2011 in sports

sports-related events of 2011

2011 in sports will describe the year's events in world sport.

Centuries: 20th century · 21st century · 22nd century
Decades: 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s 2040s
Years: 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Alpine skiing change

American football change

Aquatics change

Association football change

Athletics change

Basketball change

Beach Soccer change

Beach volleyball change

Boxing change

  • January 29 – Timothy Bradley defeats Devon Alexander by a tenth round technical decision. The fight was stopped due to a cut Alexander had received from an accidental headbutt in the third round, which was made worse by two more headbutts in the eighth round and an final fourth headbutt in the tenth round. Both fighters came in with undefeated records and the fight was initially praised as one of the few good match-ups between two top ranked Americans in recent years. With the win, Bradley unified the light welterweight titles by defending his WBO title and winning Alexander's WBC title.
  • February 19 – Nonito Donaire defeats Fernando Montiel by technical knockout in the second round to unify the WBO and WBC bantamweight titles. Donaire started the fight strong by controlling most of the first round, landing a left hook that briefly stunned Montiel. In the second round Donaire started landing a few combinations before finishing Montiel with a solid hook that knocked out his opponent.
  • March 12 – Sergio Gabriel Martínez knocks out undefeated Sergiy Dzindziruk in the eighth round to win the vacant WBC diamond belt middleweight championship.
  • March 12 – Miguel Cotto knocks out Ricardo Mayorga in the twelfth round to retain his WBA world light middleweight title.
  • March 19 – Vitali Klitschko knocks out Odlanier Solís in the first round to retain his WBC heavyweight title for the sixth time. The knockout came as a surprise after Solís appeared to have sustained serious knee injury. Initially following the stoppage, Vitali Klitschko was angry at Solís and felt he took a dive. However following the fight Solís was taken to a hospital, where a scan revealed tears to his anterior cruciate ligament and external meniscus, as well as cartilage damage in his right knee.[1]
  • April 2 – Giovanni Segura knocks out Iván Calderón in the third round in a repeat of 2010's fight of the year.
  • May 7 – Manny Pacquiao easily defeats Shane Mosley, retaining his WBO welterweight title by unanimous decision.
  • July 2 — Wladimir Klitschko defeats David Haye by unanimous decision, adding Haye's WBA heavyweight title to the four he already held.

Canadian football change

Canoeing change

Cheerleading change

Cheerleading Worlds

28 April- 2 May – The Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida, USA

Australian calendar change

Australian Challenge (regional championships)
April
May
June
July
August
Australian Cheer for a Cure (regional championships)
September
Australian Showdown (state championships)
August
September
Australian Grand (national championships)

September 24-25, Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, New South Wales

Cricket change

Curling change

2010–11 curling season change

Season of Champions
Grand Slams
World Championships

2011–12 curling season change

Season of Champions
Grand Slams

Fencing change

Figure skating change

Gymnastics change

Golf change

Handball change

Horse racing change

Steeplechases
Flat races
  • Luis Contreras becomes the first jockey to win the Canadian Triple Crown aboard two different horses in the same year.

Ice hockey change

Ice sledge hockey change

Mixed martial arts change

The following is a list of major noteworthy MMA events during 2011 in chronological order.

Date Event Alternate Name/s Location Attendance PPV Buyrate Notes
January 1 UFC 125: Resolution   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 12,874 270,000
January 7 Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Saffiedine ShoMMA 13: Woodley vs. Saffiedine   Nashville, Tennessee, USA 2,631
January 22 UFC: Fight For The Troops 2 UFC Fight Night 23   Killeen, Texas, USA 3,200
January 29 Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg   San Jose, California, USA 9,059
February 5 UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 10,893 725,000
February 12 Strikeforce / M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Silva Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva   East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA 11,287 Quarterfinals to 2011 Strikeforce Heavyweight GP tournament.
Fedor Emelianenko suffers his second legitimate loss in a row and speculates retirement.
Gina Carano announces a return to MMA after being inactive for 18 months.
February 18 Strikeforce Challengers: Beerbohm vs. Healy ShoMMA 14: Beerbohm vs Healy   Cedar Park, Texas, USA
February 25 MFC 28: Supremacy   Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
February 26 UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch   Sydney, Australia 18,186 260,000
February 26 BAMMA 5: Daley vs. Shirai   Manchester, England
March 3 UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann   Louisville, Kentucky, USA 8,319
March 5 Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson Strikeforce: Columbus   Columbus, Ohio, USA 7,123
March 5 Bellator XXXV   Lemoore, California, USA Start of Bellator Season 4.
March 11 ADFC: Round 3   Abu Dhabi, UAE
March 12 Bellator XXXVI   Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
March 19 Bellator XXXVII   Concho, Oklahoma, USA
March 19 UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones   Newark, New Jersey, USA 12,619 445,000
March 19 KSW XV: Contemporary Gladiators   Warsaw, Poland
March 26 Bellator XXXVIII   Tunica, Mississippi, USA
March 26 UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis UFC Fight Night 24

UFC Fight Night: Seattle

  Seattle, Washington, USA 13,741
April 1 Strikeforce Challengers: Wilcox vs. Damm ShoMMA 15: Wilcox vs. Damm   Stockton, California, USA First Strikeforce event under Zuffa ownership.
April 2 Bellator XXXIX   Uncasville, Connecticut, USA
April 8 MFC 29: Conquer   Windsor, Ontario, Canada
April 9 Bellator XL   Newkirk, Oklahoma, USA
April 9 Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley   San Diego, California, USA
April 16 Bellator XLI   Yuma, Arizona, USA
April 23 Bellator XLII   Concho, Oklahoma, USA
April 30 UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields   Toronto, Ontario, Canada 55,724 800,000 (Min.)
900,000 (Max.)
Randy Couture announces his retirement after nearly 14 years of competition.
April 30 Superior Challenge 7   Stockholm, Sweden
May 6 Tachi Palace Fights 9   Lemoore, California, USA
May 7 Bellator XLIII   Newkirk, Oklahoma, USA
May 14 Bellator XLIV   Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
May 21 Bellator XLV   Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA End of Bellator season 4.
May 21 BAMMA 6: Watson vs. Ninja   London, England Murilo Rua announces his retirement after 11 years of competition.
May 21 KSW XVI   Gdańsk, Poland
May 28 UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 12,753 300,000 (Min.)
325,000 (Max.)
May 28 United Glory 14: 2010-2011 World Series Finals   Moscow, Russia
May 29 Dream: Fight for Japan! Dream Japan GP - 2011 Bantamweight Japan Tournament   Saitama, Japan 6,522
June 4 The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
June 10 MFC 30: Up Close and Personal   Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
June 11 UFC 131: dos Santos vs. Carwin   Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 14,685 325,000 (Min.)
335,000 (Max.)
June 18 Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum Strikeforce: Dallas   Dallas, Texas, USA The event will feature the first women's bouts ever held by Zuffa.
June 24 Strikeforce Challengers: Fodor vs. Terry Strikeforce Challengers 16: Fodor vs. Terry   Kent, Washington, USA
June 25 Bellator XLVI   Hollywood, Florida, USA Start of Bellator 2011 Summer Series.
June 26 UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry   Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 7,792
July 2 UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber 2   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 13,109 350,000 (Min.)
375,000 (Max.)
July 16 Dream: Japan GP Final   Tokyo, Japan 8,142
July 22 Strikeforce Challengers: Voelker vs. Bowling III Strikeforce Challengers 17   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
July 23 Bellator XLVII   Rama, Ontario, Canada
July 30 Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson   Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA
August 6 UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz 2   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 11,583
August 12 Strikeforce Challengers: Gurgel vs. Duarte ShoMMA 18   Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
August 14 UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle   Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA 6,751
August 20 Bellator XLVIII   Uncasville, Connecticut, USA End of Bellator 2011 Summer Series.
August 27 UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami UFC: Rio   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
September 3 ONE FC: Champion vs. Champion   Kallang, Singapore
September 10 Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinals   Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
September 10 Bellator XLIX   Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA Start of Bellator Season 5
September 10 BAMMA 7   Birmingham, England
September 17 UFC Fight Night: Battle on the Bayou UFC Fight Night 25   New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
September 17 Bellator L   Hollywood, Florida, USA
September 23 Strikeforce Challengers 19   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 24 Dream 17   Saitama, Japan
September 24 Bellator LI   Canton, Ohio, USA
September 24 UFC 135   Denver, Colorado, USA
October 1 UFC on Versus 6   Washington, D.C., USA
October 1 Bellator LII   Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
October 8 UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III   Houston, Texas, USA
October 8 Bellator LIII   USA
October 15 Bellator LIV   Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
October 29 UFC 137: St-Pierre vs. Diaz   Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
November 5 UFC 138: Leben vs. Muñoz   Birmingham, England The main event will be the first five round non-title fight in the history of the UFC.
November 19 UFC 139: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos   San Jose, California, USA
November 19 Bellator Event   Hollywood, Florida, USA End of Bellator Season 5.
December 3 The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale   Las Vegas, Nevada USA
December 10 UFC 140   Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Motor racing change

Formula One
NASCAR
IndyCar
World Rally Championship
World Touring Car Championship

Multi-sport events change

Netball change

2011 April 15th – 20th National Netball Championships 17/U & 19/U

June 9th Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Palmerston North

12th Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Auckland

July 3rd – 10th World Netball Championships 2011

12th – 17th National Netball Championships 21/U

30th Jul – 18th Sep Australian Netball League 2011

September 8th – 11th NetFest 2011 – Netball on the Gold Coast

October 9th Diamonds v England, Newcastle

12th Diamonds v England, Canberra

16th Diamonds v England, Sydney

23rd Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Perth

26th Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Adelaide

30th Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Melbourne

Nordic Skiing change

Rink Hockey change

Road bicycle racing change

Rowing change

Rugby league change

Rugby union change

Domestic competitions
Other major events
  • 26 February: During the England–France match in the Six Nations, England's Jonny Wilkinson retakes the all-time lead for career Test points from New Zealand's Dan Carter.
  • 27 February: During the Scotland–Ireland match in the Six Nations, Ireland's Ronan O'Gara retakes the all-time lead for career points in the Championship from Wilkinson.
  • 19 March: During the Ireland–England Six Nations match, two Irish players reach major career milestones in the Championship:
  • 30 July: During New Zealand's Tri Nations opener at home to South Africa, Carter reclaims the all-time lead for career Test points from Wilkinson.

Tennis change

Volleyball change

References change

  1. "Solis' knee torn up after defeat vs. Klitschko". ESPN.com. 20 March 2011.
  2. "NHL awards Carolina 2011 all-star game". Associated Press. 2010-04-08.

Other websites change