5 Reasons why UFC 40: Vendetta was a turning point for the promotion

Vendetta is an important pay-per-view in the promotion’s history, especially during the Zuffa era. The event was headlined by the highly anticipated light heavyweight championship bout between champion Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock.

‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ hadn’t competed in the promotion since 1996 and was involved in a heated rivalry with Ortiz. The champion had enraged Shamrock with his post-fight antics, especially after he defeated Lion’s Den member Guy Mezger.

In addition to the grudge in the main event, the card was loaded with future champions and Hall of Famers. Some notable fighters who competed in the event included Andrei Arlovski, Robbie Lawler, Matt Hughes, and Chuck Liddell.

Vendetta was a monumental shift for the promotion and led to many opportunities that they eventually capitalized on. This list will look at 5 reasons why UFC 40: Vendetta was a turning point for the promotion.

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#5) Chuck Liddell established as a UFC title contender

UFC 40 was a significant event for Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell. He solidified his place in the light heavyweight title picture with an emphatic knockout over Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral.

Liddell had been unbeaten for three years and had wins over former champions including Kevin Randleman and Vitor Belfort. The fight with ‘Babalu’ didn’t last long as he landed a head-kick that knocked him out at 2:55 of the first-round.

"The Iceman" made a strong case for why he should receive the next title shot. There was no denying that he’d have a vested interest in the main event. He could possibly be fighting Shamrock or Ortiz, who happened to be his former training partner.

Liddell ended up becoming a massive pay-per-view draw, which shows how the event was a turning point for the promotion.

#4) UFC pay-per-view buyrate being factored into the contract structure

From a financial standpoint, UFC 40 was significant to how some fighters’ contracts ended up being structured. Ken Shamrock, who spent two-and-a-half years in WWE, brought elements of their business model to the promotion.

This added more of an incentive to sell the fight and get the biggest buy-rate possible as it could lead to a lucrative payday. Shamrock has mentioned in multiple interviews that the promotion couldn’t afford to pay him his asking price to fight Ortiz.

"That was the first time that anybody had brought any kind of numbers into the UFC, where you were working to basically bet on yourself what the pay-per-view was going to bring in." - Ken Shamrock to THE HANNIBAL TV (2021)

Zuffa's financial situation led to White agreeing to pay Shamrock an additional sum should the event generate over 100,000 buys. This was a turning point as the promotion’s champions have since earned pay-per-view points when they headline an event.

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#3) Matt Hughes cemented his UFC welterweight championship reign

UFC 40 also saw then-welterweight champion Matt Hughes cement his legacy as one of the top fighters in the world. Hughes made his third successful title defense by defeating Gil Castillo by first-round TKO after a doctor’s stoppage. The win improved his MMA record to 33-3 and extended his winning streak to 11.

Hughes used his wrestling background to his strength as he’d take his opponents down and smoother them on the ground. His style was even more effective against submission specialists like Royce, Renzo Gracie and Riccardo Almeida.

The former welterweight champion was unquestionably one of the best fighters in the promotion. He eventually defended his title twice more before losing it to BJ Penn in 2004. Hughes regained it later that year after defeating Georges St-Pierre and solidified himself as one of the greatest welterweights of all-time.

#2) Return of former UFC superfight champion Ken Shamrock

UFC 40: Vendetta marked the return of former superfight champion Ken Shamrock. The return of ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ was a turning point for the promotion early on in the Zuffa era.

At 39-years-old, many were interested to see if he had one more run left in him. It wouldn’t be an easy task as he was challenging one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Tito Ortiz was in the prime, so it was clearly an uphill battle for ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man.’

Shamrock’s return after 6 years away from the promotion opened up a lot of possibilities. His return was more than just a one-off as he headlined a few events following Vendetta. He also served as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter season 3 opposite 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.'

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#1) Mainstream media attention for the UFC

The biggest reason why UFC 40: Vendetta was such a turning point for the promotion was the mainstream attention they received. It was right place at the right time for the promotion to capitalize on the animosity between Ortiz and Shamrock.

‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ had been a recognizable WWE superstar during the company’s ‘Attitude Era.’ He and Ortiz were guests on ‘The Best Damn Sports Show Period,’ which had been very popular at the time. The two argued with each other and did a great job selling the fight to those unfamiliar with the promotion.

In addition, the mainstream attention helped advertise the promotion as a commodity for television networks. Shamrock’s WWE tenure during a boom in the industry led to pro wrestling fans becoming interested in watching the event. As a result, they may’ve bought watch the pay-per-view and become fans of a certain fighter or the promotion as a whole.