Michael Earl Russow (born November 9, 1976) is a retired 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 ...

who competed in the

Heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...

division. Having made his professional debut in 1998, Russow has formerly competed for 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 ...

Adrenaline MMA Adrenaline MMA was a mixed martial arts organization that operated primarily in North America. It was formerly part of M-1 Global but became independent in October 2007 with Monte Cox as its head. History Foundation In October 2007, Sibling E ...

PRIDE FC PRIDE Fighting Championships (Pride or Pride FC, founded as KRS-Pride) was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion company. Its inaugural event was held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997. Pride held more than sixty mixed martial arts even ...

, and also participated in the

Yarennoka! ''Yarennoka!'' () was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event that took place on December 31, 2007 at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The event was promoted by the Yarennoka! Executive Committee, composed of former Pride Fighting Championships e ...

event in the

Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It opened preliminarily on May 5, 2000, and then was officially opened on September 1 of the same year. Its maximum spectator capacity is 36,500, making i ...

in Japan. He is perhaps best known for his upset victory over

Todd Duffee Todd or Todds may refer to: Places ;Australia: * Todd River, an ephemeral river ;United States: * Todd Valley, California, also known as Todd, an unincorporated community * Todd, Missouri, a ghost town * Todd, North Carolina, an unincorporated ...

Mixed martial arts career

Background

Russow is from

Kankakee, Illinois Kankakee is a city in and the county seat of Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. As of 2020, the city's population was 24,052. Kankakee is a principal city of the Kankakee-Bourbonnais-Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area. It serves as an ...

and was a state wrestling champion in high school for the Heavyweight division. He also attended college at

Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, Illinois. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a co ...

and earned a degree in sociology. His first fight was in 1998.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Russow signed with the UFC in 2009 and made his debut against

Justin McCully Justin McCully (born February 18, 1976) is a retired American professional mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who most recently competed in the Heavyweight division of the RFA. A professional competitor since 1997, McCully has also f ...

UFC 102 ''UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on August 29, 2009 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. It featured former five-time UFC champion and UFC Hall of Fam ...

. He won via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–26, and 30–27). Russow then defeated

via third round KO at

UFC 114 ''UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 29, 2010 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC Fan Expo took place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Backg ...

. Russow absorbed heavy punishment from Duffee during the course of the fight but hung on late into the third and final round. Russow then connected with a hard straight right hand, taking Duffee and the fans in attendance by surprise. Russow defeated TUF 10 alum and DeathClutch teammate

Jon Madsen Jonathan Michael Madsen (born February 12, 1980) is a retired American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Heavyweight division of Titan FC. A professional competitor since 2008, Madsen has also formerly competed for the UFC ...

on March 26, 2011 at

UFC Fight Night 24 ''UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 24'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 26, 2011 at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington. Background The event did not lead ...

via TKO; with that win he improved his winning streak to ten. Russow was expected to face Dave Herman on October 8, 2011 at

UFC 136 ''UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 8, 2011, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The event coincided with a two-day UFC Fan Expo held at the George R. Brown C ...

. However, the bout was cancelled after Herman failed his preliminary drug test in which he tested positive for

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

. Russow faced

John Olav Einemo John-Olav Einemo (born 10 December 1975) is a Norwegian retired mixed martial artist. He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, with the highlight of his career being the win in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in 200 ...

on January 28, 2012 at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis and won via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, and 30–27). Russow faced

Fabrício Werdum Fabrício Werdum (; born 30 July 1977) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Heavyweight Champion who competes in the Heavyweight division. He is also a 4-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, a two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Wor ...

on June 23, 2012 at

UFC 147 ''UFC 147: Silva vs. Franklin II'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 23, 2012 at Mineirinho Arena in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Background The finals in the featherweight and middlewe ...

. Russow was defeated by Werdum via TKO at 2:28 of round 1. Russow faced

Shawn Jordan Shawn Martin Jordan (born October 24, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist who last competed in the Professional Fighters League's Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2009, Jordan has also formerly competed for ...

on January 26, 2013 at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson. Despite a strong first round, Russow lost to Jordan by TKO in the second round and was subsequently released from the promotion.

World Series of Fighting

On October 6, 2013 it was announced that Russow has signed with

World Series of Fighting The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by Venture capital, venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fight ...

. Since his signing with WSOF, Russow retired from MMA.

Personal life

Russow and his wife have a daughter. Russow is also a police officer in his hometown of Chicago.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

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 ...

** Knockout of the Night (One time) vs.

Amateur wrestling

National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...

NJCAA The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...

All-American (1997) *

Illinois High School Association The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is an association that regulates competition of interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level for the state of Illinois. It is a charter member of the National Fed ...

** IHSA Class AA High School State Championship (1995) ** IHSA Class AA High School State Championship 3rd Place (1993, 1994) ** IHSA Class AA All-State (1993, 1994, 1995)

Mixed martial arts record

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, TKO (punches) , UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:48 ,

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Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte (, ; ) is the List of largest cities in Brazil, sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population around 2.7 million and with a metropolitan area of 6 million people. It is the List of cities in South America, 13th-largest city in ...

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John-Olav Einemo John-Olav Einemo (born 10 December 1975) is a Norwegian retired mixed martial artist. He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, with the highlight of his career being the win in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in 2003 ...

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 14–1 (1) ,

, TKO (doctor stoppage) , UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 13–1 (1) ,

, KO (punch) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 2:33 ,

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 , , - , Win , align=center, 12–1 (1) ,

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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 ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–1 (1) , Braden Bice , Submission (north-south choke) , Adrenaline MMA 2: Miletich vs. Denny , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:13 ,

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in 2020, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline, Illinois, East M ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 10–1 (1) ,

Jason Guida Jason Guida (born August 4, 1977) is a former American professional mixed martial artist who last competed for Bellator. A professional competitor from 2003 until 2014, he also fought for EliteXC, the WEC, KSW, Adrenaline MMA and World Extrem ...

, Submission (guillotine choke) , Adrenaline MMA: Guida vs. Russow , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:13 ,

Hoffman Estates, Illinois Hoffman Estates is a village in Illinois, United States. The village is located primarily in Cook County, with a small section in Kane County. It is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 52,530. The village now serves a ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–1 (1) ,

Roman Zentsov Roman Zentsov (russian: Роман Зенцов, ) (born September 10, 1973 in Bryansk) is a retired Russian heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter who has competed in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, a major MMA organization based in Japan, and ...

, Submission (north-south choke) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:58 ,

Saitama, Saitama is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance. Being in the Greater Tokyo Area and lying 1 ...

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 8–1 (1) , Steve Campbell , Submission (arm-triangle choke) , XFO 21 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:32 ,

Lakemoor, Illinois Lakemoor is a village in Lake County, Illinois, Lake and McHenry County, Illinois, McHenry counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Per the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 6,182. Geography Lakemoor is located at (42.3401 ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–1 (1) , Pat Harmon , KO (punch) , Bourbon Street Brawl 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:10 ,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–1 (1) , Demian Decorah , Submission (kimura) , XFO 18 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:54 ,

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Wisconsin Dells is a city in Wisconsin, straddling four counties: Adams, Columbia, Juneau, and Sauk. A popular Midwestern tourist destination, the city forms an area known as "The Dells" with the nearby village of Lake Delton. The Dells is ho ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–1 (1) , Scott Harper , Submission (americana) , XFO 16 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:32 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 4–1 (1) ,

Sergei Kharitonov Sergei Valerievich Kharitonov (russian: Серге́й Вале́рьевич Харито́нов, Sergéj Valér'jevich Kharitónov, ; born August 18, 1980) is a Russian professional heavyweight mixed martial artist and former kick ...

, Submission (armbar) , Pride 33 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:46 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–0 (1) , Steve Conkel , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Bourbon Street Brawl 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:00 ,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–0 (1) , Chris Harrison , Submission (americana) , XFO 14 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:11 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 (1) , Brandon Quigley , KO (punches) , Combat: Do Fighting Challenge 7 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:18 ,

Cicero, Illinois Cicero (originally known as Hawthorne) is a suburb of Chicago and an Incorporated town#Illinois, incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was ...

, United States , , - , NC , align=center, 1–0 (1) , Ed Meyer , NC , Combat: Do Fighting Challenge 6 , , align=center, N/A , align=center, N/A ,

Mokena, Illinois Mokena is a village in Will County, Illinois, Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,887 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Census Bureau's 2019 estimate found that the population had increased to 20,159. Etym ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Nate Schroeder , Decision (unanimous) , JKD: Challenge 1 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, United States ,

References

External links

*
Official UFC Profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russow, Michael 1976 births Living people American male mixed martial artists Heavyweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling Sportspeople from Chicago Mixed martial artists from Illinois Chicago Police Department officers American male sport wrestlers Sportspeople from Kankakee, Illinois People from Alexandria, Minnesota Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters