Jorge Luis Rivera (born February 28, 1972) is a retired American

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, incorpo ...

who competed in the

Middleweight Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to . Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have be ...

division. Perhaps best known for his 15 fights in the UFC, he was also featured on ''

The Ultimate Fighter 4 ''The Ultimate Fighter 4'' is the fourth season of the mixed martial arts reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''. It premiered on August 17, 2006, immediately after the conclusion of ''UFC Fight Night 6''. The finale was aired on Nove ...

,'' after competing for Cage Warriors and

Cage Rage Cage Rage Championships, also known as Cage Rage, was a United Kingdom-based, mixed martial arts promotion that premiered on 7 September 2002 in London. Cage Rage went into liquidation and is now no longer trading. Cage Rage had been owned and ma ...

in England.

Background

Rivera is from Boston, Massachusetts, then

Milford, Massachusetts Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 30,379 according to the 2020 census. First settled in 1662 and incorporated in 1780, Milford became a booming industrial and quarrying community in the 19th c ...

before finally settling down in Bellingham, Massachusetts. Being one of the ethnic minorities in these towns, the Rivera children often got into street fights. When he was 25 years old, Rivera began training in mixed martial arts.

Military career

19k

Tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful ...

with A/1-70 Armor at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He helped move the unit from Fort Polk to

Fort Hood, Texas Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquart ...

before his enlistment ended in 1992.

Mixed martial arts career

Rivera's first sanctioned fight was in 2001, when he was 29 years old against Branden Lee Hinkle in Chester, West Virginia. Lee Hinkle, who had been fighting professionally for three years, also had the legendary

Mark Coleman Mark Daniel Coleman (born December 20, 1964) is an American retired mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and amateur wrestler. Coleman was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first UFC Heavyweight Champion, and the Pride Fig ...

in his corner. Rivera landed a solid straight right hand early, that knocked out Lee Hinkle's mouthpiece and caused him to stumble, but then responded using his wrestling, picking up and slamming Rivera. Lee Hinkle then proceeded to land many punches that caused referee Din Thomas to stop the fight, making Lee Hinkle the winner by TKO. Rivera's first fight in the UFC was a unanimous decision victory over David Loiseau at ''

UFC 44 ''UFC 44: Undisputed'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 26, 2003, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States, ...

''. He then followed up with back-to-back submission losses to Lee Murray at '' UFC 46'' and Rich Franklin at ''

UFC 50 ''UFC 50: The War of '04'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 22, 2004, at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States, and la ...

'' before rebounding with a unanimous decision win over Dennis Hallman at '' UFC 55''. Rivera was defeated by

Chris Leben Christian Cyrus Leben (born July 21, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist, referee, and bare knuckle boxer. A professional MMA competitor from 2002 until 2013, he most notably competed in the UFC in the Middleweight division, compili ...

by technical knockout before appearing on

The Ultimate Fighter ''The Ultimate Fighter'' is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pilgrim Media Group currently airing on ESPN+. It previously aired for fourteen s ...

4 as a

contestant. Although Rivera was not successful in achieving a slot in the middleweight finals, he appeared on the live card of The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale, defeating

Edwin DeWees Edwin Stanton Dewees (born August 7, 1982 in Florence, South Carolina) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Heavyweight division. A professional competitor from 2000 to 2014, he was featured on ''The Ultimate Fig ...

by technical knockout in the first round. Jorge then was defeated by Terry Martin by KO via an

uppercut The uppercut (formerly known as the undercut; sometimes also referred to as the ''upper'') is a punch used in boxing that travels along a vertical line at the opponent's chin or solar plexus. It is, along with the cross, one of the two main pu ...

at UFC 67, fourteen seconds into round one. Jorge broke his jaw from the knockout punch and did not compete until

UFC 80 ''UFC 80: Rapid Fire'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), that took place on January 19, 2008, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, United Kingdom. Background The main event was originally sch ...

, where he knocked out heavy favorite Kendall Grove in the first round. He went 4–3 after the upset, with wins over Eric Schafer, Nate Quarry, Nissen Osterneck and submission artist

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 ...

, with his only losses since coming from top level opponents Martin Kampmann,

Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English actor, sports analyst, commentator and retired mixed martial artist, who competed in the Middleweight and Light Heavyweight division of the UFC. A professional competitor ...

, and

Costas Philippou Constantinos Philippou ( gr, Κωνσταντίνος Φιλίππου, born November 29, 1979) is a retired Greek- Cypriot mixed martial artist. He formerly fought for the UFC's Middleweight division. Early life Philippou was born in Limassol o ...

. Rivera was scheduled to face

Alessio Sakara Alessio Sakara (born September 2, 1981) is an Italian professional mixed martial artist, former professional boxer and Sanshou kickboxer, currently competing in the Light Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2002, Sakara has a ...

on August 28, 2010 at UFC 118, but was forced off the card with an arm injury and replaced by Gerald Harris. Rivera/Sakara was expected to take place on November 13, 2010 at UFC 122. The fight was scrapped the day of the fight due to a "flu-like" illness from Sakara. On February 27, 2011 at

UFC 127 ''UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday, 27 February 2011 at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. Due to the time zone difference it aired live on Saturday, 26 February in Nort ...

Rivera lost to

by way of TKO at 1:54 in the 2nd round. Weeks before he was set to fight Bisping, Rivera made some videos mocking and insulting Bisping and his family. The bout between Rivera and Sakara had been rescheduled again for 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 ...

. Before Rivera's fight against Sakara, Rivera mentioned that he may retire from the sport after his next fight due to his age. Rivera instead faced

. He lost the fight via split decision. Rivera faced Eric Schafer on January 20, 2012 at UFC on FX 1. After a dominant first round from Schafer due to takedowns and ground control, Rivera turned the fight around in the second round and won by TKO due to punches. Following the fight, Rivera retired from mixed martial arts competition.

Personal life

Rivera has five children, a son and four daughters, Janessa, Elijah, Marianna, Johanna, and Alanna Rivera. On August 5, 2008, his oldest daughter Janessa Marie died unexpectedly from a reaction to prescription medication.Janessa's obituary
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Mixed martial arts record

, - , Win , align=center, 20–9 , Eric Schafer , TKO (punches) , UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:31 ,

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

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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. Since ...

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Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 19–7 , Nate Quarry , TKO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:29 ,

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...

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Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 16–7 , Martin Kampmann , Submission (guillotine choke) , UFC 85 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:44 ,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, England , , - , Win , align=center, 16–6 , Kendall Grove , KO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:20 , Newcastle, England , , - , Loss , align=center, 15–6 , Terry Martin , KO (punches) , UFC 67 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:14 ,

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 Vega ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 15–5 ,

Edwin Dewees Edwin Stanton Dewees (born August 7, 1982 in Florence, South Carolina) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Heavyweight division. A professional competitor from 2000 to 2014, he was featured on ''The Ultimate Fig ...

, TKO (punches) , The Ultimate Fighter: The Comeback Finale , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:37 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 14–5 , Timothy Williams , TKO (punches) , WFL – Real: No Fooling Around , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:50 ,

Revere, Massachusetts Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, located approximately from downtown Boston. Founded as North Chelsea in 1846, it was renamed in 1871 after the American Revolutionary War patriot Paul Revere. In 1914, the Tow ...

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

, TKO (punches) , UFC Fight Night 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:44 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 13–4 , Dennis Hallman , Decision (unanimous) , UFC 55: Fury , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 12–4 , Marcelo Azevedo , Decision (unanimous) , Cage Rage 13 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, England , , - , Win , align=center, 11–4 , Danny Vega , Technical submission (arm-triangle choke) , WFL: Unleashed , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:47 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 10–4 , Anderson Silva , TKO (knees and punches) ,

Cage Rage 11 A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displayin ...

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, England , , - , Win , align=center, 10–3 , Alex Reid , KO (punches) , Cage Rage 10 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:41 ,

, England , , - , Loss , align=center, 9–3 , Rich Franklin , Submission (armbar) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 4:28 ,

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–2 , Mark Weir , TKO (doctor stoppage) , Cage Rage 7 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, England , , - , Win , align=center, 8–2 , James Gabert , TKO (punches) , MMA: Eruption , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 4:10 ,

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 7–2 , Lee Murray , Submission (triangle armbar) , UFC 46 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:45 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–1 , Solomon Hutcherson , KO (punches) , USMMA 3: Ring of Fury , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:01 , Boston, Massachusetts, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–1 , Andy Lagden , Submission (rear naked choke) , CWFC 2 - Fists of Fury , , align=center, 1 , align=center, N/A ,

, England , , - , Win , align=center, 4–1 , Travis Lutter , TKO (punches) , USMMA 2: Ring of Fury , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:46 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , Joe Nye , TKO (punches) , USMMA 1: Ring of Fury , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:52 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–1 , Elias Rivera , TKO (punches) , Mass Destruction 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:50 ,

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, th ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 0–1 , Branden Lee Hinkle , TKO (corner stoppage) , RSF 2: Attack at the Track , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:54 , Chester, West Virginia, United States ,

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Jorge Living people 1972 births American male mixed martial artists Middleweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Mixed martial artists from Massachusetts American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu American people of Puerto Rican descent People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Puerto Rican Army personnel Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters