
After much much concern about Stanley Cup-crazed Vancouver not turning out for
UFC 131, the event drew 14,685 fans to Rogers Arena, drawing a $2.8 million gate. While those numbers aren't close to the huge numbers the
UFC usually draws on trips across the Canadian border, it's still a healthy set of figures for a card that lost the sport's biggest draw
Other big numbers on Saturday night went on the checks written out to the nightly awards winners, $70,000 apiece.
Capturing the Fight of the Night award was a heavyweight tilt between debuting big men
Dave Herman and
Jon Olav Einemo.
The fight saw several momentum shifts throughout, particularly in a wild second round, before Herman finally put an end to the action at 3:19 of round two with a TKO.
Submission of the night went to undefeated middleweight
Chris Weidman, who forced
Jesse Bongfeldt to tap out with a standing guillotine choke in the final seconds of round one. It was one of only two submissions on the night. The other was
Nick Ring forcing
James Head to tap to a rear naked choke.
Meanwhile, the Knockout of the Night went to lightweight
Sam Stout, who landed a picture-perfect left hook on the jaw of
Yves Edwards, knocking the longtime veteran unconscious at 3:52 of the first round. Afterward, Stout joked about the award.
"I call myself 'Hands of Stone' but I haven't knocked anybody out in five years," he said. "I was starting to get a little worried about it."
In reality, it was Stout's first knockout since September 2007, when he fought on a card outside of the UFC. It was his first KO inside the promotion, and it came in his 11th UFC fight.
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UFC 131 Fight Night Photos
Yves Edwards is knocked out at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
UFC 131 Photos
Shane Carwin and Junior dos Santos trade shots at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Shane Carwin attempts to take down Junior dos Santos at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Junior dos Santos tries to finish Shane Carwin late in the first at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Junior dos Santos (right) rocks Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Junior dos Santos kicks Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Shane Carwin is bloodied up at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Junior dos Santos punches Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Junior dos Santos lands a left hand against Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Blood drips down the face of Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
Shane Carwin makes a last ditch effort late in the third round at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
UFC 131 Photos
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