Michael Pierce (born September 1, 1980) is a retired American professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed as a

Welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the ...

in the

UFC 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 ...

and also competed in a one-fight stint in the WEC.

Personal life

Pierce is married and has two children; Madison and Michael, & three stepchildren; Anthony, Alex, and Amelia.

Background

Pierce was born and raised in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

, on September 1, 1980. Pierce competed in

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

Sam Barlow High School Sam Barlow High School is a public high school in Gresham, Oregon, United States, in the Gresham-Barlow School District. It was named after the Oregon pioneer Sam Barlow. Teacher Stephen Corkett received the University of Oregon's high school ...

Gresham, Oregon Gresham ( ) is a city located in Multnomah County, Oregon, in the United States of America, immediately east of Portland, Oregon. It is considered a suburb within the Greater Portland Metropolitan area. Though it began as a settlement in the mid- ...

and then continued his career at

Portland State University Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the following two decades ...

where he was a two-time

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

Mixed martial arts career

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Pierce defeated former WEC contender

Brock Larson Brock Orville Larson (born August 23, 1977) is a retired American professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions. A professional competitor from 2002 until 2016, Larson has formerly competed for the U ...

via unanimous decision in his UFC debut at

UFC Fight Night 19 ''UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 19'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on September 16, 2009 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Background A previously announced bou ...

. Pierce was expected to fight

Josh Koscheck Edinboro Fighting Scots Josh D. Koscheck (born November 30, 1977) is an American retired mixed martial artist who fought at Welterweight for the UFC and Bellator MMA. Koscheck made his debut with the UFC on the first season of the realit ...

on January 11, 2010 at

UFC Fight Night 20 ''UFC Fight Night: Maynard vs. Diaz'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 20'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on January 11, 2010 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. Background Nik Lentz wa ...

. However, Koscheck instead fought Anthony Johnson at

UFC 106 ''UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on November 21, 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Background As with UFC 103 and UFC 104, a portion of the preliminary card ai ...

and Pierce went on to face

Jon Fitch Jonathan Parker Fitch (born February 24, 1978) is an American retired mixed martial artist. He has competed in the Welterweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), and most recently for ...

on December 12, 2009 at

UFC 107 ''UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez '' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on December 12, 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee at the FedExForum. Background On October 21, it was announced that a previous matchup betwe ...

. After losing the first two rounds, Pierce dominated the end of the third round, nearly finishing Fitch. He lost to Fitch via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Pierce was scheduled to face

Rob Kimmons Rob Kimmons (born January 30, 1981) is a retired American mixed martial artist who last competed in the Welterweight division. A professional from 2000 until 2013, he competed for the UFC, WEC, and Titan FC. Background Raised in the small tow ...

on March 21, 2010 at UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones, but Kimmons was forced off the card with an injury. Pierce instead faced UFC newcomer Julio Paulino. Pierce won the fight via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Pierce again fought another UFC newcomer in Amilcar Alves on August 28, 2010 at

UFC 118 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 ...

. He won the fight via submission (straight armbar) in the third round. For the third consecutive time Pierce fought a UFC newcomer in

Kenny Robertson Kenneth Duane Robertson (born February 14, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist. A professional mixed martial artist since 2008, he has also competed for the UFC and Bellator. Before MMA In high school he wrestled for Metamora Township H ...

on February 5, 2011 at

UFC 126 ''UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 5, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background Former Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor B ...

. He won the fight via TKO due to punches early into the second round. Pierce faced

Johny Hendricks Johny Harvey Hendricks (born September 12, 1983) is an American former mixed martial artist and collegiate wrestler. He competed in the welterweight and middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is a former UFC Welterwei ...

on August 6, 2011 at

UFC 133 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 ...

. Pierce lost the fight against Hendricks by split decision. At

UFC on Fox 1 ''UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. dos Santos'' (also known as ''UFC on Fox 1'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Background This card marked the ...

, on November 12, 2011, Pierce fought Paul Bradley in a rematch from their time on the regional circuit. He won the fight via split decision. Pierce next faced

on February 4, 2012 at

UFC 143 ''UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit'' was a mixed martial arts event organized by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 4, 2012 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background An episode of UFC Primetime returned to promote the mai ...

. He lost the fight via split decision. Pierce defeated

Carlos Eduardo Rocha Carlos Eduardo Rocha (born July 12, 1984), also known as Carlos Eduardo Rocha, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. Early life Born an orphan in Cabedelo, Brazil he worked as a dish washer, often sleeping outside, on the street, and on beache ...

on June 8, 2012 at

UFC on FX 3 The year 2012 was the 20th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. 2012 started with UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes and ended with UFC 155: dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2 ...

by unanimous decision. After a dominant performance by Pierce, initially 2 judges scored the fight 30-27 for Pierce, while the 3rd judge inexplicably scored it 30-27 for Rocha. However, it was later announced that the judge, Ric Bays, had scored the fight for the wrong corner and he had actually won unanimously. Pierce fought Aaron Simpson on October 5, 2012 at

UFC on FX 5 ''UFC on FX: Browne vs. Bigfoot'' (also known as ''UFC on FX 5'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 5, 2012, at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was the fifth UFC event broadcast l ...

. After a dominant first round put in by Simpson, nearly finishing Pierce on two occasions, Pierce came back, and 29 seconds into the second round, finished Simpson via one punch KO. Pierce faced

Seth Baczynski Seth Baczynski (born October 26, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter currently competing in the Middleweight (MMA), Middleweight division. A professional since 2006, Baczynski has formerly competed for the UFC, and ...

on December 15, 2012 at

UFC on FX 6 ''The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes'' is the second foreign version of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''. Like The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, this version was filmed, in its entir ...

, replacing an injured

Kyle Noke Kyle Noke (born 18 March 1980) is an Australian retired mixed martial artist who competed as a Welterweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2002, Noke has also fought for EliteXC. Background Noke, origina ...

. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Pierce fought David Mitchell on July 6, 2013 at

UFC 162 ''UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman'' was a mixed martial arts event on July 6, 2013, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The main event was a UFC Middleweight Championship bout between long time title holder Anderson Silva a ...

. After a close first round, Pierce won via TKO in the second round after landing a short left hook to the jaw and following up with ground and pound. Pierce next faced

Rousimar Palhares Rousimar Christian Palhares (;, born February 20, 1980) is a Brazilian mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 2006, he has competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC, World Series of Fighting, and ...

on October 9, 2013 at

UFC Fight Night 29 ''UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Shields'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 29'') was a mixed martial arts event held on October 9, 2013, at the Ginásio José Corrêa in Barueri, Brazil. The event was broadcast live on Fox Sports 1. Background The e ...

. He lost the fight via heel hook submission just 31 seconds into the first round. However, Palhares continued cranking the heel hook even after Pierce tapped out and the referee stepped in, leading the UFC to cut ties with Palhares the next day. Pierce suffered a sprained MCL and a torn ankle ligament. Pierce was expected to face

Demian Maia Demian Maia (born 6 November 1977) is a Brazilian professional submission grappler and mixed martial artist. He competed in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Maia is regarded as one ...

on May 31, 2014 at

The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 Finale ''The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3'' is an installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''. It is the sixth series to be produced outside the United States and the third to film ...

. However, Pierce had to pull out of the fight due to a broken hand. After over two years away from the sport, Pierce returned from extended hiatus to face

Ryan LaFlare Ryan LaFlare (born October 1, 1983) is a retired American mixed martial artist who formerly competed in the UFC's Welterweight division. Background LaFlare was born and raised in Lindenhurst, New York, attending Lindenhurst High School where he ...

on December 11, 2015 at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale. He lost the back-and-forth fight by unanimous decision. On January 29, 2016, Pierce was released from the UFC.

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 17–7 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Finale , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 17–6 ,

, Submission (heel hook) , UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Shields , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:31 ,

Barueri Barueri ( or ) is a Brazilian municipality in the State of São Paulo located in the northwestern part of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. The population is 276,982 (2020 est.) in an area of . Its boundaries are Santana de Parnaíba to th ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 17–5 , David Mitchell , TKO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:55 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 16–5 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 15–5 , Aaron Simpson , KO (punch) , UFC on FX: Browne vs. Bigfoot , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:29 ,

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 14–5 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on FX: Johnson vs. McCall , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Sunrise, Florida Sunrise is a city in central-western Broward County, Florida, United States, and is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 97,335. Sunrise was incorporated in 1961 and founded ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 13–5 ,

, Decision (split) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 13–4 , Paul Bradley , Decision (split) , UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 12–4 ,

, Decision (split) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 12–3 ,

, TKO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:29 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–3 , Amilcar Alves , Submission (straight armbar) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:11 , Boston, Massachusetts, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 10–3 , Julio Paulino , Decision (unanimous) , UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Broomfield, Colorado Broomfield is a consolidated city and county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. Broomfield has a consolidated government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The Broomfield populatio ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 9–3 ,

, Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–2 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–2 , Paul Bradley , Decision (unanimous) , RIE 2: Brotherly Love Brawl , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Oaks, Pennsylvania Oaks is an unincorporated community located in Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The community is 18 miles (30 km) northwest of Philadelphia and its boundaries are defined in large part by the village's position at ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–2 , Justin Haskins , TKO (punches) , WEC 39 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:39 ,

Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "'' Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patrici ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–2 , Sean Huffman , TKO (punches) , Carnage at the Creek 4 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:40 ,

Shelton, Washington Shelton is a city in, and the county seat of, Mason County, Washington, United States. Shelton is the westernmost city on Puget Sound. The population was 10,371 at the 2020 census. Shelton has a council–manager form of government and was the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–2 , Mark Miller , TKO (doctor stoppage) , SF 24: Domination , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:38 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–2 , Jake Paul , Decision (unanimous) , EWC: Summer Slaughter , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Salem, Oregon Salem ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County, Oregon, Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 3–2 ,

Nathan Coy Nathan David Coy (born July 24, 1978) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Welterweight division of the UFC. A professional competitor since 2008, he has also competed for Bellator, the MFC, and Strikeforce. ...

, Decision (unanimous) , SF 23: Heated Rivals , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , Ed Nuno , Decision (unanimous) , SF 21: Seasons Beatings , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–1 , Mike Dolce , KO (slam) , SF 20: Homecoming , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:05 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 1–1 ,

Mark Muñoz Oklahoma State Cowboys Mark Kenery Muñoz (born February 9, 1978) is a Filipino-American former professional mixed martial artist who last competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competito ...

, Decision (unanimous) , GC 69: Bad Intentions , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Nick Gilardi , TKO (doctor stoppage) , Elite Warriors Championship , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:54 ,

, United States ,

References

External links

Official UFC Profile
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Mike Living people Sportspeople from Portland, Oregon American atheists American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from Oregon Welterweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling 1980 births Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters American male sport wrestlers

Personal life

Background

Mixed martial arts career

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Mixed martial arts record

See also

References

External links