The event features a headline bout of former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (24-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) vs. former PRIDE title-holder Dan Henderson (23-7 MMA, 3-2 UFC).
Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson is a battle between two great former champions who are both looking to get another chance to wear a world title around their waist, Franklin is the former UFC middleweight champion, and he’s a dangerous striker with solid submission skills, he also showed great takedown defense in his September destruction of powerful wrestler Matt Hamill.
Henderson is the only fighter to hold the PRIDE 183- and 205-pound titles simultaneously. The Team Quest fighter has victories over the likes of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva, Murilo Bustamante and Vitor Belfort. Henderson had lost two fights in a row in the UFC before getting the victory over Palhares by unanimous decision at UFC 88. He went
the distance in a loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson for the UFC light-heavyweight title at UFC 75 and was submitted in the second round by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 82.
Additionally, the organization announced UFC hall-of-famer Mark Coleman (15-8 MMA, 6-3 UFC) will meet former PRIDE stand-out Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (16-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a long-awaited rematch.
Welterweight sluggers Marcus Davis 15–4 and Chris Lytle 26-16–5 will indeed Colide at UFC 93 Dublin,'' setting up a 170-pound match up that already has ''Fight of the Night'' written all over it.
Davis has fought five-straight bouts in Europe, last defeating Paul Kelly via second-round submission at UFC 89 on October 18th in Birmingham, England.
Lytle is also fresh of a win at UFC 89, decisioning Paul Taylor in an action-packed back-and-forth brawl that actually earned “Fight of the Night” honors. With the victory, Lytle has now won just four of his last eight.
However, the losses during that stretch were to Josh Koscheck, Thiago Alves, Matt Hughes and Matt Serra — some pretty good competition.
Recent UFC signee Denis Kang will likely debut in a middleweight bout with Alan Belcher (13-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC).
Belcher, 24, has won three of his past four fights, which included a narrow split-decision victory over Ed Herman in September at UFC Fight Night 15. It was only his second win that went to a decision.
Main event:
205 lbs.: Rich Franklin (24-3) vs. Dan Henderson (23-7)
Main card (Televised):
205 lbs.: Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (16-3) vs. Mark Coleman (15-8)
185 lbs.: Denis Kang (31-10-1) vs. Alan Belcher (13-5)
170 lbs.: Marcus Davis (15–4) vs. Chris Lytle (26-16–5)
185 lbs.: Rousimar Palhares (8-2) vs. Jeremy Horn (80-18-5)
Under card (May not be broadcast):
205 lbs.: Andre Gusmao (5-1) vs. Antonio Mendes (15–3)
155 lbs.: Nate Mohr (8-5) vs. Dennis Siver (12-6)
205 lbs.: Ivan Serati (10-2) vs. Tomasz Drwal (14-2)
170 lbs.: Thomas Egan (3-0) vs. John Hathaway (9-0)
UFC 93 Results
Dan Henderson defeated Rich Franklin in a hard-fought split decision to win the main event at UFC 93 in Dublin.
Henderson will now be one of the coaches on Season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, and will fight the other coach, Michael Bisping, this summer.
Henderson did most of his damage with two accidental fouls: An accidental head butt in the first round opened a major gash on Franklin's forehead, and an accidental eye poke with 37 seconds left in the third round caused Franklin a lot of pain.
The main card and undercard results are below:
Main card:
Dan Henderson beats Rich Franklin by split decision.
Marcus Davis beat Chris Lytle by split decision
Alan Belcher beats Denis Kang by second-round submission (guillotine)
Rousimar Palhares beat Jeremy Horn by unanimous decision.
Shogun Rua beats Mark Coleman by third-round TKO
Undercard:
Dennis Siver beat Nate Mohr by third-round TKO (strikes)
Tomasz Drwal beat Ivan Serati by first-round TKO (strikes)
Eric Schafer beat Antonio Mendes by first-round TKO (strikes)
Martin Kampmann beat Alexandre Barros by second-round TKO (strikes)
John Hathaway beat Thomas Egan by first-round TKO (strikes)
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