UFC Fight Night 81
''UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 81'') was a mixed martial arts event held on January 17, 2016, at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Background A UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between defending champion T.J. Dillashaw and former WEC and UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz headlined this event. Beneil Dariush was expected to face Mairbek Taisumov at this event. However, on December 3, Dariush was forced to pull out of the bout due to injury. He was replaced by Chris Wade. In turn, Taisumov was pulled from the fight during the week leading to the event due to alleged visa issues and was replaced by promotional newcomer Mehdi Baghdad. Dennis Bermudez was expected to face Maximo Blanco at this event. However, on December 5, Bermudez pulled out of the bout due to a staph infection in his shin. On January 4, it was announced that he was replaced by promotional newcomer Luke Sanders. Patrick Williams was expected to face Rob Fo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA promotion company in the world as of 2011. It produces events worldwide that showcase 12 weight divisions (eight men's and four women's) and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. , it had held over 600 events. Dana White has been its president since 2001. Under White's stewardship, it has grown into a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise. The UFC was founded by businessman Art Davie and Brazilian martial artist Rorion Gracie, and the first event was held in 1993 at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado. The purpose of the early Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions was to identify the most effective martial art in a contest with minimal rules and no weight classes between competitors of different fighting d ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Maximo Blanco
Maximo Blanco (born October 16, 1983) is a Venezuelan professional mixed martial artist who last competed in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2008, Blanco is the former Lightweight King of Pancrase and has also competed in Strikeforce and World Victory Road. Background Blanco, originally from Venezuela, trained in Tae Kwon Do for three years, reaching the rank of green belt, before being introduced to wrestling at the age of 14 by his cousin. Blanco competed in the sport for a year at German Villalobos High School, before being recruited to compete for the inaugural team at Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School in Japan along with three other Venezuelans. Blanco faced problems with bullying and fitting into a new society, but continued to excel at wrestling, winning All-Japan honors before being recruited again to compete at Nihon University. Upon graduating, Blanco continued competing and won International Championships ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Travis Browne
Travis Kuualiialoha Browne (born July 17, 1982) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who last competed as a heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Background Browne was born in Hawaii to a father with Hawaiian Native Hawaiian ancestry and a European Americans, European American mother. He played basketball and won the 2000 Coastal North League Player of the Year while attending high school in San Diego and then continued his career at Palomar College. Browne had no martial arts experience before being introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of 26. Browne also began training in boxing and had his first professional fight less than a year later. Mixed martial arts career Browne began his professional MMA career in 2009, fighting in smaller organizations such as Bellator Fighting Championships, Gladiator Challenge, and King of the Cage. He quickly amassed an undefeated winning streak of 9–0. Ultimate Fighting ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Anthony Pettis
Anthony Paul Pettis (born January 27, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League. Pettis formerly fought in the Welterweight, Lightweight, and Featherweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former UFC Lightweight Champion. Pettis was also the final WEC Lightweight Champion prior to the promotion being merged into the UFC. Early life Pettis was born on January 27, 1987, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Annette (''née'' Garcia) and Eugene Pettis Jr. He grew up in the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, along with his older brother, Reynaldo Pettis and younger brother, Sergio Pettis, who fights in the flyweight division. Pettis is of Mexican ancestry. His grandfather, Eugenio Pérez, anglicized the family name from Pérez to Pettis to avoid discrimination. Pettis attended Dominican High School. He started training in taekwondo and boxing at the age of 5. In college he also started wr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Eddie Alvarez
Edward "Eddie" Alvarez (born January 11, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Lightweight (170 lb) division of ONE Championship. He also formerly competed in the UFC and Bellator MMA, winning world titles in each: the UFC Lightweight Championship once and the Bellator Lightweight World Championship twice. Alvarez was the first Lightweight champion in Bellator MMA. He has also competed for the Japanese DREAM promotion, where he fought in their inaugural Lightweight Grand Prix. Alvarez also fought once for ProElite's EliteXC. Alvarez is the first fighter to have won championships in both Bellator MMA and the UFC. He holds notable wins over former world champions Pat Curran, Michael Chandler, Shinya Aoki, Gilbert Melendez, Justin Gaethje, Anthony Pettis, Eduard Folayang and Rafael dos Anjos. Fight Matrix ranks him #3 ''All-Time Lightweight'' in the world (behind Khabib Nurmagomedov and B.J. Penn). Background Edward, the son of Louis and Lil ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Elvis Mutapčić
Elvis Mutapčić (born July 19, 1986) is a Bosnian-American former mixed martial artist who competed in the Middleweight and the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Mixed martial arts career Early career Mutapčić compiled a professional mixed martial arts record of 13-2 winning various regional titles before signing for World Series of Fighting in April 2013. World Series of Fighting In April 2013, Mutapčić signed a multi-fight deal with World Series of Fighting. Mutapčić was expected to make his WSOF debut against Jesse Taylor at WSOF 5. The New Jersey Athletic Commission cancelled the fight after seeing Mutapcic take an unknown and unapproved medication backstage before the fight. The fight was rescheduled for WSOF 7. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Mutapčić then faced Kelvin Tiller on August 9, 2014 at WSOF 12. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Ultimate Fighting Championship Mutapčić made his UFC debut at ligh ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Francimar Barroso
Francimar Barroso (born 29 February 1980) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2004, he has also competed for the UFC, Shooto, and Professional Fighters League. Mixed martial arts career Brazilian circuit On 12 April 2013, he faced Brazilian prospect Simao Melo da Silva for the WOCS Light Heavyweight Championship. Barroso won the fight via rear-naked choke. He vacated the title shortly after the fight, after getting called from the UFC to be a late-fight replacement. Shooto Brazil Towards the beginning of his career, Barroso competed at Shooto Brazil 11 on 28 March 2009, against Roque Oliver. He won by submission (rear-naked choke). Shortly after the fight he was signed to a four-fight contract. He fought at the next event as well, fighting Levi da Costa on 30 May 2009. He won the fight by doctor stoppage. After a long hiatus, Barroso returned on 10 March 2012, when he faced Falco Neto Lopes at Shoot ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Kyle Bochniak
Kyle Bochniak (born February 5, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Featherweight division. A professional competitor since 2014, he has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Professional Fighters League (PFL), and CES MMA. Background Bochniak associated with the wrong crowd when he was growing up where he was drinking excessively and engaging in substance abuse activities. His unhealthy habits led him to drop out of school, and he was in a coma for a week due to overdosing on prescription pills. Bochniak eventually ended up in jail where he found out his father, who left his mother when Bochniak was two, was in the next cell from his. Bochniak realized he did not want to end up like his father, so he made a pledge with the judge with a heartfelt arraignment speech. The judge granted Bochniak five year probation of his offense where he was transferred to Hartford, Connecticut. In Hartford, Bochniak started learning welding and eventu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Augusto Mendes
Augusto Mendes (born March 3, 1983) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner. He is currently signed to the Absolute Championship Berkut. He was the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Black Belt World ( IBJJF World) 70 kg champion (2013), International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation World Nogi ( IBJJF World No-Gi) 73.5 kg champion in 2012 and 2015 and UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion in 2011 and 2013. Background Mendes was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started training Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) in 1997 in Kioto gym in Tijuca when he was introduced by his brother, Bruno Tank who was a BJJ protectionist. He trained under Alvaro and Krauss Monsor who was the student of 9th degree black belt master Francisco Mansor. At fourteen, training three times a day, he competed four months later, winning a bronze medal in the Rio State Championships and in the same year he took home the silver medal in the Brazilian Cham ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Charles Rosa
Charles Rosa (born August 24, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Charles is of Italian descent and, the son of Chucky and Mary Rosa was born and raised in Peabody, Massachusetts. Rosa's father, grandfather, and uncle were all professional boxers. Rosa had two older brothers, Domenic and Vincent, who both died from accidental drug overdoses. He also has a sister, Teresa, and two younger brothers, Lucas and Francis. Growing up, Rosa played football, hockey, lacrosse, and also trained in karate. Rosa continued playing lacrosse at Johnson & Wales University, where he also earned a degree in the culinary arts. After graduating from the college, Rosa later relocated to Florida to find a fresh start. Looking for a boxing gym, Rosa stumbled upon American Top Team gym, where he began to train in mixed martial arts. Mixed martial arts career Early career Rosa compiled a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jimy Hettes
James Michael Hettes (born June 9, 1987) is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Hettes is a 2-time Keystone State Games Judo Gold Medalist and earned the nickname "Judo Jim" at Greg Jackson's Camp in Albuquerque, NM. Hettes started boxing at age 14 and started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 16 and is currently the head instructor at Northeastern Ju-Jitsu in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania. Hettes attended Luzerne County Community College for Criminal Justice. Ultimate Fighting Championship Hettes was originally expected to make his UFC debut in December 2010 as part of The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale card; Hettes turned the offer down due to prior engagements with another promotion. On July 16, 2011, Hettes officially signed with the UFC after winning the MMA Melee - MASS Featherweight Championship Belt. As a late replacement to an injured Leonard Garcia. Hett ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rob Font
Rob Font (born June 25, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2011, Font formerly competed for CES MMA, where he was the Featherweight Champion. As of December 6, 2022, he is #6 in the UFC bantamweight rankings. Mixed martial arts career Early career A native of Central Massachusetts, Font began training as an amateur in 2009 and compiled a record of 3-1 before making his professional debut in December 2011. Font compiled a record of 10-1 as a professional, competing for several regional promotions across his native New England before signing with the UFC in the spring of 2014. Ultimate Fighting Championship Font made his promotional debut against George Roop on July 5, 2014 at UFC 175. He won the fight via knockout in the first round. He also earned a ''Performance of the Night'' bonus. For his next bout, Font was expected to face ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |