UFC 70

Lore & Background

The mid-2000s light heavyweight division in the UFC was a peculiar and fascinating ecosystem. Rashad Evans, a former Olympic wrestler and the first fighter to hold both the UFC and WEC light heavyweight belts, had established himself as a technically complete champion. His title defense at UFC 70 against Matt Lindland was framed as a test of whether Evans could handle a striker with genuine knockout power. The answer came quickly: Evans used his wrestling base to control the early exchanges, then finished Lindland with a ground-and-pound sequence in the second round, cementing his reputation as one of the most well-rounded champions the division had produced.

The co-main event carried its own weight. Matt Hughes, by then a two-division former champion and one of the sport's most beloved competitors, faced Frank Mir, a rising light heavyweight with a fearsome reputation for finishing fights early. Hughes, ever the tactician, used his experience and grappling to neutralize Mir's power and secure a third-round TKO. For fans watching in 2007, it was a reminder that the veteran generation still had answers for the up-and-coming crowd.

UFC 70 also served as a snapshot of the promotion's growth. The Mandalay Bay Events Center, a mid-sized Las Vegas venue, hosted a card that felt like a major PPV in terms of talent density. The event helped build momentum in a period when the UFC was transitioning from sporadic, event-driven shows to a more consistent weekly programming model that would define the next decade.

Reader's Guide

UFC 70 | September 28, 2007 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV Headline: Rashad Evans (c) def.

Evans used his wrestling base to survive Lindland's striking and finished with ground-and-pound in round two, extending his reign as a two-belt light heavyweight champion. • Matt Hughes vs. Frank Mir delivered a co-main event that pitted the veteran two-division champion against one of the division's most feared finishers; Hughes won by TKO in round three. • The card showcased the depth of the mid-2000s light heavyweight division, with three of the top names in the weight class sharing a single bill. • Held at a mid-sized Las Vegas venue, the event reflected the UFC's push toward a more regular PPV cadence during its expansion era.

Did You Know?

• The Mandalay Bay Events Center, the venue for UFC 70, is a mid-sized Las Vegas convention space that hosted numerous UFC events during the promotion's 2006–2009 expansion period.
• UFC 70 took place roughly a year before the UFC's acquisition of the WEC in 2008, meaning Evans's title was still technically a UFC-only belt at the time of the defense.