UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz was a jam-packed event held on December 30, 2006, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Fortunately, for those fans who were naughty that year and missed out on Santa, Christmas did come – albeit a few days late – when Arianny and Ali strutted their gorgeous stuff around the Octagon.

4.51: Anthony leg-kicked and Christian replied with an inside leg kick.

4.39: Anthony scored with another leg kick.

4.29: And again.

4.26: Christian’s punches were mainly being absorbed by Anthony’s forearms before he shot in to take Christian’s left leg.

4.06: Perosh dragged Wellisch to the ground momentarily before Wellisch stood up.

4.00: Christian scrambled from a front headlock to Anthony’s back, then brought up a right knee. Anthony was still looking to take his opponent down. They shared knees before breaking the clinch at 3.39.

3.20: Wellisch threw lefts and rights, and Perosh replied with a leg kick.

3.14: Christian’s fists were penetrating Anthony’s guard as Christian backed him into the fence with punches.

3.09: Anthony dropped to his knees and seized Christian’s legs.

2.52: They were standing and tied up, with Perosh’s back to the wires.

2.29: Wellisch picked Perosh off with flying fists.

2.07: Anthony shot at Christian’s left leg and got the takedown, but Christian was straight back up and clinched.

1.51: Anthony delivered a big knee as they parted.

1.26: He tagged Christian with a solid jab.

1.16: Christian took Anthony down and achieved side control.

0.59: They stood and Wellisch caught Perosh with a right knee to the head, followed by a fist combo. Perosh went down. Wellisch g’n’ped up to the bell.

Anthony turned the tide and outgunned Christian, putting him down at 4.48 with a big right.

4.45: Christian got to his feet, but Anthony smelt blood and kept after him with punishing fists.

4.25: Perosh took Wellisch down and continued to unload knuckles.

4.17: He took Wellisch’s back and kept pounding.

3.19: Christian stood with Anthony still hanging off his back.

3.15: Anthony tugged him down.

3.02: Christian rolled and they stood in a clinch.

2.48: Perosh took Wellisch down and got his back.

2.09: Perosh tried to pull Wellisch in and set him up for a rear naked choke, but Wellisch rolled and got half guard.

0.52: Herb Dean restarted the action. The pair banged it out, then clinched before the hooter sounded.

They banged some more before clinching at 4.11.

4.06: They broke free and hammered.

4.23: They clinched. There was some booing from the crowd, but both men were buggered from unloading all they had.

2.51: They separated.

2.37: Christian was putting more combos together in the stand-up battles.

2.21: Anthony stung him with a jab.

1.39: They tied up. Both men were giving their all.

1.07: Herb broke them up.

0.21: Perosh’s face was a bloody mess, but he kept coming and tagged Wellisch with consecutive shots. What an incredibly gutsy battle from both men.

4.46: Rory leg-kicked.

4.24: And again. He was using his four-inch reach advantage to frustrate Yushin.

4.10: Rory took Yushin’s high kick on the gloves.

3.37: Yushin leg-kicked.

3.32: Rory returned the favor.

3.02: Okami’s high kick got under Singer’s radar, but he just shrugged it off.

2.57: Okami slung a right at Singer and Singer replied with a leg kick.

2.03: They continued to spar until 2.04, when Singer tagged Okami with a right, and a brief scuffle ensued.

1.30: Rory kept coming after Yushin and caught him with a kick to the abs.

1.19: Rory leg-kicked.

1.13: He took Yushin’s high kick on the gloves.

0.39: Yushin kicked to Rory’s abs.

0.07: Singer returned the kick with extra sting attached. The crowd wanted more commitment.

4.46: Okami went for a shoot and Singer resisted before they tied up against the cage.

4.30: Okami got double underhooks as Singer punched to the body, then Okami swept with his right leg and took Singer down before moving into his half guard.

4.17: Rory maneuvered Yushin into full guard, and as Yushin’s g’n’p-ing lacked bite, little was achieved here.

3.37: Rory kicked Yushin away and they stood.

3.15: Yushin body-kicked.

3.12: They clinched and shared knees.

2.29: Yushin swept Rory’s right leg and crawled into his guard. The pair scrambled before Yushin moved into half guard.

0.50: Okami stood and wore some solid up-kicks. Singer picked off Okami’s thighs like drunk metal ducks at a shooting gallery.

They persevered with the sparring.

4.13: Singer fired off a leg kick and closed in before Okami clinched and forced Singer into the fence.

3.59: Okami hip-threw Singer from the clinch before taking up position in Singer’s half guard.

3.46: Yushin got side control.

3.09: Rory rolled onto his knees and stood, with Yushin maintaining a front headlock. He brought knees up into Rory’s face, causing Rory to drop back on all fours.

2.43: Yushin rolled Rory onto his back and took half guard.

2.19: Yushin got side control.

1.58: He took mount.

1.11: He began g’n’p-ing, causing Rory to tap.

Carmelo took up position at center ring to push the pace.

4.45: Gabriel caught him with a left hook. He then rushed at Carmelo who went into damage control and shot for Gabriel’s legs. Gabriel sprawled and they stood clinched.

4.34: Gonzaga swept Marrero from the tie-up and got half guard.

4.12: Gonzaga got the mount.

4.01: Marrero looked for an escape hatch and rolled onto his left side, so Gonzaga seized Marrero’s right arm and went for an arm triangle.

3.44: Gonzaga maintained the arm triangle and freed his right leg to take side control.

3.30: He got the mount but surrendered the arm triangle and commenced punching Marrero’s right ribs.

2.39: Carmelo turned, causing Gabriel to scramble and take side control again.

2.23: Gabriel was back in the mount. Carmelo resisted Gabriel’s g’n’p-ing by covering up well from underneath, so Gabriel latched an Americana on Carmelo’s right arm.

1.43: Gonzaga transformed the Americana into an arm bar and Marrero tapped. This was Carmelo’s first MMA defeat.

Despite being four inches shorter than Tony, Thiago had a 6.5-inch reach advantage, displaying the perfect build for fighting.

4.33: Tony shot in for an early takedown. Thiago sprawled and they were back at toe-to-toe, with southpaw Tony’s right-hand jab causing some difficulties for Thiago.

4.20: Tony threw a right.

3.55: He attempted another shoot, only to have Thiago resist again.

3.28: DeSouza had more success with the shoot when he snared Alves’s left ankle, but Alves was still able to hop free.

3.06: DeSouza closed in with a fist combo that backed up Alves until he slammed DeSouza’s jaw with a cracking right fist. DeSouza took a seat. Alves fell into DeSouza’s guard and started g’n’p-ing before DeSouza tied him up.

2.24: Thiago stood and walked away, forcing Big John to order Tony up.

1.57: Thiago leg-kicked.

1.25: His following high kick was off the mark.

1.15: Tony succeeded with a shoot that led to the pair clinching.

0.52: They took each other down via a mutual sweep, with Thiago landing in Tony’s guard and unloading punches.

0.32: Tony rolled onto his stomach as Thiago used Tony’s head for an anvil and continued to hammer him.

0.16: Tony turned and Thiago got the mount whilst still pounding away. The bell interrupted the ringing in Tony’s ears.

4.23: DeSouza made a vain attempt at a takedown, however Alves sprawled and backed away.

4.14: After both men stood, Alves flung the injured DeSouza to the mat.

4.03: DeSouza came in with a leaping knee but wore a right uppercut from Alves.

3.53: In desperation, Tony attempted his last shoot, however Thiago was expecting the charge and flattened Tony with a powerful right knee. He briefly pounded Tony before Big John waved Good Night, Irene.

Michael was circling and bopping Eric with jabs.

4.53: He tagged Eric with a right before Eric went to tie things up, but Michael shrugged Eric’s advances off.

4.42: Bisping leg-kicked and Schafer seized the kick to take Bisping down.

4.37: Bisping stood with Schafer still latched onto his left leg. They struggled, with Schafer wanting to grapple on the ground and Bisping electing to stand and trade. They came to a compromise as the fight progressed to a brief standing clinch.

4.04: They were back in toe-to-toe mode.

3.55: Michael unloaded more rapid knuckles.

3.53: He brought his left knee up, so Eric grabbed the leg and used it to pick Michael up and take him down, then Eric got side control.

3.38: Schafer was in half guard.

3.16: Bisping wriggled like an eel and took Schafer into guard.

2.57: They were standing with Schafer taking Bisping’s back.

2.46: Michael collapsed and caused Eric to drop headfirst into the canvas.

2.40: Eric weathered his head-butting with the floor and got the mount.

2.30: Michael slipped Eric into half guard.

2.16: Bisping was working at a faster pace and moved the fight to a standing clinch.

1.54: They separated.

1.51: Michael caught Eric with a left kick to the head, then wrapped a front headlock on before they clinched and traded knees. They parted again and Eric walked into a right and left mitt.

1.25: Michael opted to kick and Eric took him down. He had Michael’s back and attacked him with left fists as Michael knelt against the cage. Bisping turned and fell into Schafer’s guard, before standing and raining down punches on his opponent.

0.54: Schafer failed with an arm bar. He looked gassed as Bisping showered him with more knuckles. Mario Yamasaki called off the posse.

4.54: Andrei dispatched an inside leg kick.

4.36: Marcio shot for a takedown and Andrei countered by sprawling.

4.30: He wrangled into Marcio’s half guard.

4.04: Andrei stood with Marcio latched onto his left leg. Cruz persisted in trying to tug Andrei’s leg as Andrei warded off the takedown and threw punches into Marcio’s body.

3.00: Cruz collapsed to the canvas whilst attempting to catch Arlovski with an ankle lock, and Arlovski fitted Cruz with a counter ankle lock. Arlovski then forfeited the attempt, but Cruz had another go at Arlovski’s ankle.

2.05: Herb Dean warned Arlovski not to kick a downed opponent, so Andrei clobbered Marcio with a nasty right fist. Cruz clung to Arlovski’s ankle, however Andrei thumped his right fist into Marcio’s head until Herb called him off.

Southpaw Jason started jabbing, then fired off a left kick that Chris caught before taking Jason down and dropping into his guard.

4.35: Chris stood and rained punches on Jason before crawling back into guard.

4.01: Jason got to his feet and rushed in with fists flying.

3.51: He smacked a right into Chris’s jaw. They waltzed across the ring with Chris’s back to the fence.

3.15: Steve Mazzagatti parted them.

2.52: They banged it out and MacDonald had Leben pressed into the fence.

2.18: The pair broke free.

2.13: MacDonald leg-kicked and Leben answered with a right hook.

1.57: Steve intervened.

1.06: Jason looked to clinch, but Chris used his punching power to prevent the entanglement happening.

0.50: Chris took Jason in a Thai clinch and brought up knees. Jason was throwing uppercuts, so Chris countered with elbows and fists.

0.41: Jason clinched and worked on the takedown. Chris resisted and pounded up till the hooter blew. In the audience, Andre Agassi pretended to throw a left uppercut at Steffi Graf, but she countered well with a melting smile.

4.56: Leben took MacDonald’s high kick on the gloves.

4.48: MacDonald delivered an inside leg kick.

4.43: He leg-kicked, but Leben snapped up the kick and knocked MacDonald down with a left hand. He commenced body-punching MacDonald from the guard.

4.27: Chris stood to drop fists, however this time Jason was expecting the aerial assault and caught Chris with an up-kick. Leben fell into side control and they exchanged leather.

3.49: MacDonald turned onto his side.

3.42: They stood as Jason drove a right knee into Chris’s body. The pair exchanged more punches, then Jason grabbed Chris’s right leg.

2.59: Steve broke it up.

2.47: MacDonald landed a big right that snapped Leben’s head back.

2.38: He dragged Leben to the mats and took up half guard.

1.22: MacDonald locked on a guillotine and sedated Leben with the choke.

4.47: Forrest leg-kicked and Keith countered with a left, right, left combo.

4.39: Keith leg-kicked and Forrest countered with a right.

4.32: Griffin ducked under a right and landed a left hook on Jardine’s temple.

4.26: Jardine threw a right to the body as Griffin returned a right to the head.

4.14: There was another exchange and Forrest brought a left hook across to Keith’s jaw.

4.08: He leg-kicked and Keith countered with a right hand.

3.56: Forrest leg-kicked, then Keith answered via a left and right glove.

3.46: Forrest leg-kicked again before Keith countered with a right fist.

3.38: Forrest kicked Keith’s inside leg.

3.29: They exchanged and Griffin’s right eye was causing him trouble.

3.08: He leg-kicked.

3.05: Jardine smacked a kick into Griffin’s body.

2.59: Griffin tagged Jardine with a right.

2.48: The banging continued as Jardine scored with another body kick.

2.46: They swapped leg kicks.

2.41: Forrest closed in while Keith drove a right to the body and a left hook to the head.

2.33: Keith tried a front kick, but Forrest unbalanced him with a straight left.

2.27: Keith leg-kicked and Forrest momentarily caught the kick, let go, then threw a right hand.

2.23: Jardine checked Griffin’s leg kick, but wore a right glove.

1.59: Griffin leg-kicked as Jardine countered with a right.

1.39: Jardine sent out a low inside kick, followed by a jab.

1.32: Griffin leg-kicked and Jardine body-kicked. They kept trading, however Forrest was lowering his guard and had his chin up, whereas Keith was more crouched with his chin down and hands high.

1.02: Forrest threw a left uppercut and right cross that had Keith backing up.

0.57: Keith leg-kicked.

0.53: Forrest returned the kick and Keith replied with a right fist.

0.43: There was another clash and Griffin wiped his right eye after receiving a left hook from Jardine.

0.36: They banged some more and Jardine realized he’d shaken Griffin with a right uppercut and left hook to the temple. He rushed in and unloaded a fist combo.

0.31: Forrest dropped. Keith pounded right hands into Forrest’s head. The game was up.

They come out touching gloves.

4.53: Chuck kicks Tito’s inner leg. Tito goes to counter with a left, but Chuck is now out of range. Liddell has his right hand at chest height and his lead hand is hanging like a pendulum, probing at times.

4.35: They’re both testing the water with tentative jabs.

4.30: Chuck avoids an inside leg kick.

4.19: He throws a right and Ortiz counters with his own right, then Liddell lands a left hook.

4.13: Tito shoots for Chuck’s left ankle, however Chuck easily steps back before coming at Tito with a right hook.

4.05: Liddell sneaks in a left hook and Ortiz misses with a right counter.

4.01: Chuck backs away from Tito’s high kick.

3.51: They land with synchronized jabs.

3.43: Ortiz feigns a shoot that causes Liddell to retreat.

3.37: Ortiz detonates a big overhand right that catches Liddell.

3.29: Chuck unloads a solid right on Tito’s dial.

3.21: Chuck delivers a jab.

3.14: Tito narrowly misses with a leg kick.

3.07: Liddell penetrates Ortiz’s guard with a jab. Ortiz’s left grazes the side of Liddell’s face. Tito backs Chuck up with a right.

2.56: Tito kicks Chuck’s inside leg.

2.55: And again.

2.33: Ortiz kicks the inside leg, but fails with a body kick.

2.20: He kicks again at Liddell’s inside leg and body, then circles.

2.11: There’s another exchange and Liddell dispatches a right.

1.55: Chuck goes into predator mode and comes after Tito with fists, but Tito avoids any real contact.

1.34: Liddell dodges Ortiz’s high kick.

1.23: Liddell throws a left and right, and a right hook that scores. Ortiz lashes out with a wild right that Liddell backs away from.

1.12: Chuck lets go with a volley; a left hook lands and puts Tito down. He moves in and leans over the downed Ortiz, then unloads a barrage of punches. Tito covers up with his forearms. Some of Chuck’s punches get through – others are blocked.

0.56: A big right from Liddell catches Ortiz fair and square. Chuck ties up Tito’s left leg with his left hand and keeps thumping down with his right fist. Tito has a gash above his left eye.

0.50: Chuck takes a breather.

0.39: He steps back and lets Tito up.

0.12: Tito comes in slowly to bring a knee up and Chuck cracks a left uppercut smack on Tito’s jaw. Ortiz wears it and fires off an inside kick before the round ends.

4.53: Tito closes in with a huge right and Chuck aims to intercept it with a left.

4.44: Tito goes for a shoot. They wrangle until Chuck shoves Tito off, but cops a body kick from Tito.

4.30: Liddell collects Ortiz with a right cross.

4.24: Ortiz kicks the inside leg.

4.08: Ortiz absorbs a left hook.

3.55: Liddell cops a body kick.

3.40: Tito leg-kicks.

3.23: Chuck delivers an inside leg kick.

3.13: Tito drops down: His right knee almost touches the floor as he drives a right fist into Chuck’s midsection.

2.55: Liddell leg-kicks.

2.46: They shape up and Ortiz catches Liddell with a jab.

2.28: The pair square off again and Chuck scores with a right.

2.21: Tito rubs his nose after Chuck slips in a jab.

2.14: Liddell lands another left in Ortiz’s face.

2.08: Ortiz stands toe-to-toe with Liddell and catches Chuck with a powerful kick to the midsection.

2.00: Tito attempts a shoot as Chuck sprawls to avoid the takedown.

1.30: Chuck wears a jab.

1.25: Chuck throws an uppercut as Tito counters with a big right.

1.15: Chuck dodges Tito’s high kick.

0.48: After more dueling, Ortiz shoots in and this time takes Liddell’s back as he stands up. Tito sweeps Chuck’s right leg from behind and takes him back down. Chucks stands and Tito hugs his back, wrapping both his legs around Chuck’s right leg. Liddell twists to face Ortiz, and Ortiz gets the double hooks in.

0.30: Ortiz releases his hold and drives a left knee into Liddell’s body. They clinch, then separate before Chuck smacks a left elbow into Tito’s face.

Chuck is taunting Tito – dropping his hands and poking his jaw out.

4.48: Tito lets fly with a high kick that’s just short of Chuck’s chin. Chuck comes up short with a right hand.

4.40: Ortiz pings Liddell with consecutive inside leg kicks.

4.28: Ortiz fails with a shoot and Liddell makes him pay for it with a leather dust-up.

4.24: Tito replies with a left and right. The right is a solid shot.

4.17: Tito kicks the inside leg again.

4.03: Chuck returns the kick.

3.53: Tito fails with a shoot.

3.27: They exchange jabs.

3.22: Tito leg-kicks.

3.17: Liddell launches a left and right hook to the body.

3.07: He throws another right hook to the body, but Ortiz intercepts the strike with a jab to the temple.

3.02: Liddell launches a ballistic right hand that causes Ortiz to backpedal before shooting at Liddell’s ankle. Chuck belts Tito with a right glove, and Tito rolls onto his back. He looks to up-kick, though Chuck has more success dropping right bombs.

2.38: Chuck walks away, causing Tito to stand.

2.16: Tito leg-kicks.

2.05: Chuck lands a right hook.

1.50: He catches Tito with two jabs and grazes him with a right.

1.31: Liddell throws a right uppercut and a left. Ortiz retaliates with a strong right. Liddell scores with an overhand left that starts Ortiz backing up. Chuck follows with rights and a left, then a right uppercut that causes Tito to try for a desperate shoot that fails.

1.20: Tito is down and Chuck is unloading punishing right hands. Mario Yamasaki pulls it up.