] Originally promoted as featuring the first heavyweight title defense by champion Kevin Randleman against challenger Pedro Rizzo, the main event was abruptly canceled after Randleman slipped on a pipe backstage during warm-up, striking his head on the concrete floor and rendering himself unconscious; doctors deemed him unfit to compete, leaving the card without a headliner.[2] The pay-per-view event drew an attendance of 6,500 and proceeded with seven undercard bouts across heavyweight, middleweight, and lightweight divisions, highlighting emerging talents in the early evolution of professional MMA.[1]
Despite the absence of the title fight, UFC 24 underscored the promotion's growing emphasis on weight classes and rule standardization in 2000. The event's mishap with Randleman delayed his title defense until UFC 26 later that year, where he ultimately defeated Rizzo by unanimous decision to retain the belt.[2]
In the heavyweight main event, Williams overwhelmed Judson with relentless punches early, forcing a referee stoppage after landing heavy ground strikes.[19] The middleweight co-main saw Gibson endure a grueling stand-up war before delivering a devastating knee to Andre's head against the cage, marking the first knockout of the new millennium in UFC history.[20] Menne, in his UFC debut, controlled the lightweight matchup against Iha with superior wrestling and striking volume over three full rounds to earn the unanimous decision.[21] Cook capitalized on a grappling scramble in the second round to lock in a rear-naked choke on Ghosn, forcing the tap after transitioning from the top position. Finally, Pulver, also debuting in the UFC, absorbed initial pressure from Velasquez before reversing momentum with takedowns and ground-and-pound punches to secure the TKO victory.
Event Details
Date and Venue
UFC 24, titled "First Defense," took place on March 10, 2000, at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States.[3] The event proceeded as a pay-per-view broadcast despite significant logistical challenges, including the cancellation of its advertised main event hours before the card began, when heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman suffered a concussion and shoulder injury after slipping on a pipe backstage.[4][5] The live PPV airing went ahead without interruption, though subsequent replay broadcasts on platforms like DirecTV were withheld due to the missing headliner, leaving viewers and attendees to experience the undercard fights as the focal point.[4]Promotion and Attendance
UFC 24, subtitled "First Defense," was organized and promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a key numbered event in its early pay-per-view series, spotlighting the promotion's growing emphasis on divisional titles following the introduction of weight classes in late 1999.[3] The branding underscored the anticipated heavyweight championship defense by Kevin Randleman against challenger Pedro Rizzo, positioning the event as a milestone in UFC's evolving structure amid increasing regulatory scrutiny and competition from rival promotions like Pride FC.[5] However, logistical challenges necessitated last-minute adjustments to the card, shifting the promotional focus to alternative matchups while maintaining the event's live broadcast on pay-per-view.[6] Held at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana—a venue with a flexible capacity of up to 7,500—the event drew a live crowd, though specific attendance figures remain unreported in official records.[7] In 2007, UFC 24 received its home video release as a bundled two-disc DVD set with UFC 23, marking one of the promotion's efforts to archive and distribute earlier events to a wider audience through retail channels.Background and Promotion
Historical Context
In 2000, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was navigating a pivotal phase of growth and adaptation, organizing its second event of the year with UFC 24 amid mounting pressure from regulators and lawmakers to professionalize mixed martial arts following the sport's controversial no-holds-barred origins in the 1990s. The organization faced bans in numerous states due to perceptions of excessive violence, prompting efforts to implement structured rules that would legitimize MMA as a legitimate athletic competition while expanding its audience beyond niche enthusiasts.[8][9] UFC 24 represented a key milestone in this broader transition toward regulated fights, as it featured individual bouts in dedicated weight classes outside the heavyweight division, including lightweight (up to 155 pounds) and middleweight (up to 185 pounds), to promote competitive balance and fighter safety. This shift aligned with emerging industry standards, including the forthcoming Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts adopted later that year in November, which standardized gloves, rounds, and prohibitions on certain techniques across commissions. The event's format underscored the UFC's strategic pivot from spectacle-driven open-weight bouts to a more athletic, division-based structure that would facilitate mainstream acceptance.[3][8] The card also marked the promotional debuts of several influential fighters, including British heavyweight Ian Freeman, who entered via a preliminary matchup, future UFC Middleweight Champion Dave Menne in a welterweight bout, and dynamic lightweight Shonie Carter, whose striking prowess would become a hallmark of his career. These introductions brought fresh talent from regional circuits, reflecting the UFC's expanding talent pool as MMA gained traction globally.[10][11][12] Furthermore, UFC 24 featured Jens Pulver's first televised appearance, building on his untelevised preliminary bout at UFC 22 and signaling the rising prominence of lighter divisions in broadcast lineups. Promoted as "First Defense," the event tied into the heavyweight title's legacy through champion Kevin Randleman's scheduled bout, though injury altered the main event.[13][14]Scheduled Fights and Changes
UFC 24, held on March 10, 2000, was originally promoted around a heavyweight title defense as its centerpiece, with champion Kevin Randleman scheduled to face challenger Pedro Rizzo in the main event.[2] This bout was anticipated as Randleman's first defense following his 1999 title win over Pete Williams, highlighting the division's competitive landscape in the early 2000s.[2] The undercard featured a mix of preliminary matchups, including fights like Shonie Carter vs. Brad Gumm and Tedd Williams vs. Steve Judson, structured to build toward the championship clash.[4] The main event was abruptly canceled when Randleman suffered a concussion after slipping on pipes backstage and striking his head on the concrete floor during his warm-up.[2] Medical staff, including UFC physician Dr. Richard Istrico, deemed him unfit to compete, marking the first instance of a fighter being knocked out prior to a scheduled bout.[15] The cancellation was not immediately communicated to the pay-per-view audience or the crowd; announcers Jeff Blatnick and Mike Goldberg learned of the rumors only late, and the official announcement came via interviewer James Worne after the Williams-Judson semifinal.[4] With no viable replacement fight allowed under athletic commission rules—such as a potential matchup involving Rizzo—the event proceeded solely with the undercard bouts, transforming it from a title-focused pay-per-view into a non-title showcase of lesser-known competitors.[4] The Randleman-Rizzo heavyweight title fight was subsequently rescheduled for UFC 26 on June 9, 2000, where Randleman retained his belt via unanimous decision.[16] This shift left UFC 24 without a conclusive headliner, contributing to its reputation as one of the promotion's most disrupted early events.[4]Results
Preliminary Card
The preliminary card for UFC 24 featured two non-televised bouts, one in the heavyweight division and one in the lightweight division, serving as the event's opening fights held on March 10, 2000, at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana. These matches were uniquely officiated by Dan Severn, a retired UFC fighter and Hall of Famer making his refereeing debut, who wore a distinctive black-and-white striped shirt paired with red shoes instead of the standard all-black referee uniform.[17][3] In the heavyweight preliminary bout, Scott Adams submitted Ian Freeman via heel hook at 3:09 of Round 1. Adams secured a takedown early and transitioned to the leg lock, prompting Freeman to tap out to avoid further damage.[1][18] The lightweight preliminary matchup ended with Shonie Carter defeating Brad Gumm by unanimous decision after two 5:00 rounds. Carter dominated with a mix of striking and ground control, outlanding Gumm throughout the fight to claim the judges' scores.[1][18]Main Card
The main card of UFC 24 featured five bouts across heavyweight, middleweight, and lightweight divisions, highlighting intense striking exchanges and grappling battles that defined the event's action. These televised fights emphasized the growing emphasis on weight classes in early UFC events, with several debuts marking potential future stars.| Bout | Fighters | Result | Method | Round | Time | Weight Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Event | Tedd Williams vs. Steve Judson | Williams def. Judson | TKO (punches) | 1 | 3:23 | Heavyweight |
| Co-Main Event | Lance Gibson vs. Jermaine Andre | Gibson def. Andre | KO (knee) | 3 | 3:35 | Middleweight |
| Dave Menne vs. Fabiano Iha | Menne def. Iha | Unanimous decision (3 rounds) | 3 | 5:00 each | Lightweight | |
| Bob Cook vs. Tiki Ghosn | Cook def. Ghosn | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 2 | 1:29 | Lightweight | |
| Jens Pulver vs. David Velasquez | Pulver def. Velasquez | TKO (punches) | 2 | 2:41 | Lightweight |