Frank Mir

Skill Breakdown

Charts are compiled based on results from all fights.

Total Fights:	18
Record:	15-5-0
Summary:	Great submissions, improved striking

Fighter Info

From:	Las Vegas, Nevada USA
Fights Out Of:	Las Vegas, NV USA
Age:	32
Height:	6' 3" ( 190 cm )
Weight:	240 lb ( 109 kg )

Biography

I was born into martial arts.

TRAINING: My training is always centered on improving myself as a fighter; I don't really change too much for different opponents.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I was born into martial arts. My father had his own schools. He was training before I was born. Whenever he went to the studio I was there in a rocker. When I got older, I was the little kid who ran around the school annoying everybody. I didn’t really start training in martial arts until I was about 12 or 13 when I could start to comprehend what was going on.  Before that I was just punching in the air. At about 14 we started full contact sparring. As the son of the owner of the school, you feel a responsibility not to get beat up by everyone even though I was fighting adults most of the time. My father combined a lot of boxing principles with the kenpo. It wasn’t like most commercial schools. There was a lot of concentration on full contact sparring and conditioning. If you made it through a year, you were tough. I still have a crooked jaw from training at that school!

What ranks and titles have you held? Former UFC Heavyweight Champion, former interim UFC Heavyweight Champion, black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Ricardo Pires. Coach on season eight of The Ultimate Fighter.

Do you have any heroes? Bruce Lee.

What is your favorite technique? Submissions.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? I am very goal oriented. I want to be the UFC World Heavyweight champion. To me that title means you are the most complete, most well rounded martial artist in the world.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? No. I concentrated on my martial arts training instead.

What was your job before you started fighting? I worked at the front desk for Station Casinos in Las Vegas.

Brock Lesnar

Skill Breakdown

Charts are compiled based on results from all fights.

Total Fights:	7
Record:	5-2-0
Summary:	Size, wrestling ability, athleticism

Fighter Info

From:	Webster, South Dakota USA
Age:	34
Height:	6' 3" ( 190 cm )
Weight:	265 lb ( 120 kg )
College:	University of Minnesota

Biography

Brock Lesnar made an immediate impact in MMA in his 69 second debut win over Min Soo Kim in 2007, and he has continued to shock the world ever since. A 2000 NCAA Division I National Champion in wrestling, Lesnar made a positive impression in his first two UFC bouts against Frank Mir and Heath Herring, but at UFC 91 in November of 2008, he showed why he is one of the most feared fighters in the sport as he defeated Randy Couture to win the UFC heavyweight championship. When and why did you start training for fighting?  I started training full-time specifically for MMA in 2006.  I trained briefly in MMA during my college days.  I always thought I would enjoy fighting, but, due to NCAA rules, I couldn’t try it while I was in college.  When I finished wrestling in college (in 2001), there just wasn’t enough money or opportunity in fighting and WWE made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. What ranks and titles have you held?  UFC Heavyweight Champion  Do you have any heroes?  None. What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC?  It means I have the chance prove that I can compete with the best fighters in the world.  It’s an honor. Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn?  I went to college, but did not complete my degree.  What was your job before you started fighting?  I grew up on a dairy farm and there was always plenty of work to do.  After finishing my final year of college wrestling, I went right into professional wrestling with WWE.  After WWE, I took a shot at the NFL. Specific accomplishments in amateur competition? As an amateur wrestler, I was a four-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion and NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion.  Specific accomplishments in pro competition?  WWE Champion.

Junior Dos Santos

Skill Breakdown

Charts are compiled based on results from all fights.

Total Fights:	8
Record:	13-1-0
Summary:	Boxing, strength

Fighter Info

Nickname:	Cigano
From:	Santa Catarina Brazil
Fights Out Of:	Salvador, Bahia Brazil
Age:	27
Height:	6' 4" ( 193 cm )
Weight:	238 lb ( 108 kg )

Biography

TRAINING: In the mornings I train boxing and wrestling; in the afternoons I train Jiu Jitsu and strength and conditioning, all with focus on my fight, and alternating days between disciplines.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I started with Jiu-Jitsu in 2005, afterwards I met Dorea, who introduced me to Boxing

What ranks and titles have you held? Bahia State Jiu-Jitsu Champion; Bahia State Submission Champion

Do you have any heroes? Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It's the biggest organization, and it's a dream that quickly became true.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? No

Specific accomplishments in pro competition? TKO at MTL

If any, list ranks in any martial arts styles: Brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu

Favorite grappling technique: On my back

Favorite Striking technique: Clean strikes

 

Heavy Weight Fighters

Shane Carwin

Skill Breakdown

Charts are compiled based on results from all fights.

Total Fights:	6
Record:	12-2-0
Summary:	Heart and Determination

Fighter Info

From:	Greeley, Colorado USA
Fights Out Of:	Denver, Colorado USA
Age:	36
Height:	6' 2" ( 187 cm )
Weight:	265 lb ( 120 kg )

Biography

TRAINING: Training is anything but typical for me. I have so much I am working on as a mixed martial artist that I tend to be training all the time. My days begin with some cardio training, then I work on my stand up with Coach Wittman. From there I have wrestling practice, BJJ and then we do our pro sparring which usually consists of five rounds of hard sparring. We have so many great fighters training with us here at Grudge. We have guys like Brendan Schaub, Eliot Marshall, Nate Marquardt, Todd Duffee and many more talented guys pushing each other. Then we have the coaches that run all of the training. Guys like Coach Leister Bowling, Coach Trevor Wittman, Coach Amal Easton, and Coach Loren Landow. And then I have Forged Fuel cooking for me.

When and why did you start training for fighting? Actually, I was just helping out with the wrestling portion of training about three years ago and became extremely interested in the sport and before I knew it….I was fighting.

What ranks and titles have you held? Interim UFC heavyweight champion, 2x NCAA Div II Wrestling National Runner-up HWT (1996,1997). NCAA II Wrestling National Champion HWT (1999). 2x NCAA II All-American in Football. Ring of Fire HWT Champion.

Do you have any heroes? My mom, she raised three boys on her own and her major goal was to make sure all we all received college degrees.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It’s a real dream come true. The UFC is the NFL of mixed martial arts.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? Colorado School of Mines BS in Mechanical Engineering and Western State College BA in Environmental Technology

What was your job before you started fighting? Currently still an Engineer

Favorite grappling technique: Slam

Favorite Striking technique: Any strike that connects - there is something about that feeling

Cain Velasquez

Skill Breakdown

Charts are compiled based on results from all fights.

Total Fights:	10
Record:	9-0-0
Summary:	Well-rounded

Fighter Info

From:	Yuma, AZ USA
Fights Out Of:	San Jose, California USA
Age:	29
Height:	6' 1" ( 185 cm )
Weight:	240 lb ( 109 kg )
College:	Arizona State University
Degree:	Education

Biography

Training: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are sparring days mixed with cardio practice at night. Tuesdays and Thursdays are more jiu-jitsu and wrestling days mixed with stand up practice at night. Also a lift in the mornings and cardio at nights.

When and why did you start training for fighting?   I began training as an MMA fighter a year and a half ago. MMA fighting is the professional arena for wrestling; the UFC is to wrestlers what the NFL is to football players.

What ranks and titles have you held? Two-time All-American in wrestling for Arizona State, Two-time Pac-10 Champion, junior college national champion for Iowa Central Community College.

Do you have any heroes? My parents

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? The UFC is the "big show". It has the best fighters in the MMA arena.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I graduated from Arizona State with a bachelor’s degree in Education.

What was your job before you started fighting? I worked security for a nightclub.

Favorite grappling technique: takedown

Favorite Striking technique: knees

•    History-Maker: First Mexican-American fighter to win a heavyweight title in boxing or MMA

•    Uplifting an entire people: Dethroning of UFC champ Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 (Oct. 2010) was watched by millions of people in Mexico on Televisa (Spanish cable). Before the bout commenced, and even in its opening moments, many Mexicans and Mexican-Americans had feared for their hero, wondering how he would defeat such a monstrous and intimidating heavyweight who outweighed Velasquez by a good 25 or 30 pounds. Cain’s win set off an explosion of Mexican pride in homes and bars across Mexico and the U.S.

•    Dedicated his title victory to Mexicans and Mexican Americans

•    Has said he hopes to be a role model for future Mexican-Americans, noting that he found few Mexican role models to look up to his youth

•    Father, Efrain, and mother Isabel worked long hours in the hot fields picking lettuce for meager wages to support Cain and his two siblings. Cain credits his parents with instilling in him an extraordinary work ethic

•    Has never lost a single round of any fight

•    Born Salinas, Calif., also raised in Yuma, Ariz.

•    Graduated with degree in Education from Arizona State University

•    Two-time Division I All-American wrestler (5th in 2005, 4th in 2006), Two-time PAC-10 Champ

•    Two-time high school state champ (Arizona)

•    Junior college national champ (2002 at Iowa Central Community College, the same powerhouse program that Jon Jones attended and won a national title)

•    Guerilla jiu-jitsu brown belt under Dave Camarillo

•    Bilingual, speaks Spanish and English

•    Chest tattoo reads “Brown Pride”

•    After winning UFC title, appeared on George Lopez’s late-night talk show “Lopez Tonight”

Jon Jones

Skill Breakdown

Charts are compiled based on results from all fights.

Total Fights:	9
Record:	13-1-0
Summary:	Wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai

Fighter Info

Nickname:	Bones
From:	Rochester, NY USA
Fights Out Of:	Endicott, NY USA
Age:	24
Height:	6' 4" ( 193 cm )
Weight:	205 lb ( 93 kg )
College:	Iowa Central
Degree:	Associates Degree

Biography

TRAINING: Practice with Coach Jackson and / or Winkeljohn, 2-3 times a day... a morning and night session plus one private a day, as well as strength and conditioning every night.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I started training MMA in 2007. I had an unexpected child in college and I needed to make some money.

What ranks and titles have you held? JUCO National Wrestling Champion, USKBA 205lb MMA Champion

Do you have any heroes? Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, Muhammad Ali

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It is a great opportunity for me at such a young age and being new to the sport of MMA.  I am extremely excited to be a part of the UFC.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I attended Iowa Central and earned an associates degree.

Specific accomplishments in amateur competition? JUCO National Wrestling Champion, Greco Roman All-American, NYS Champion

Specific accomplishments in pro competition? USKBA 205lb Champion

Favorite grappling technique: Whatever taps the guy out.

Favorite Striking technique: What ever KO's him.

•    From Rochester, NY  (trains in Albuquerque, NM, with Greg Jackson)

•    UFC light heavyweight champion (youngest UFC champ in history at 23 years, 242 days old when he won the title at UFC 128)

•    Champ moonlights as a crime fighter: Hours before the biggest fight of his life – against then-UFC champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua – Jones journeyed to a New Jersey park to meditate. He and two of his trainers, Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn, heard a woman scream and ran to her head. Against the wishes of his coaches, Jones ran down and double-leg tackled a mugger, then put the thief in a figure-four leg lock until police arrived. Jones even gave the bad guy a little advice: “It’s not right taking other people’s money from them. They work hard for it.”

•    Brother, Arthur, plays defensive line for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL; another brother,  Chandler, is a defensive lineman at Syracuse University in New York (Note: Arthur Jones also played college football at Syracuse)

•    Lists his heroes as: Muhammad Ali, Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko

•    Genesis: Began training MMA in 2007 because “I had an unexpected child and I needed to make some money.”

•    College: Earned associate’s degree from Iowa Central Community College (coincidentally, the same Jr. College that Cain Velasquez attended)

•    Championship wrestling pedigree: Junior College national champ in 2006 (197 pounds), New York State champ in high school

•    6 feet 4 inches tall, with an 84.5-inch reach – longest in UFC history at any weight class

•    Tragedy: Sister passed away from brain cancer at age 18

•    “The Future is Now” – describes how many UFC fans and pundits feel about Jon Jones and his one-in-a-million potential

•    13-1 record; lone loss was via disqualification to Matt Hamill in 2009. Jones dominated the entire fight and punished Hamill and many fans feel that the referee should have perhaps penalized Jones a point for illegal elbows rather than disqualifying him.

Anderson Silva

Skill Breakdown

Charts are compiled based on results from all fights.

Total Fights:	32
Record:	29-4-0
Summary:	Very Well Rounded - Phenomenal Striker

Fighter Info

Nickname:	The Spider
From:	Curitiba Brazil
Fights Out Of:	Curitiba Brazil
Age:	36
Height:	6' 2" ( 187 cm )
Weight:	185 lb ( 84 kg )

Biography

TRAINING: Training twice a day from Monday to Saturday

When and why did you start training for fighting? I started training Tae Kwon Do at the age of 14.

What ranks and titles have you held? UFC Middleweight Champion, MECA Champion, Cage Rage Champion, Victories in Pride, Shooto, and Minotauro Fight, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

Do you have any heroes? Spiderman

What is your favorite technique? I love to stand up and exchange, but I also really enjoy fighting on the ground too.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? My team and I are very excited to fight in the UFC.  I'm training very hard to make my presence known in the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I'm currently working on my Physical Education degree.

What was your job before you started fighting? I was an office clerk, and I worked at McDonald’s.

•    Arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history

•    Undefeated in past 5 and ½ years. Reigning UFC middleweight king has never lost inside of the Octagon (14-0).

•    Longest reigning UFC champ

•    Title defense against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 is regarded by some, including UFC Prez Dana White and Yahoo! Sports’ writer Kevin Iole, as the greatest MMA fight in history. Silva was trailing badly on all judges’ scorecards and sent fans into mass hysteria with a fight-ending triangle choke with only 1 minute 50 seconds left in the five-rounder

•    Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt

•    Native of Curitiba, Brazil – known for producing other stars such as Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Wanderlei Silva

•    Speaks Portuguese and a tad bit of English, but prefers to conduct media interviews through a Portuguese translator

•    Superb and speedy Muay Thai. Devastating and precise kicks, knees, elbows and punches have stopped 17 of his foes

•    Worked at McDonald’s restaurant before fighting career