UFC 33

{{Infobox MMA event

| name = UFC 33: Victory in Vegas

| image = UFC_33_poster_art.jpg

| promotion = Ultimate Fighting Championship

| date = September 28, 2001

| venue = Mandalay Bay Events Center

| city = Las Vegas, Nevada

| attendance = 9,500

| gate = $816,660

| buyrate = 75,000

| purse =

| previousevent = UFC 32: Showdown in the Meadowlands

| followingevent = UFC 34: High Voltage

}}

UFC 33: Victory in Vegas was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 28, 2001. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.

History

The card was headlined by three title bouts, Tito Ortiz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko for the Light Heavyweight Title (Vitor Belfort was unable to fight due to arm injury while training),{{cite news |last1=Snowden |first1=Jonathan |title=The UFC's Long Love Affair With Vitor Belfort: A History |url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/1/24/1953334/the-ufcs-long-love-affair-with-vitor-belfort-a-history |access-date=31 August 2018 |agency=bloodyelbow.com |date=January 24, 2011}} Dave Menne vs Gil Castillo for the new Middleweight Title and Jens Pulver vs Dennis Hallman for the Lightweight Title.{{cite web |url=http://fcfighter.com/post/the-fray-at-mandalay-bay |title = The Fray At Mandalay Bay {{!}} Full Contact Fighter}}

UFC 33 was the first mixed martial arts event sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission,{{cite news |last1=Morris |first1=Jessy |title=UFC Timeline: Zuffa's Early Years |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/189446-ufc-timeline-zuffas-early-years |access-date=31 August 2018 |publisher=bleacherreport.com |date=May 31, 2009}} under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which were first established by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board in April 2001.{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/lps/sacb/docs/martial.html |title=Mixed Martial arts Unified Rules of Conduct |publisher=New Jersey State Athletic Control Board |date=2002-09-05 |access-date=2011-05-19}}

UFC 33 is commonly pointed to as one of the worst in UFC history,{{cite news |last1=Rodina |first1=Steven |title=UFC 149 and the 10 Worst Cards in UFC History |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1284228-ufc-149-and-the-ten-worst-cards-in-ufc-history#slide5 |access-date=31 August 2018 |publisher=bleacherreport.com |date=August 3, 2012}} failing to captivate the new pay-per-view audience due to the large number of decisions on the card – UFC 33 was in fact the first event where all main card fights went to a decision. The Ortiz-Matyushenko and Pulver-Hallman fights in particular have been judged the two most uneventful five-round title fights in UFC history, up to at least 2009, by some metrics.[http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/4/19/845024/worst-title-fight-ever-check-the "Worst Title Fight Ever? Check the Numbers"] Additionally, the broadcast ran over and cut out early on many cable systems (in the middle of the Ortiz-Matyushenko fight). After this event, the UFC reduced the number of live fights to five and didn't schedule an event with 3 title fights for over 15 years.

During the post fight press conference for UFC 111, in response to questions about a perceived boring fight between Georges St-Pierre and Dan Hardy, UFC president Dana White commented that "UFC 33 is the only one I can remember where every fight sucked."{{cite web |title=UFC 111 Post Fight Press Conference Part 3 - George St. Pierre |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkTORVqEi9o |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/qkTORVqEi9o |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|website=youtube.com |access-date=31 August 2018}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news |last1=Roth |first1=Matthew |title=UFC 129 Results: Zuffa and the UFC Finally Hit It Big |url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/5/1/2147095/ufc-129-results-zuffa-and-the-ufc-finally-hit-it-big |publisher=bloodyelbow.com |date=May 1, 2011}}

Years later at the UFC 149 post-fight press conference, after a similarly lackluster card, Dana White quipped, "It felt like I was at UFC 33 again".{{cite web |title=Dana White 'Embarrassed' at UFC 149 Post-Fight Press Conference |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CarIrTxknhU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/CarIrTxknhU |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|website=youtube.com |access-date=31 August 2018}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Damon |title=Dana White 'Embarrassed' by UFC 149 Main Card, Praises Undercard Fighters |url=https://www.mmaweekly.com/dana-white-embarrassed-by-ufc-149-main-card-praises-undercard-fighters |access-date=31 August 2018 |publisher=mmaweekly.com |date=July 22, 2012}}

In 2013, following UFC on Fox 6 post-fight press conference, Dana White once again referenced UFC 33 as "The worst show we've ever had".{{cite web |title=UFC on FOX: Johnson vs Dodson Post-fight Press Conference |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXRngWPo7Ac |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/jXRngWPo7Ac |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|website=youtube.com |access-date=31 August 2018}}{{cbignore}}

In 2024, at the post-fight press conference following Power Slap 6, Dana White again remarked "I don't know if you remember UFC 33 when we came to Vegas for the first time, the worst show in UFC history." (Later) "You couldn't up an event more than we up UFC 33."

Results

{{MMAevent bout

| Light Heavyweight

| Tito Ortiz (c)

| def.

| Vladimir Matyushenko

| Decision (unanimous) (50–43, 50–44, 50–44)

| 5

| 5:00

| For the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

| Lightweight

| Jens Pulver (c)

| def.

| Dennis Hallman

| Decision (unanimous) (49–47, 48–47, 48–47)

| 5

| 5:00

| For the UFC Lightweight Championship.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

| Middleweight

| Dave Menne

| def.

| Gil Castillo

| Decision (unanimous) (49–43, 49–44, 49–45)

| 5

| 5:00

| For the inaugural UFC Middleweight Championship.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

| Light Heavyweight

| Chuck Liddell

| def.

| Murilo Bustamante

| Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–27, 29–27)

| 3

| 5:00

}}

{{MMAevent bout

| Welterweight

| Matt Serra

| def.

| Yves Edwards

| Decision (majority) (30–26, 30–27, 29–29)

| 3

| 5:00

}}

{{MMAevent bout

| Welterweight

| Jutaro Nakao

| def.

| Tony DeSouza

| KO (punch)

| 2

| 0:15

}}

{{MMAevent bout

| Middleweight

| Ricardo Almeida

| def.

| Eugene Jackson

| Submission (triangle choke)

| 1

| 4:06

}}

{{MMAevent bout

| Lightweight

| Din Thomas

| def.

| Fabiano Iha

| Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–27, 29–28)

| 3

| 5:00

}}

Encyclopedia awards

The following fighters were honored in the October 2011 book titled UFC Encyclopedia.{{cite book |last= Gerbasi|first= Thomas|date= 2011-10-17|title= UFC Encyclopedia - The Definitive Guide to the Ultimate Fighting Championship|location= New York|publisher= DK|page= 190|isbn=978-0756683610}}

Fight of the Night: Matt Serra vs. Yves Edwards
Knockout of the Night: Jutaro Nakao
Submission of the Night: Ricardo Almeida