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1997 in UFC

{{short description|UFC MMA events in 1997}}

{{Year in UFC

|name = 1997 in UFC

|image = Logo of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (1993–1999).png

|image_size = 176px

|first_date = February 7, 1997

|last_date = December 21, 1997

|total_events = 5

|numbered_events = 4

|total_fights = 41

|title_fights = 5

|preceded_by = 1996 in UFC

|followed_by = 1998 in UFC

}}

The year 1997 was the fifth year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. In 1997, the UFC held five events beginning with UFC 12: Judgement Day.

{{TOClimit|2}}

Title fights

{{MMAtitle}}

{{MMAtitle card|Title fights in 1997}}

{{MMAtitle bout

| Heavyweight

| Mark Coleman

| def.

| Dan Severn

| Submission (neck crank)

|

| 2:57

| UFC 12: Judgement Day

| Coleman defeated Severn to become the inaugural UFC Heavyweight Champion.

}}

{{MMAtitle bout

| Heavyweight

| Maurice Smith

| def.

| Mark Coleman (c)

| Decision (unanimous)

|

| 21:00

| UFC 14: Showdown

| Smith defeated Coleman to become the new UFC Heavyweight Champion.

}}

{{MMAtitle bout

| Heavyweight

| Maurice Smith (c)

| def.

| Tank Abbott

| Submission (exhaustion)

|

| 8:08

| UFC 15: Collision Course

| Smith defeated Abbott to remain the UFC Heavyweight Champion.

}}

{{MMAtitle bout

| Light Heavyweight

| Frank Shamrock

| def.

| Kevin Jackson

| Submission (armbar)

|1

| 0:16

| UFC Ultimate Japan

| Shamrock defeated Jackson to become the inaugural the Light Heavyweight Champion.

}}

{{MMAtitle bout

| Heavyweight

| Randy Couture

| def.

| Maurice Smith (c)

| Decision (majority)

|1

|21:00

| UFC Ultimate Japan

| Couture defeated Smith to become the new UFC Heavyweight Champion. However, he was stripped of the title in October 1998 due to a contract dispute.

}}

{{MMAtitle end|notes = yes}}

Debut UFC fighters

The following fighters fought their first UFC fight in 1997:

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{{col-break}}

{{col-end}}

Events list

{{Main|List of UFC events}}

class="wikitable succession-box" style="font-size:90%;"

! scope="col" | #

! scope="col" | Event

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Venue

! scope="col" | Location

! scope="col" | Attendance

14

|{{sort|UFC 012|UFC 12: Judgement Day}}

|{{dts|1997|Feb|7}}

|Dothan Civic Center

|Dothan, Alabama, U.S.

|{{nts|3100}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/ufc-12-judgement-day|title=UFC 12: Judgement Day|publisher=tapology.com|accessdate=October 20, 2010}}

15

|{{sort|UFC 013|UFC 13: The Ultimate Force}}

|{{dts|1997|May|30}}

|Augusta Civic Center

|Augusta, Georgia, U.S.

|{{nts|5100}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/ufc-13-ultimate-force|title=UFC 13: Ultimate Force|publisher=tapology.com|accessdate=October 20, 2010}}

16

|{{sort|UFC 014|UFC 14: Showdown}}

|{{dts|1997|Jul|27}}

|Boutwell Auditorium

|Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.

|{{nts|5000}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/ufc-14-showdown|title=UFC 14: Showdown|publisher=tapology.com|accessdate=October 20, 2010}}

17

|{{sort|UFC 015|UFC 15: Collision Course}}

|{{dts|1997|Oct|17}}

|Casino Magic Bay St. Louis

|Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S.

| rowspan="1 {{n/a}}

18

|UFC Japan: Ultimate Japan

|{{dts|1997|Dec|21}}

|Yokohama Arena

|Yokohama, Japan

|{{nts|5000}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/ufc-155-ultimate-japan|title=UFC 15.5: Ultimate Japan|publisher=tapology.com|accessdate=October 20, 2010}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Ultimate Fighting Championship}}

{{UFC Events}}

Category:Ultimate Fighting Championship by year

Category:1997 in mixed martial arts