UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen 2 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen 2
United States
Main Card • Final
Brazil
R2, 1:55
Title Fight
Knockout of the Night
R3, 5:00
Fight of the Night
R3, 5:00
Canada
R1, 0:47
South Korea
R1, 0:31
R3, 5:00
El Salvador
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
Russia
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Japan
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
Cuba
Official Event Results
Title Bout
$75k Bonus
$75k FOTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$75,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz each earned $75,000 for their back-and-forth light heavyweight trilogy rubber match in the co-main event.
Knockout of the Night: Anderson Silva collected $75,000 for his explosive second-round TKO victory over arch-rival Chael Sonnen to retain the UFC Middleweight Championship.
Submission of the Night: Not awarded, as none of the eleven scheduled bouts on the card concluded by submission.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $125,000 | $150,000 | $75,000 | $350,000 | |
| LOSS | $250,000 | — | $75,000 | $325,000 | |
| WIN | $200,000 | — | $75,000 | $275,000 | |
| WIN | $150,000 | — | — | $150,000 | |
| WIN | $48,000 | $48,000 | — | $96,000 | |
| WIN | $36,000 | $36,000 | — | $72,000 | |
| LOSS | $50,000 | — | — | $50,000 | |
| WIN | $23,000 | $23,000 | — | $46,000 | |
| LOSS | $44,000 | — | — | $44,000 | |
| WIN | $18,000 | $18,000 | — | $36,000 | |
| WIN | $16,000 | $16,000 | — | $32,000 | |
| LOSS | $31,000 | — | — | $31,000 | |
| LOSS | $28,000 | — | — | $28,000 | |
| LOSS | $21,000 | — | — | $21,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $13,000 | — | — | $13,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $6,000 | — | — | $6,000 |
*Disclosed purses reported by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Total purses officially disbursed equaled $1,438,000 prior to performance bonuses. Figures do not reflect discretionary locker-room bonuses, pay-per-view points, commercial sponsorships, or licensing deductions. Estimated total amounts incorporate official post-fight performance awards ($75,000 each).
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 148
UFC 148 produced an astounding $6,901,655 live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, shattering the Nevada state combat sports record previously held by UFC 66 ($5,397,300).
Anderson Silva became the first fighter in UFC history to record 10 consecutive successful title defenses in the middleweight division, extending his legendary championship reign.
With his TKO victory over Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva extended his promotional winning streak to 16 straight fights (2006–2012), a benchmark that remains the longest in UFC history.
Anderson Silva recorded his 9th finish in a UFC championship fight, establishing the promotional all-time record for most stoppage wins inside title bouts.
Silva claimed his 7th career Knockout of the Night bonus, tying the all-time UFC promotional record for the most post-fight knockout awards.
UFC 148 served as the historic anchor and flagship event for the UFC’s first-ever International Fight Week in Las Vegas, establishing the sport’s premier annual summer festival.
Inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame earlier that afternoon, Tito Ortiz completed his 27th UFC walk—setting the all-time promotional record for most fights inside the Octagon at that time.
The co-main event between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz concluded only the 4th completed trilogy in UFC history, with Griffin taking the rubber match to win the series 2-1.
Gleison Tibau became the only competitor in MMA history to stop 100% of takedowns against Khabib Nurmagomedov (0-for-13) while securing the only takedown ever completed against Khabib in the UFC.
Dropping down from middleweight after 11 UFC contests, Demian Maia announced his arrival at 170 pounds with a stunning 47-second finish over top contender Dong Hyun Kim.
Chad Mendes crumpled Cody McKenzie with a devastating liver strike at just 0:31 of Round 1, registering the fastest knockout finish in the UFC featherweight division for the 2012 calendar year.
All five undercard bouts (4 on FX, 1 on Facebook) went the full 15-minute distance, marking a rare 100% decision rate across the entire preliminary lineup.
When and where did UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen 2 take place?
UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen 2 took place on Saturday, July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen?
Anderson Silva defeated Chael Sonnen via TKO (knee to the body and punches) at 1:55 of Round 2, successfully defending his UFC Middleweight Championship.
How did the finish unfold in Silva vs. Sonnen 2?
After Sonnen dominated Round 1 with top control, he missed a spinning back fist in Round 2 and fell against the cage. Silva capitalized with a perfectly timed knee to the body followed by ground-and-pound punches to force referee Yves Lavigne to stop the bout.
Who won the co-main event between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz?
Forrest Griffin defeated Tito Ortiz via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) in their rubber match, concluding their historic light heavyweight trilogy 2-1 in Griffin’s favor.
What special milestone did Tito Ortiz celebrate at UFC 148?
Tito Ortiz was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame during the UFC Fan Expo on the afternoon of July 7, 2012, before making his then-record 27th Octagon walk that evening.
Who won the official post-fight bonuses at UFC 148?
Three fighters took home $75,000 bonuses: Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz claimed Fight of the Night, while Anderson Silva was awarded Knockout of the Night. Submission of the Night was not awarded as no fights ended via submission.
What was the live gate and attendance for UFC 148?
UFC 148 drew an official attendance of 15,104 fans generating a record-breaking live gate of $6,901,655, establishing the highest MMA gate in Nevada history at that time.
How many pay-per-view buys did UFC 148 generate?
UFC 148 generated an estimated 925,000 pay-per-view buys, making it one of the most commercially successful pay-per-view events in UFC history.
What happened in the fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Gleison Tibau?
In his second UFC appearance, Khabib Nurmagomedov won a close unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) over Gleison Tibau. Tibau stopped all 13 of Khabib’s takedown attempts and scored one of his own, making it one of the most fiercely debated decisions of Khabib’s undefeated career.
How did Demian Maia perform in his welterweight debut?
Demian Maia made an emphatic 170-pound debut, taking down Dong Hyun Kim and securing a TKO victory due to a rib injury just 47 seconds into the opening round.
How fast was Chad Mendes’ finish over Cody McKenzie?
Chad Mendes stopped Cody McKenzie via KO (punch to the body) in just 31 seconds of Round 1, delivering one of the fastest finishes of the year.
Who won the bout between Cung Le and Patrick Côté?
Former Strikeforce champion Cung Le defeated Patrick Côté via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) in a three-round middleweight main card showcase.
Why didn’t Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber fight at UFC 148?
Dominick Cruz was scheduled to defend his UFC Bantamweight Championship in the co-main event against rival coach Urijah Faber, but a torn ACL forced Cruz out. The interim title fight between Faber and Renan Barão was subsequently moved to headline UFC 149 in Calgary.
Who called the fights and announced at UFC 148?
The broadcast was called by lead play-by-play voice Mike Goldberg and color commentator Joe Rogan, with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
Why is UFC 148 considered a milestone for UFC International Fight Week?
UFC 148 served as the centerpiece for the inaugural UFC International Fight Week in Las Vegas, a landmark multi-day festival featuring the UFC Fan Expo, seminars, and fan experiences that became an annual promotional tradition.
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