UFC 85

Lore & Background

By late 2008 the UFC had expanded well beyond its New England roots, but the Southwest remained largely untapped. Phoenix, with its massive sports-arena infrastructure and a fan base hungry for live combat sport, was the logical next stop. UFC 85 was the promotional debut in that market, and the card was stacked to prove the brand could deliver a full evening of championship-level competition without relying on a single marquee name. The welterweight main event carried the weight of a surprising challenge.

Matt Serra, who had snatched the belt from B.J. Penn at UFC 79 earlier that year, was a fan-favorite but had never been a top-five contender before his title shot. Rashad Evans, a veteran with a long, winding career in the UFC, came in as the clear underdog. Evans' grappling and submission pedigree were well known, and his patient, methodical dismantling of Serra in the later rounds was a masterclass in fight IQ over flash. The co-main, however, is the one that still echoes in MMA memory.

Anderson Silva at that point was not merely a champion; he was a cultural force. His fight with Rich Franklin was a clinic in pressure, timing, and the kind of effortless power that made opponents look like training dummies. The Phoenix crowd, many of whom had never seen a title fight in person, got a front-row seat to what would become one of the most dominant reigns in UFC history.

Reader's Guide

UFC 85 — October 14, 2008 — US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ Headline: Rashad Evans def. Matt Serra (TKO, R4) to claim the Welterweight title. - First UFC event in Phoenix and the first in the state of Arizona, opening a new regional market for the promotion. - Double-title card: two championship bouts in one night, a format that became rarer in later years as the UFC spread title fights across more events. - Anderson Silva's Middleweight title defense over Rich Franklin (TKO, R2) is widely regarded as one of the most dominant title performances of the 2000s and a defining moment of his legendary reign. - Rashad Evans' victory over Serra is remembered as a classic underdog-gets-the-belt story, with Evans using superior grappling to neutralize Serra's striking. - The event helped establish the UFC's presence in the Southwest and set the stage for future Phoenix shows at the same venue.