On February 2, 2008, UFC 81 introduced some new blood into the Octagon with former WWE star Brock Lesnar taking on former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, and somewhat unknown combatant Tim Boetsch locking horns with UFC veteran David Heath. Both bouts were memorable battles, but for different reasons.

Chris Lytle def. Kyle Bradley by KO – 0.33, Round One.

Marvin Eastman def. Terry Martin by unanimous decision.

Rob Emerson def. Keita Nakamura by split decision.

Tim made his Octagon debut after only10 days’ notice. Prior to the event he stated, “I plan on dominating this fight one hundred percent in all areas: striking, wrestling, jiu jitsu… I see no area that David Heath can beat me. I plan on smashing David Heath.”

Tim got the wrecking ball rolling with a low kick and a spinning back-fist. Neither connected.

4.37: David failed with a jab.

4.16: The pair shadow-boxed and the crowd booed, unaware of the approaching action.

4.15: David let go with a fist combo and Tim replied with a kick that curled around to David’s left lat.

4.04: Boetsch leg-kicked.

3.55: He parked a front kick in Heath’s solar plexus – a la Pat Smith at UFC 1: The Beginning, which backed up Heath.

3.49: Boetsch threw an overhand right.

3.39: Heath resisted a takedown.

3.18: David jabbed and Tim countered with a right to the body.

3.04: Tim front-kicked to the body.

2.54: He delivered a right hook.

2.45: David inside leg-kicked.

2.28: Boetsch kicked to the body with his lead left leg and followed with a right knee to the midsection. Heath’s left rib area became an angry red.

2.06: Both men landed jabs.

2.02: Boetsch inside leg-kicked and chased it up with his third front kick to the body.

1.49: He scored with a leg kick after bobbing and weaving around jabs and crosses from Heath.

1.15: David smacked Tim with a leg kick.

1.13: Tim unloaded a barrage of leather, knees and front kick number four to the body, then a back-fist. David came back swinging and Tim drove in front kick number five.

0.53: Tim threw a jab, and a right and left-hook combo.

0.48: He landed a right uppercut and five right knees from the clinch.

0.39: Heath fought back, throwing a fist combo. Boetsch clinched again and banged in a right knee, right glove to the body, and another right knee. He fired off a big right hook that overshadowed Heath’s flurry. Tim thumped in a right to the left side of David’s body. Boy, did Tim target this area of David’s torso!

0.25: Boetsch Thai-clinched and marched forward, delivering six consecutive knee-strikes to the head and body. He latched onto Heath again and hurled him to the canvas like an enraged Hulk on a bad hair day. Boetsch followed with token rights and Herb closed the curtain. Why do they call Tim Boetsch ‘The Barbarian’!

4.46: Tyson kicked to southpaw Gleison’s inside leg, then threw a right hand. Gleison jabbed with his right hand and Tyson contributed a left.

4.33: Griffin inside leg-kicked. They exchanged jabs and briefly clinched before releasing.

4.07: Griffin inside leg-kicked and followed with a right as Tibau replied with a left.

4.02: Tibau brought up a left knee.

3.47: Tyson threw a right cross and Gleison answered with a left hook.

3.30: Tyson dispatched a right to the midsection.

3.24: He inside leg-kicked as Gleison countered with a left. They continued to trade before clinching at 3.00, and vied for dominant position against the cage. Tibau attempted a takedown that didn’t quite work.

2.21: Griffin slung a right elbow and the pair broke free.

1.55: Griffin inside leg-kicked. He detonated a higher kick and the players traded some more.

1.47: Tyson pumped up the volume, throwing strong rights, leg kicks and a front kick.

1.24: Gleison was outgunned so he opted for the takedown and moved into half guard.

1.02: He attempted to capture Tyson’s back.

0.50: They stood and Gleison looked for a possible guillotine as Tyson concentrated on the takedown.

0.35: Both men settled for the clinch.

0.25: Tibau kneed to the body from the tie-up. Griffin followed suit, but Tibau was waiting for the strike and twisted his body to unbalance Griffin, then put him on his back.

0.10: They stood clinched.

The fighters recommenced the toe-to-toe.

4.22: Gleison took a high kick on the mitts. Tyson appeared to slip after hurling a right hand and converted the fall into a takedown attempt. Gleison resisted and they tied up against the fence.

3.47: They separated.

3.23: Gleison landed a nice left during the trade-off. Tyson was scoring well with his rights.

2.58: Tibau chalked up another takedown.

2.41: They were back on their feet.

2.30: Griffin leg-kicked.

1.42: The banging continued, with Griffin mixing his gloved deliveries with leg kicks.

0.18: Tibau notched up a further takedown.

0.10: They stood. Barry Bonds waved to the cameras from the audience as the combatants returned to their corners.

After exchanging some leather, Gleison took Tyson back down.

3.34: He banged Tyson’s skull into the canvas with a sharp left from above.

2.50: Tyson climbed to his feet as Gleison tagged him with a few left hooks.

2.24: Gleison shot for the takedown and wore a ripping left body-shot for his trouble.

2.18: They climbed back up.

2.13: Griffin drove in another gut-busting left fist and a right cross.

1.52: He followed with another left fist to Tibau’s midsection. These were big body shots.

1.24: The pair were entangled as Griffin foot-stomped in the clinch.

0.12: They parted and banged up to the hooter.

Interesting to note, Rob Yundt took this bout on three days’ notice.

4.49: Rob scored with a right uppercut.

4.45: Ricardo snuck in a left to the body.

4.18: He opted for a takedown and worked from Rob’s open guard.

4.00: Almeida threw a right fist from above. Yundt brought his head up and Almeida wrapped on a guillotine, rolled onto his back and locked his ankles around Yundt’s lower back. Rob got to his feet and tried to pound Ricardo’s head into the floor. The pair tumbled over with Ricardo’s choke tightly in place. Rob tapped out from underneath.

Nate thumped a right fist and a left knee into Jeremy’s abs as the pair clinched.

4.34: Nate swept Jeremy down from the tie-up and fell into guard, then pounded Jeremy with damaging rights.

3.10: Marquardt stood and Yves called Horn up.

2.58: They exchanged and clinched. Horn attempted to sweep Marquardt’s left leg and Nate grabbed Jeremy’s right leg as the men fell in a mutual takedown, with Nate getting half guard.

2.11: They scrambled to their feet, still in the clinch.

2.03: Marquardt whacked on a Thai clinch, then let go to unload right uppercuts and knees.

1.49: He slammed Horn with a right elbow that dropped him to his knees. Marquardt missed with another knee as Horn fell, before catching Jeremy with elbows. In the process, Horn’s mouth guard was knocked out. He quickly grabbed the piece and refitted it.

1.14: Jeremy had Nate back in his guard.

0.55: Jeremy brought up a stinging left elbow.

0.51: Nate stood and Jeremy lashed out with up-kicks.

0.44: Nate dropped back into guard.

0.35: Horn seized Marquardt’s right arm and tried fitting him with an uma-plata.

0.10: Marquardt was free. The round ended with Horn maneuvering into Marquardt’s guard.

4.49: Jeremy leg-kicked.

4.45: Nate marked the kick ‘return to sender’, but Jeremy trapped the leg and dropped down with Nate fighting from his back.

3.33: Nate used his feet to shove Jeremy away as the action returned to the stand-up game.

3.34: Jeremy came in for the takedown. Nate applied a guillotine and Jeremy tapped.

4.54: Frank throws a leg kick; Brock catches the kick and takes Frank down. Brock drops two rights from half guard. Frank tries to sweep Brock’s free right leg, but Brock keeps ravaging Frank with solid fists to the head. Frank looks to be in big trouble.

4.34: Steve Mazzagatti intervenes and calls time out, declaring that Lesnar was hitting the back of Mir’s head, then deducts one point from Lesnar.

“Wow, no warning,” says Joe Rogan.

“Interesting,” adds Mike Goldberg.

The crowd boos. They’re used to an offending fighter being told to “Watch the shots to the back of the head”, with no stoppage – particularly for a first offence.

The replay is shown in slow motion as Mir recovers.

“Just one shot, you know, while Mir turned away,” says Joe Rogan.

4.26: Frank attempts a leg kick. He tries it again as Brock counters with a right cross and Frank is grounded. Brock thumps down from side control, but has to watch his ‘offending’ punches. Frank goes for an arm bar. Brock punches from Frank’s guard.

3.48: Lesnar lands with a right elbow.

3.41: He stands and is holding Mir’s ankles. Mir twists and wraps on a knee lock. Lesnar taps.

A very controversial match.

Antonio comes out to the Stones'  Gimme Shelter. Tim enters the arena looking focused and wearing the American flag over his shoulders.

4.55: Antonio inside leg-kicks. Both men are jabbing.

4.30: Antonio leg-kicks.

4.24: Tim pokes out a right.

4.19: Nogueira goes for the takedown and Sylvia takes up half guard. Nogueira is looking to sweep Sylvia’s left leg.

3.58: Sylvia stands and Herb calls Nogueira up. The fighters trade jabs and Sylvia smacks Nogueira with a right.

3.32: He backs it up with a powerful jab that snaps Antonio’s head back. Antonio then bangs in an overhand right.

3.22: Tim resists the takedown.

3.07: The toe-to-toe continues with Tim unleashing a right uppercut.

2.57: He hurls a left hook and a right cross that put Antonio on his butt before Tim dives into his guard and pounds away.

2.31: Nogueira ties up Sylvia’s arms after copping some serious g’n’p-ing.

2.25: Sylvia stands and Herb invites Nogueira back up to the dance floor.

2.11: Tim hammers some more, causing Antonio to take him down. Sylvia falls into half guard, then sneaks in some short left elbows before Nogueira ties up the arm.

1.34: Tim stands and Antonio follows him up.

1.24: Sylvia wards off a takedown.

1.02: And again. On the bell, Nogueira succeeds in sweeping Sylvia to the ground.

More jousting ensues.

4.42: Antonio moves in for the takedown and Tim resists.

3.39: Sylvia avoids another attempt. Nogueira focuses mainly on the jab, whereas Sylvia’s reach enables him to employ his left and right fists.

2.47: Tim shrugs off another takedown attempt.

2.35: They trade hands and Nogueira adds a leg kick.

2.20: Sylvia catches Nogueira with a right to the breadbasket.

2.15: And again.

1.51: Antonio latches onto Tim’s left leg.

1.23: Tim struggles free from Antonio’s attempt to go horizontal.

0.43: The dueling continues as Sylvia thumps Nogueira with a punishing right hook.

0.36: Nogueira returns the shot. They exchange up to the bell.

Antonio kicks to Tim’s inner leg and Tim bops a right fist on Antonio’s dial.

4.37: Tim avoids another takedown.

4.18: Nogueira shoots low and pulls Sylvia down, with Tim getting half guard. Tim starts to stand back up when Antonio sweeps his left leg.

3.40: Nogueira hooks his left leg over Sylvia’s head. Tim rolls and Antonio whacks on a guillotine. Tim taps.