UFC 78

Infobox MMA event
name=UFC 78: Validation

---

promotion=Ultimate Fighting Championship
date=November 17, 2007
venue=Prudential Center
city=Newark, New Jersey
attendance=14,071
gate=$2,100,000
buyrate= 400,000
previousevent=
followingevent=

"UFC 78: Validation" was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), that took place on November 17, 2007 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. [cite web
url=http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ys-091907junkiecom
title=McCrory-Gono set for UFC 78
last=Stupp
first=Dann
publisher=Yahoo! Sports
date=September 18, 2007
accessdate=2007-09-21] "Validation" was the first UFC event held in New Jersey since June 4 2005's "" in Atlantic City.

Background

The main event featured "The Ultimate Fighter 2" heavyweight winner Rashad Evans against "The Ultimate Fighter 3" light heavyweight winner Michael Bisping. cite web
url=http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=4826&zoneid=2
title=Rashad Evans vs. Michael Bisping at UFC 78
last=Martin
first=Damon
publisher=MMA Weekly
date=October 3, 2007
accessdate=2007-10-03]

Additionally, PRIDE veterans Ryo Chonan and Akihiro Gono both made their UFC debuts. Both fighters fought at 183 pounds in Japan, but with the UFC's inclusion of the 170 pound division each fighter moved down to fight at welterweight. Cuban judoka Hector Lombard was also scheduled to debut on the event but did not participate due to visa issues. [ [http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=9396 Lombard Denied Entry Into U.S ] ] Karo Parisyan instead faced Ryo Chonan, and Thiago Alves fought Chris Lytle.

Results

Preliminary card

*Welterweight bout: flagicon|JPN Akihiro Gono vs. flagicon|USA Tamdan McCrory:Gono wins by submission (armbar) at 3:19 of round two. This preliminary bout was not aired on the broadcast.

*Lightweight bout: flagicon|BRA Marcus Aurelio vs. flagicon|USA Luke Caudillo:Aurelio wins by TKO (strikes) at 4:29 of round one. This preliminary bout was not aired on the broadcast.

*Lightweight bout: flagicon|USA Joe Lauzon vs. flagicon|USA Jason Reinhardt:Lauzon wins by submission (rear naked choke) at 1:14 of round one. This preliminary bout was aired on the broadcast.

*Welterweight bout: flagicon|USA Chris Lytle vs. flagicon|BRA Thiago Alves:Alves wins by TKO (doctor stoppage) at the end of round two. This preliminary bout was not aired on the broadcast.

Main card

*Lightweight bout: flagicon|USA Spencer Fisher vs. flagicon|USA Frank Edgar:Edgar wins by unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 30-27, 30-27, 30-26.

*Middleweight bout: flagicon|USA Ed Herman vs. flagicon|CAN Joe Doerksen:Herman wins by KO (punch) at 0:39 of round three.

*Welterweight bout: flagicon|ARM Karo Parisyan vs. flagicon|JPN Ryo Chonan:Parisyan wins by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 30-27.

*Light heavyweight bout: flagicon|USA Houston Alexander vs. flagicon|BRA Thiago Silva:Silva wins by TKO (strikes) at 3:25 of Round 1.

*Light heavyweight bout: flagicon|USA Rashad Evans vs. flagicon|GBR Michael Bisping:Evans wins by split decision. Two judges scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Evans while the other judge scored it 29-28 in favor of Bisping.

Bonus awards

At the end of this event, $55,000 was awarded to each of the fighters who received one of these three awards.

*Fight of the Night: flagicon|BRA Thiago Alves vs flagicon|USA Chris Lytle [http://www.ufcscene.com/2007/11/19/ufc-78-submission-knockout-and-fight-of-the-night-winners]
*Submission of the Night: flagicon|JPN Akihiro Gono [http://www.ufcscene.com/2007/11/19/ufc-78-submission-knockout-and-fight-of-the-night-winners]
*Knockout of the Night: flagicon|USA Ed Herman [http://www.ufcscene.com/2007/11/19/ufc-78-submission-knockout-and-fight-of-the-night-winners]

References

External links

* [http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=EventDetail.FightCard&eid=958 UFC 78 fight card]
* [http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?EventID=5708 UFC 78 results at Sherdog.com]
* [http://78.ufc.com Official UFC 78 website]