UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum
Mexico
Main Card • Final
Brazil
R3, 2:13
Title Bout
Performance of the Night
United States
R3, 5:00
R2, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Fight of the Night
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R1, 0:54
R1, 0:23
Performance of the Night
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
Ireland
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
Title Bout
$50k POTN
$50k FOTN
$50k Bonus
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Yair Rodriguez and Charles Rosa each earned $50,000 for their wildly dynamic 15-minute featherweight war on the main card.
Performance of the Night: Fabricio Werdum earned $50,000 for unseating Cain Velasquez via third-round guillotine choke to become undisputed heavyweight champion.
Performance of the Night: Patrick Williams received $50,000 for scoring a historic 23-second guillotine choke technical submission over Alejandro Perez.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $125,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $225,000 | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000 | |
| LOSS | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000 | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000 | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Because UFC 188 took place in Mexico City, Mexico, official contract salaries and purses were not publicly disclosed by a government athletic commission. Fabricio Werdum’s $175,000 contract payout ($125,000 to show, $50,000 win bonus) was later disclosed in verified promotional records. Figures shown reflect verified contract disclosures and official $50,000 post-fight performance bonuses.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 188
Patrick Williams set the all-time UFC and WEC bantamweight record for the fastest submission finish, choking Alejandro Perez in just 23 seconds of round 1.
Fabricio Werdum unified the interim and undisputed UFC heavyweight championships by submitting Cain Velasquez at 2:13 of Round 3.
Fabricio Werdum became the only heavyweight fighter in mixed martial arts history to hold submission victories over Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Cain Velasquez.
With Patrick Williams (23 seconds) and Efrain Escudero (54 seconds) scoring rapid finishes, UFC 188 became the first modern-era event to produce two sub-minute submissions.
Cain Velasquez was submitted for the first and only time in his mixed martial arts career, succumbing to Fabricio Werdum’s third-round guillotine choke.
UFC 188 set a promotional attendance record in Mexico, drawing an electric sellout crowd of 21,036 fans inside Arena Ciudad de México.
TUF Latin America winner Yair Rodriguez captured his first career UFC Fight of the Night honor after thrilling fans with spinning attacks against Charles Rosa.
Kelvin Gastelum landed 126 total strikes on Nate Marquardt, compelling Marquardt’s head coach Trevor Wittman to call a halt to the contest between rounds 2 and 3.
Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo landed 133 total strikes against Chico Camus, improving to 9-0 as a professional mixed martial artist.
Former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez secured his first career UFC win, overcoming first-round swelling to outpoint longtime rival Gilbert Melendez by split decision.
UFC 188 featured two standing guillotine choke finishes on a single evening, executed by Patrick Williams and Efrain Escudero.
Fabricio Werdum connected with 79 significant head strikes on Cain Velasquez, the most ever absorbed by Velasquez in any single fight throughout his UFC career.
When and where did UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum take place?
UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum took place on Saturday, June 13, 2015, at the Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, Mexico.
Who won the main event between Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum?
Fabricio Werdum defeated Cain Velasquez via guillotine choke submission at 2:13 of Round 3 to unify the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Who won the co-main event between Eddie Alvarez and Gilbert Melendez?
Eddie Alvarez defeated Gilbert Melendez via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) after three hard-fought rounds in their long-awaited lightweight grudge match.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC 188?
Four fighters received $50,000 performance bonuses: Yair Rodriguez vs. Charles Rosa won Fight of the Night, while Fabricio Werdum and Patrick Williams earned Performance of the Night honors.
What UFC record did Patrick Williams break at UFC 188?
Patrick Williams submitted Alejandro Perez in 23 seconds of Round 1 via guillotine choke, setting the record for the fastest submission in UFC and WEC bantamweight history.
What was the attendance and live gate for UFC 188?
UFC 188 drew an official crowd of 21,036 fans at Arena Ciudad de México. The official gate revenue was not publicly disclosed by the local commission.
How many pay-per-view buys did UFC 188 generate?
UFC 188 generated an estimated 300,000 pay-per-view buys in North America.
How did Kelvin Gastelum defeat Nate Marquardt?
Kelvin Gastelum defeated Nate Marquardt via TKO (corner stoppage) after Marquardt’s corner stopped the fight at the end of Round 2 (5:00).
Did Henry Cejudo win his fight at UFC 188?
Yes. Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo defeated Chico Camus via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) in the featured preliminary flyweight contest.
Who were the commentators and announcer for UFC 188?
The broadcast was called cage-side by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, with Bruce Buffer announcing inside the Octagon.
Who did Yair Rodriguez fight at UFC 188?
Yair Rodriguez faced Charles Rosa in a featherweight main card bout, winning by split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) in a fight that earned Fight of the Night honors.
How fast did Efrain Escudero win his fight?
Efrain Escudero submitted Drew Dober via standing guillotine choke in just 54 seconds of the opening round.
Who won the fight between Johnny Case and Francisco Trevino?
Johnny Case defeated Francisco Trevino via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) despite suffering an early eye poke.
How did the high altitude in Mexico City impact the main event?
Mexico City sits over 7,300 feet above sea level. Werdum prepared by acclimating in Mexico for over a month, whereas Velasquez experienced noticeable fatigue after a ferocious opening round, ultimately leading to Werdum’s third-round finish.
What historic milestone did Fabricio Werdum complete with this win?
By submitting Cain Velasquez, Werdum completed the historic feat of submitting the three consensus heavyweight greats of his era: Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Cain Velasquez.
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