Johnny Eblen (born December 13, 1991) is an American professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorp ...

currently signed to

Bellator MMA Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) is an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 and based in Santa Monica, California, owned and operated as a subsidiary of television and media cong ...

, where he is the current

Bellator Middleweight Champion Bellator MMA (formerly known as "Bellator Fighting Championships") is an American mixed martial arts promotion, and the following is a history of its champions in each weight class. At the time of its inception in 2008, CEO Bjorn Rebney founded B ...

. As of December 13, 2022, he is #5 in the Bellator men's pound-for-pound rankings.

Background

Eblen, born to a Korean mother and American father, was a state wrestling champion while at

Park Hill High School Park Hill High School is one of two high schools in the Park Hill School District, in Kansas City. The school is located in northern Kansas City, in Platte County. Park Hill's teams are called the Trojans, and its colours are red and white. Park ...

in Kansas City. He has an older brother, Tommy, who is also a mixed martial artist. Eblen wrestled collegiately at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

, where he became a NCAA qualifier in 2015 and a two-time Academic All-MAC Team member, posting three 20-win campaigns and compiled an 87-24 career record. His time in college was also marked with injuries, as in the summer prior to college, Eblen suffered a fractured fibula and also tore several ligaments in his ankle, forcing him to redshirt his freshman season. In his sophomore season, Eblen suffered extreme dehydration during a 7-mile run ended up in the ICU for three days, before less than a month after he tore his meniscus in his left knee, requiring another surgery. Before his junior year, he suffered a dislocated right shoulder which would eventually lead him his season ending before the start of the MAC Tournament after reinjuring it. In his senior season, he cut down to 174, and was a starter on No.1 ranked Tigers, becoming a NCAA qualifier. After graduation from Missouri in 2015, Eblen relocated to Florida to take a non-MMA related job, working full time at a paving company and coaching wrestling on the side. When he met

Steve Mocco Iowa Hawkeyes Oklahoma State Cowboys Steve Mocco (born December 28, 1981) is an American former amateur wrestler, judoka and mixed martial artist. As a collegiate wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA national ...

, a former Olympic wrestler and

American Top Team American Top Team (ATT) is one of the primary teams in mixed martial arts. The gym was founded by Dan Lambert, who brought in former members of Brazilian Top Team Marcus "Conan" Silveira, Marcelo Silveira and Ricardo Liborio, but there is no for ...

coach, at a wrestling practice, he was invited to visit ATT to check it out.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Eblen started his professional MMA career under the banner of Shamrock FC, making his debut at Shamrock FC 291, winning the bout against Wayne Collier via TKO in the first round. Eblen would defeated his next two opponents, Raymond Gray and Wayman Carter, via first round stoppages at Shamrock FC 298 and Shamrock FC 308 respectively, before winning what would be his last bout for the promotion at Shamrock FC 310, via unanimous decision against Tyler Lee .

Bellator MMA

Eblen made his promotional debut against Chauncey Foxworth on March 22, 2019 at Bellator 218. He won the bout via unanimous decision. In his sophomore performance against Mauricio Alonso on October 4, 2019 at Bellator 229, he won the bout via unanimous decision. Eblen faced Taylor Johnson on October 29, 2020 at Bellator 250, winning the bout via unanimous decision. Picking up his first stoppage victory with the promotion, Eblen knocked out Daniel Madrid in the first round on May 7, 2021 at

Bellator 258 Bellator 258: Archuleta vs. Pettis was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on May 7, 2021 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. This fight card is notable for being Anthony Johnson's final fight before ...

. As the first bout of his new four-fight contract, Eblen faced Travis Davis on July 16, 2021 at

Bellator 262 Bellator 262: Velasquez vs. Kielholtz was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on July 16, 2021 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Background Undefeated Juliana Velasquez made her first title defen ...

. He won the bout via unanimous decision. In his 6th bout with the promotion, Eblen defeated Collin Huckbody on December 3, 2021 at

Bellator 272 Bellator 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on December 3, 2021 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Background Sergio Pettis made his first defence of the Bell ...

via first round TKO stoppage. As the first bout his new six-fight contract, Eblen faced

John Salter John Salter (born March 21, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Middleweight division of Bellator. A professional competitor since 2007, he has also competed for the UFC and Strikeforce, King of the Cage, and the ...

on March 12, 2022 at Bellator 276. He won the bout via unanimous decision.

Bellator Middleweight champion

Eblen faced

Gegard Mousasi Gegard Mousasi (born 1 August 1985), is a Dutch mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, currently competing in Bellator MMA, where he is the former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion. As of December 13, 2022, he is #10 in the Bellator MMA ...

for the

Bellator Middleweight Championship Bellator MMA (formerly known as "Bellator Fighting Championships") is an American mixed martial arts promotion, and the following is a history of its champions in each weight class. At the time of its inception in 2008, CEO Bjorn Rebney founded ...

Bellator 282 ''Bellator 282: Mousasi vs. Eblen'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on June 24, 2022 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, United States. Background Gegard Mousasi defended his Middleweight t ...

on June 24, 2022. He won the bout and the title via a 50-45 unanimous decision on all judges' scorecards. Following this victory, Eblen was ranked as the fourth best middleweight by

Fight Matrix Fight Matrix , MMA Rankings, Records, Statistics is an independent, comprehensive, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter ranking system portal. It is one of the sport's most recognized ranking websites. According to FightMatrix: "The rankings on thi ...

and eight by

Sherdog Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). It also has many forums and discussion pages on the many topics of MMA like records, promotions, etc. The site is a member of the CraveOnline network and provides MM ...

. Eblen is scheduled to first title defend against

Anatoly Tokov Anatoly Aleksandrovich Tokov (russian: Анатолий Александрович Токов ; born 17 February 1990) is a Russian mixed martial artist currently fighting in the middleweight division of Bellator MMA. Tokov has previously fou ...

on February 4, 2023, at

Bellator 290 ''Bellator 290: Bader vs. Fedor 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on February 4, 2023, at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, United States. The card aired live on CBS and Paramount Plus, the firs ...

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

** Bellator Middleweight World Championship (One time; current)

Mixed martial arts record

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Amateur mixed martial arts record

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References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Eblen, Johnny 1991 births Living people American male mixed martial artists Middleweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling American male sport wrestlers Amateur wrestlers People from Des Moines, Iowa Bellator male fighters