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“I’m interested in quality fights,” said Couture, who is committed to neither the heavyweight nor light-heavyweight class.  “I’ve never felt better.”

“He’s an animal at 205 (pounds),” UFC chief Dana White said.  “But you guys always want me to play match-maker immediately after these fights.”

Couture will be 48 1/2 years old by the time the contract’s monthly term will finish, culminating at the end of 2011.  Before fighting Nogueira, Couture talked about his desire to make another run at the heavyweight belt, which he has held three different times.  He is a two-time champion in the light-heavyweight division.

For their efforts, Nogueira and Couture each earned a $60,000 bonus for fight of the night.

The card in Portland featured a couple of knockouts that totaled 28 seconds, including the fastest in the history of the UFC.

In a much-anticipated matchup that could determine the next challenger to Anderson Silva’s middleweight rein, Nate Marquardt needed just a single right hand to knock out Brazilian jiu jitsu ace Demian Maia.  Marquardt could have landed another blow to the prone Maia, but instead backed off as the stoppage came.

He followed by calling out Silva, who won the first battle between the two via TKO late in round 1 at UFC 73 on July 7, 2007.

The speed of Marquardt’s finish did not outdo that of heavyweight American Top Teamer Todd Duffee, who pummeled Tim Hague in a UFC-record seven seconds on the undercard.  Except that Marquardt earned the knockout of the night bonus and Duffee did not.

Thiago Silva made a statement in the 205-pound division by knocking out Keith Jardine in 85 seconds.  Silva is 14-1, with his only loss to champion Lyoto Machida.

Jake Rosholt handed Portland native Chris Leben a nasty gift, using an arm triangle to put the “Crippler” to sleep in the third round of their middleweight tilt.  White’s gift to Rosholt was the bonus for submission of the night.

At 205 pounds, Brandon Vera took a unanimous decision over Krzysztof Soszynski in the other main-card match.

Joining Duffee’s historic knockout, two other fights from the undercard made the pay-per view.  Ed Herman’s knee-popping defeat to Aaron Simpson in the second round was the most grotesque moment of the evening, while the action was non-stop in Evan Dunham’s split-decision lightweight victory over Marcus Aurelio.

Middleweight Mark Munoz took a split decision against Nick Catone, and the two other matches were at heavyweight.  Gabriel Gonzaga blasted Chris Tuchscherer with a groin shot early on and, after a break, finished him with strikes midway through the first round.  Mike Russow scored a unanimous decision victory over Justin McCully.