Wikimedia Commons has media related to: 161

Year 161 (CLXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Aurelius (or, less frequently, year 914 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 161 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events[link]

By place[link]

Roman Empire[link]

• March 7 – Emperor Antoninus Pius dies and is succeeded by Marcus Aurelius who shares imperial power with Lucius Verus, although Marcus retains the title Pontifex Maximus.
  • Marcus Aurelius, a Spaniard like Trajan and Hadrian, is a stoical, disciple of Epictetus, and an energetic man of action. He pursues the policy of his predecessor and maintains good relations with the Senate. As a legislator, he endeavours to create new principles of morality and humanity, particularly favouring women and slaves.
• The weight of a goldpiece, the aureus, is reduced from 7.81 grams under Aurelius to 7.12 grams.

By topic[link]

Arts and sciences[link]

• Gaius' Institutiones are published.

Commerce[link]

• The silver content of the Roman denarius falls to 68 percent under emperor Marcus Aurelius, down from 75 percent under Antoninus Pius.

Births[link]

• August 31 – Commodus, future Roman emperor (d. 192)
• Liu Bei, founder of the Shu Kingdom of China (d. 223)
• Lu Dai, general of Wu (d. 256)

Deaths[link]

• March 7 – Antoninus Pius, Roman Emperor (b. 86)

References[link]

Timothy Jerome Grant (born February 26, 1984) is a Canadian mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Grant holds the rank of brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.^[1]

Mixed martial arts career[link]

Ultimate Fighting Championship[link]

Grant debuted at UFC 97 with an upset victory over Ryo Chonan by split decision.

Grant then lost to Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 100 by unanimous decision.

Grant then defeated Kevin Burns on December 12, 2009 at UFC 107 by first round TKO to hand Burns his 3rd straight UFC loss, which then resulted in Burns being released from his UFC contract.^[2]

Grant lost to Johny Hendricks at UFC 113 by majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28) after having a point deducted due to groin strikes.

Grant defeated Julio Paulino on September 25, 2010 at UFC 119 via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), keeping Paulino from earning his first victory in the UFC.^[3]

Grant next faced Ricardo Almeida on December 11, 2010 at UFC 124.^[4] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Grant was expected to face Matt Riddle on June 26, 2011 at UFC on Versus 4.^[5] However, Riddle was forced from the bout with an injury and replaced by Charlie Brenneman.^[6] Then, just days before the event, Grant was forced out the Brenneman bout with an illness. Since there was not enough time to find a suitable replacement, the bout was scrapped.^[7]

Grant faced Shane Roller on October 1, 2011 at UFC on Versus 6.^[8] After controlling the fight on the ground for the first two rounds, Grant attempted an armbar in the middle of the third round. Although the submission looked tight, referee Fernando Yamasaki stopped the bout due to Roller's audible pain, although Roller did not appear to have tapped out.

Grant was expected to face Jacob Volkmann on December 30, 2011 at UFC 141.^[9] However, Grant was forced from the bout with an injury and replaced by Efrain Escudero.^[10]

Grant faced Carlo Prater on May 15, 2012 at UFC on Fuel TV: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier.^[11][12] Grant defeated Prater via unanimous decision.

Championships and accomplishments[link]

[edit] Mixed martial arts

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Knockout of the Night Honors (One time)

Mixed martial arts record[link]

References[link]

• TJ Grant's Sherdog Profile, Credit to Sherdog
• TJ Grant's signing with UFC announced, Credits to Sherdog/Andy Cotterill

External links[link]

• Professional MMA record for TJ Grant from Sherdog
• Official UFC Profile

Dan Henderson
Born	Daniel Jeffery Henderson (1970-08-24) August 24, 1970 (age 41) Downey, California, U.S.
Other names	Hendo,[1] Dangerous Dan,[2] Hollywood Henderson
Nationality	American
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[3]
Weight	203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb)
Division	Heavyweight Light Heavyweight Middleweight
Reach	71 in (180 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Fighting out of	Temecula, California
Team	Team Quest (1999 - present) RAW (1997 - 1999)
Wrestling	Olympian Greco-Roman Wrestling NCAA Division I Wrestling
Years active	1997 – present (MMA)
Mixed martial arts record
Total	37
Wins	29
By knockout	13
By submission	2
By decision	14
Losses	8
By submission	3
By decision	5
University	Cal State Fullerton Arizona State University
Spouse	Alison
Children	3
Notable school(s)	Victor Valley High School
Website	http://www.danhenderson.com/
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: September 21, 2011 (2011-09-21)

Medal record
Competitor for  United States
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Pan American Championships
Silver	1994 Mexico City	-82 kg
Bronze	1998 Winnipeg	-85 kg
Gold	2000 Cali	-85 kg
World Cup
Silver	1994 Kecskemet	-82 kg
Silver	1996 Colorado Springs	-82 kg
Pan American Games
Bronze	1995 Mar del Plata	-82 kg

Daniel Jeffery Henderson, (born August 24, 1970) is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight 183 lb (83 kg; 13.1 st) and Middleweight 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) champion of Pride Fighting Championships. He was the only mixed martial artist to concurrently hold two titles in two different weight classes in a major MMA promotion. Henderson is also the UFC 17 Middleweight Tournament Winner, the 1997 Brazil Open Lightweight Tournament Champion, the RINGS King of Kings 1999 Tournament Winner, and the 2005 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Champion.

Henderson also owns the Clinch Gear MMA apparel brand. As of May 2012, Henderson is ranked the #2 light heavyweight by Sherdog.^[4]

Background[link]

Dan Henderson was born in Downey, California and grew up in Apple Valley, California.^[5] He attended Victor Valley High School^[6] in Victorville, California, and earned medals at the California State Wrestling Championships in 1987 and 1988. He was a member of the 1987 Victor Valley High School wrestling team state champions. Henderson went on to wrestle at both Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State University, participating in the 1993 NCAA championships.^[7] He represented the United States in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling.^[8]

Mixed martial arts career[link]

He began training in mixed martial arts in 1997, when he joined the Real American Wrestling team (RAW).^[9] Henderson holds notable wins over Carlos Newton, Gilbert Yvel, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Renato Sobral (x2), Renzo Gracie, Murilo Rua, Murilo Bustamante, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin, Michael Bisping, Rafael Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko and Maurício Rua.

Early career and Ultimate Fighting Championship[link]

In his first year of MMA competition, Henderson won the Brazil Open, a four-man heavyweight tournament. Just one year later, he won the UFC 17 tournament, defeating Allan Goes and Carlos Newton. In his next MMA fights, Henderson competed in an open-weight tournament, facing heavyweights for the first time in his professional career. The tournament consisted of notable competitors such as Renzo Gracie, Jeremy Horn, Valentijn Overeem, Alistair Overeem and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Maurice Smith. Henderson defeated five opponents over the course of two events to claim the 1999 RINGS King of Kings title. He won two fights on October 28, 1999 in Tokyo, Japan, to qualify for the finals, and then beat Gilbert Yvel, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and Renato Sobral on the evening of February 26, 2000, to win the tournament.

PRIDE Fighting Championships[link]

This section requires expansion.

Henderson later began competing in Pride Fighting Championships, fighting primarily in the middleweight (205 lb) division. In Pride, Henderson competed against many of the sport's elite fighters, including Wanderlei Silva, Renzo Gracie, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Ricardo Arona, Murilo Rua, Murilo Bustamante, Yuki Kondo, Ryo Chonan and Akihiro Gono.

When Pride began its Bushido brand, Henderson won their first welterweight 183 lb (83 kg; 13.1 st) tournament, defeating Ryo Chonan and Akihiro Gono by knockout, and then defeating Bustamante by split decision in the finals to capture the welterweight title. At Pride Bushido 10, Henderson defeated Kazuo Misaki by unanimous decision after hurting him with strikes on numerous occasions. Henderson later entered the second Pride Welterweight Grand Prix, losing by decision in a rematch with Misaki.

Henderson's final Pride bout was a rematch with Wanderlei Silva at Pride 33 in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 24, 2007, where he scored a knockout victory to become Middleweight Champion, while still holding his Welterweight title. Henderson became the first fighter to simultaneously hold titles in two different weight classes in a major MMA organization.

UFC return[link]

On September 8, 2007, Henderson returned to the UFC to face light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 75 in London, England. In a closely contested fight that saw Henderson impose his will early, Jackson controlled the later rounds and won a five-round unanimous decision to retain his title and gain the Pride middleweight title.

On November 17, 2007, it was announced during the post fight at UFC 78 that Henderson would fight UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva to unify the Pride welterweight (183 lb) and UFC middleweight (185 lb) championships. UFC 82 took place on March 1, 2008 and was held at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Despite winning the first round, Henderson lost via submission at 4:52 of the second round by rear naked choke.

Henderson bounced back from his inauspicious start in the UFC with a victory over highly-touted Brazilian jiu jitsu ace Rousimar Palhares at UFC 88, winning by unanimous decision. It was his first win in the UFC in over ten years. After the bout, Henderson laughed and said, "Hopefully I don't have to wait that long before I get my next win."

Henderson returned to the light heavyweight division to face former UFC Middleweight champion Rich Franklin on January 17, 2009, at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland. Henderson won the fight via a split decision following an eye-poke in the third round that many, including Franklin himself, thought was intentional. He was subsequently selected to lead Team U.S. on season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, with Michael Bisping coaching the opposing Team UK.

[edit] Coaching The Ultimate Fighter and aftermath

The reality TV show, which spawned a feud between the two coaches that continued until their fight, aired on Spike TV and premiered on April 1, 2009, with the live finale on June 20, 2009 in Las Vegas. Dan received a high-end Land Rover for being coach on the show, along with Bisping.

On July 11, 2009 at UFC 100 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Henderson and Bisping settled their differences with their fists, culminating with Henderson becoming the first man to knock Bisping out, doing so in the second round with a right hook to the jaw as Bisping was circling to Henderson's right. This win put Henderson back into contention for a title shot at the UFC Middleweight Champion. The knockout punch also won Henderson a $100,000 bonus for "Knockout of the Night", and is considered one of the greatest knockouts in the history of the sport.

Controversy arose from the fight due to Henderson immediately following up his knockout punch with a flying forearm-drop to the prone Bisping's head shortly before referee Mario Yamasaki ended the fight at 3:20.^[10] Immediately after the fight, Henderson addressed the issue of the final blow to the knocked-out Bisping, saying "Normally I'm not that way in fights. I know if the guy's out, I tend to stop. I knew I hit him out and I think that one was just to shut him up a little bit."^[11]

After UFC president Dana White said Henderson had made those comments in jest, Henderson clarified stating, "When you're in the heat of the moment, the ref hadn't stopped me yet, who knows what's going to happen, if he's going to recover. I really only hit him twice, once on my feet, once on the ground. I didn't keep going. I didn't go after him after the ref tried to stop me, it was nothing like that. It was a reaction of mine to keep going until I was stopped—and you know, it did feel good though."^[12]

Strikeforce[link]

Dan Henderson signed a four-fight, 16-month deal with Strikeforce on December 5, 2009, after his contract expired with the UFC. Henderson made his Strikeforce debut on April 17, 2010 at Strikeforce on CBS against Jake Shields.^[13] He was also eyed for a light heavyweight match against Gegard Mousasi,^[14] and expressed interest in eventually fighting Fedor Emelianenko at some point during his contract.^[15] Henderson lost his Strikeforce debut to Jake Shields. Despite hurting Shields and knocking him down in the 1st round, Henderson went on to lose by unanimous decision. The majority of the last rounds were spent on the ground where Shields controlled the fight via grappling. (49–46, 49–45, 48–45).

Henderson faced Renato Sobral on December 4, 2010 at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu.^[16] Henderson won the fight via KO at 1:53 of the first round.

Henderson defeated Rafael Cavalcante via third round TKO for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship at Strikeforce 32. After two rounds in which all three judges had the score tied 19-19, Henderson dropped Cavalcante with his famed right hand in the third. Cavalcante went down face-first and was knocked out before referee Dan Miragliotta called the fight off at the 0:50 mark.

Henderson fought Fedor Emelianenko on July 30, 2011 at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson.^[17][18] Many had speculated that Henderson would meet Fedor at a catch weight, but Strikeforce later confirmed the fight as a heavyweight bout. Henderson said, “Its tough for me to gain weight. I did weightlifting and plenty of eating; I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do. I’m not going to feel outmatched or small in there.”^[19] He had to step on the scales weighing at least 206 pounds in order to qualify for the heavyweight division, and weighed in at 207. Fedor weighed in a bit below his normal weight, with the scale reading 223 pounds.^[20] Henderson defeated Emelianenko via TKO (punches) at 4:12 of the 1st round. It was also noted that this was the last fight under Henderson's current Strikeforce contract. Henderson expressed that he would like to re-sign in order to defend his Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship.

Third UFC Run[link]

Shortly after the UFC 133 pre-fight press conference, Dana White commented on the potential to bring Henderson back to the UFC for a third go-around. “We’ll see what happens,” White said on Thursday in Philadelphia. “‘Hendo and I have had some history in dealing. We’ll see if we can figure something out and get him back in the UFC.”^[21] Later Henderson commented, “I think the biggest fight they could promote is probably a title unification with whoever is the champ in the UFC.”^[22]

Henderson faced Mauricio Rua on November 19, 2011 at UFC 139 for his third run in the UFC.^[23] He won the bout via unanimous decision. The back and forth action earned both fighters Fight of the Night honors, and was described by many as one of the greatest fights in UFC history.^[24][25]

UFC President Dana White announced during the post-fight press conference of UFC 145 that Henderson would be the next opponent for Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.^[26]

The bout with Jones is expected to take place on September 1, 2012 at UFC 151.^[27]

Personal life[link]

Dan Henderson is part Welsh, Scottish, French and Native American.^[28] He grew up on a ranch in Apple Valley, California. He started wrestling at a young age and started being noticed as a relentless competitor. When he entered high school he placed on the wrestling team with his brother Tom at Victor Valley High, which was coached by Sam Gollmyer and assisted by their father Bill Henderson and Joe Barrios.^{[citation needed]} Henderson has been prescribed testosterone replacement therapy after being diagnosed with low testosterone levels in 2007.^[29]

Henderson was coached by Bob Anderson, of the California Jets (now a defunct organization). He placed second at the California State Wrestling Championship in 1987 and Victor Valley won the team title. In 1988, he placed fifth in the state finals and several months later won national crowns in both freestyle and Greco Roman at the Junior Nationals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.^{[citation needed]}

He has three children with his wife Alison.^[30][31] He now lives in Temecula, California^[32] and is currently associated with Team Quest. He is currently training fighters such as newcomer Albert Mercado, Krzysztof Soszynski, Phil Davis, Dave Kohn, Tyron Woodley, Jake Morris, and Justin Nelson. Henderson has also made guest appearances on television shows such as The King of Queens,^[33] The Best Damn Sports Show Period, Inside MMA and Rome is Burning.

According to the March 2007 Confederated Umatilla Journal: "Henderson's grandmother, Alice (Bergevin) LeJune, is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes and owns land on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. From all accounts, Henderson is 1/16 Walla Walla Native American." In the interview Henderson commented: "Now I know I'm Walla Walla. It's refreshing to find some of those things out. I look Indian and I knew I had some, but I didn't know what tribe or exactly how much. It will be good to be able to tell my kids about their heritage."^[34]

Clinch Gear[link]

Henderson owns the Clinch Gear MMA apparel brand,^[35] which he acquired in January 2007 after wearing Clinch Gear shorts in many of his fights in the preceding two years. He has grown the product line to include 11 colors of performance board shorts in two styles, including the Primo Hendo signature model.^[36]

Team Quest[link]

Dan Henderson is an owner of Team Quest Fitness Gym located in Murrieta, California.

As of February 28, 2011, Henderson is in litigation over the Team Quest trademark with former teammate Matt Lindland.^[37]

Championships and awards[link]

Mixed martial arts[link]

• Strikeforce
  • Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • Oldest combatant to win a Strikeforce championship (40 years, 194 days)

• PRIDE Fighting Championships
  • PRIDE World Middleweight Championship (One time; Last)
  • PRIDE World Welterweight Championship (One time; First; Last)
  • 2005 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Champion
  • First combatant to win PRIDE championships in multiple weight classes
  • First combatant to simultaneously hold multiple PRIDE championships
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC 17 Middleweight Tournament Winner
  • Fight of the Night (Two times)
  • Knockout of the Night (One time)
  • 2011 Fight of the Year vs. Maurício Rua on November 19 [1]

• Fighting Network RINGS
  • RINGS King of Kings 1999 Tournament Winner

• Brazil Open Fight
  • Brazil Open 1997 Lightweight Tournament Winner

• World MMA Awards
  • 2009 Knockout of the Year vs. Michael Bisping on July 11

• ESPN
  • 2011 Fight of the Year vs. Maurício Rua on November 19
  • 2011 Round of the Year vs. Maurício Rua on November 19; Round 1

• Inside MMA
  • 2011 Fight of the Year Bazzie Award vs. Maurício Rua on November 19

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • 2011 Fight of the Year vs. Maurício Rua on November 19

• MMAFighting
  • 2011 Fight of the Year vs. Maurício Rua on November 19

• Yahoo! Sports
  • 2011 Fight of the Year vs. Maurício Rua on November 19

• MiddleEasy
  • 2011 Frate Trane of the Year

• Inside Fights
  • 2009 Knockout of the Year vs. Michael Bisping on July 11^[38]

• FIGHT! Magazine
  • 2009 Knockout of the Year vs. Michael Bisping on July 11^[39]

• Bleacher Report
  • 2009 Knockout of the Year vs. Michael Bisping on July 11

• Black Belt Magazine
  • 2007 MMA Fighter of the Year [2]

Amateur wrestling[link]

• International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
  • 2000 Henri Deglane Challenge Senior Greco-Roman Bronze Medalist
  • 2000 Pan American Championships Senior-Greco Roman Gold Medalist
  • 1999 Nordvest Cup Senior Greco-Roman Bronze Medalist
  • 1998 Henri Deglane Challenge Senior Greco-Roman Bronze Medalist
  • 1998 Pan American Championships Senior Greco-Roman Bronze Medalist
  • 1998 FILA Test Tournament Senior Greco-Roman Gold Medalist
  • 1998 Tropheo Milone Tournament Senior Greco-Roman Gold Medalist
  • 1998 Vehbi Emri Tournament Senior Greco-Roman Silver Medalist
  • 1997 Concord Cup International Senior Greco-Roman Silver Medalist
  • 1997 Gold Medal Challenge Senior Greco-Roman Gold Medalist
  • 1996 World Cup Senior Greco-Roman Silver Medalist
  • 1995 Pan American Games Senior Greco-Roman Bronze Medalist
  • 1995 Sunkist Kids International Open Senior Greco-Roman Gold Medalist
  • 1994 World Cup Senior Greco-Roman Silver Medalist
  • 1994 Pan American Championships Senior Greco-Roman Silver Medalist
  • 1990 FILA Wrestling World Championships Junior Greco-Roman Gold Medalist
  • 1984 Pan American Championships Senior Greco-Roman Silver Medalist

• National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award (2010)

• USA Wrestling
  • USA Senior Greco-Roman Olympic Team Trials Winner (1992, 1996)
  • FILA Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials Winner (1994, 1997)
  • FILA Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials Runner-up (1999, 2001)
  • USA Senior Greco-Roman National Championship (1993, 1994, 1997)
  • USA Senior Greco-Roman National Championship Runner-up (2000)
  • USA University Greco-Roman National Championship (1991, 1993, 1994)
  • USA Junior Greco-Roman National Championship (1988)
  • USA Junior Freestyle National Championship (1988)
  • 1999 Mini-Tournament at World Team Trials Senior Greco-Roman Gold Medalist

• Amateur Wrestling News Magazine
  • 1990 Amateur Wrestling News Freshman All-American

• California Interscholastic Federation
  • CIF High School State Championship Runner-up (1987)
  • CIF All-State (1987, 1988)
  • CIF Southern Section Championship (1987, 1988)

Mixed martial arts record[link]

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • 2011 Fight of the Year vs. Shogun Rua on November 19^[40]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dan Henderson

• Official website
• Official Dan Henderson MySpace
• Professional MMA record for Dan Henderson from Sherdog
• Olympic profile at sports-reference.com
• Clinch Gear
• Official Clinch Gear MySpace
• Dan Henderson at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
• Team Quest

v t e The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom United States Santino DeFranco · Jason Dent · Cameron Dollar · DaMarques Johnson · Frank Lester · Mark Miller · Jason Pierce · Richie Whitson Head Coach: Dan Henderson Assistant Coaches: Cyrille Diabaté · Ricardo Feliciano · Gustavo Pugliese · Heath Sims United Kingdom Dean Amasinger · David Faulkner · Jeff Lawson · Nick Osipczak · Ross Pearson · Martin Stapleton · James Wilks · Andre Winner Head Coach: Michael Bisping Assistant Coaches: Dave Jackson · Mario Neto

Rashad Evans
Evans at the UFC 145 pre-fight press conference
Born	Rashad Anton Evans (1979-09-25) September 25, 1979 (age 32) Niagara Falls, New York, United States
Other names	Suga,[1] Sugar, Suga Shad[2]
Nationality	American
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb)
Division	Light Heavyweight (205 lb) Heavyweight (265 lb) (The Ultimate Fighter)
Reach	75 in (191 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Fighting out of	Boca Raton, Florida, United States
Team	Imperial Athletics
Rank	Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[3] Black belt in Gaidojutsu[4]
Wrestling	NCAA Division I Wrestling
Years active	2004–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	20
Wins	17
By knockout	6
By submission	2
By decision	9
Losses	2
By knockout	1
By decision	1
Draws	1
Amateur career
Total	2
Wins	2
By submission	1
Other information
Occupation	Professional Mixed martial arts Fighter
University	Michigan State University Niagara County C.C.
Spouse	LaToya
Children	3
Notable relatives	Lance Evans, brother
Notable school(s)	Niagara-Wheatfield High School
Website	http://www.rashadevans.tv/
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: July 22, 2011

Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979)^[5] is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Evans won the heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship to then undefeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 98.^[1] As of November 2011, Evans is currently ranked as the #3 Light Heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog^[6] and Yahoo! Sports.

Wrestling career[link]

Wrestling out of Niagra Wheatfield High School, Evans twice made it to the state finals tournament of New York by winning his weight class for his county, in which he received All-State honors both times. In 1997 he placed 4th in the state at 145 pounds. In 1998 he placed 4th in the state at 171 pounds. In 1999 he entered the National Junior College Athletic Association National Championships for the 165 pound weight class in which he finished in 4th place. Competing once again at this tournament in 2000, he was the champion of the 165 pound weight class.

Moving on to the NCAA Division 1 wrestling, Evans competed for Michigan State, in the Big Ten conference. In 2002 he finished in 4th place in the conference championships, losing a decision to fellow future UFC competitor Jacob Volkmann in the third place match. In addition to Volkmann, this weight class also saw more future UFC competitors with Gerald Harris and Josh Koscheck competing in it this year. In 2003, Evans again competed in the 174 pound weight class, capturing 3rd place in the Big Ten Championships. Entering the NCAA Division 1 championships on top of this 3rd place finish, Evans won his opening match before losing a close 3-0 decision to the eventual national champion, Robbie Waller. Staying alive through the consolation bracket Evans pinned his next opponent before being matched up with legend Greg Jones, a 3x National Champion who would finish his college career with a record of 126-4. Evans pulled off an upset and won 3-2, becoming one of only 4 people to defeat Jones in his college career. Evans lost his next match, which would have qualified him for All-American status, in a close 3-2 decision, ending his college career. He finished his career at Michigan State with a record of 48 wins and 34 losses. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

Mixed martial arts[link]

Early career[link]

In 2004, under the tutelage of veteran wrestler and MMA fighter Dan Severn,^[11] Evans competed in five professional mixed martial arts fights, winning all five. This led to his selection as one of the nine heavyweights to compete on The Ultimate Fighter 2, a reality TV series on Spike. The season began airing on August 22, 2005, culminating in a live finale between the final two fighters of each weight division, held in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 5, 2005.

The Ultimate Fighter[link]

At 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), Evans was the shortest and the second-lightest of the nine heavyweight competitors.^[12] He was considered the underdog in each of his fights, but made it to the finals by defeating Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead, and Keith Jardine all by decision. During his tenure on the show, Evans was criticized by opposing coach Matt Hughes for his showboating during fights, but the two eventually settled their differences, and Hughes even cornered Evans for his semifinal bout. In the finale, Evans defeated 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Brad Imes by split decision, thus winning a three-year, six-figure contract with the UFC and a brand new car. After The Ultimate Fighter, Evans joined Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting camp along with fellow competitor Keith Jardine, who would eventually become his training partner and good friend.

Ultimate Fighting Championship[link]

Evans dropped down to light heavyweight after the show, deciding he would have a better chance of success in a lower weight class.^[13] His first fight under the contract took place on April 6, 2006 against Sam Hoger, who had been a semi-finalist on The Ultimate Fighter 1. Evans defeated Hoger via split decision despite nearly falling victim to a kimura submission at the end of the second round.^[14]

Evans followed with a victory by majority decision over The Ultimate Fighter 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar on June 28, 2006. Evans maintained control throughout the fight with repeated take downs, including a number of slams in the center of the cage and went on to secure the victory.^[15] Three months later, Evans faced Jason Lambert at UFC 63. Lambert, riding an eight-fight win streak, was seen as Evans's first real test at 205 pounds. Evans controlled the fight from early on, and knocked Lambert out with punches from the mount in the second round.^[16] It was his first stoppage victory in over two years.

Evans next headlined UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon against UFC newcomer Sean Salmon, a highly decorated collegiate wrestler who held a 9–1 professional record. Though Salmon had won the first round by scoring two takedowns, Evans came back with a head kick knockout early in the second round. Salmon remained motionless for several minutes after the fight and was eventually carried out on a stretcher to a local hospital. The kick came to the surprise of many fans who had previously considered Evans a one-dimensional wrestler.^[17]

At UFC 73, Evans squared off against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz. The two competitors fought to a draw as all three judges scored the bout 28–28. Ortiz had won two out of three rounds on all scorecards, but was deducted a point for holding the cage fence to defend against a takedown by Evans.^[18] Immediately after the fight, Ortiz asked for a rematch. At a press conference following UFC 73, UFC President Dana White promised a rematch, which for various reasons due to with scheduling the fight, didn't occur until 4 years later at UFC 133. Unable to get a rematch with Ortiz due to scheduling issues, Evans made his debut as a headliner on a pay-per-view event at UFC 78 instead, against fellow undefeated fighter and The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner Michael Bisping. After three close rounds, Evans came out on top on two of the judges' scorecards, winning by split decision. This fight marked Bisping's first loss and his final bout in the light heavyweight division. After his win over Bisping, Evans drastically changed his fighting style, which he kept secret until his fight against UFC Legend Chuck Liddell.

Evans vs. Liddell[link]

Entering the fight as a very heavy underdog, Evans shocked the world by knocking out former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in brutal fashion at UFC 88. Liddell threw an uppercut that Evans countered with an overhand right, landing flush. Liddell remained unconscious for several minutes before finally walking out of the cage under his own power. The knockout was awarded knockout of the year by Sherdog for 2008. Evans had previously been scheduled to face Liddell at UFC 85 as a replacement for the injured Mauricio Rua. When Liddell pulled out of the event due to an injured hamstring,^[19] Evans was matched with James Irvin. When Irvin pulled out after breaking his foot, the fight was removed from the card altogether.^[20] After the fight, UFC President Dana White confirmed in the post-event press conference that Evans's next fight would be a title shot against newly crowned light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin at UFC 92.^[21]

Winning the Light Heavyweight Championship[link]

On December 27, 2008 at UFC 92, Evans faced champion Forrest Griffin for the UFC light heavyweight belt.^[22] Griffin controlled most of the first two rounds with effective striking and low kicks. In the third round, however, Evans caught a low kick and countered with a straight right hand that dropped Griffin. Evans followed Griffin to the ground and eventually managed to finish the stunned champion with punches inside Griffin's guard. With the victory, Evans became the new UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion. It capped off a year in which Evans won Fighter of the Year honors from Sherdog.com.

Losing the title[link]

Evans' first defense of the UFC Light-Heavyweight title against challenger Lyoto Machida ended in a knockout. During a flurry of punches from Machida, Evans started trash talking Machida telling him 'his hands were made of pillows'. Machida continued his onslaught, knocking the champion out. This was the first loss of his career and the 15th straight win of Lyoto Machida's career.^[23][24] Then, Evans went on to coach against Rampage Jackson in The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights. Evans was scheduled to fight Jackson on December 12, 2009, at UFC 107, but this was canceled due to Jackson being cast for the A-Team movie.^[25] On September 22, 2009, Jackson wrote in a blog on his website that he is "done fighting" because of events that occurred between Jackson and Dana White, the president of the UFC. Thiago Silva was named as Evans' next opponent at UFC 108.

Back into title contention[link]

Evans fought Thiago Silva in the main event of UFC 108 on January 2, 2010.^[26] Dana White was quoted as saying that if Evans could defeat Thiago Silva at UFC 108, then he would go on to face Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.^[27] During the Spike TV broadcast of the UFC 108 preliminary card, Evans confirmed that he received his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Rolles Gracie that morning.^[28][29] Evans would go on to defeat Thiago Silva – another BJJ black belt – by unanimous decision. Deviating from his usual standing and striking, Evans displayed his grappling skills with numerous takedowns that frustrated Silva throughout the match, but Evans failed to damage Silva substantially while on the ground.^[30] In the third round, after severely mocking his opponent's fighting style with various taunts, Silva connected with a right hook to Evans' jaw, rocking him. Silva hesitated in finishing Evans off in order to return the taunting, however, and Evans was able to recover leading to a UD win.^[31][32] Evans was expected to finally face rival Quinton Jackson at UFC 113,^[31] but the bout took place on May 29, 2010 at UFC 114.^[32]

Evans caught Rampage with a right hand early in the first round and throughout the rest of the fight tried to take Rampage down, succeeding three times out of nine. In the third round Evans was hurt by Rampage but recovered and ended the final round with another takedown and strikes on the ground. The judges scored the bout 30–27, 30–27, 29–28 giving Evans the unanimous decision. Afterwards UFC President Dana White then officially confirmed that Evans would square off against Maurício Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight title,^[33] but not until mid-Spring or early-Summer of 2011 as Rua recovered from knee surgery.^[34] The fight was then booked for the main event of UFC 128 when the UFC returned to Newark, New Jersey.^[35]

Following Evans's training partner Jon Jones' victory over Ryan Bader at UFC 126, it was announced that Evans injured his knee during training. Jones was then told in his post-fight interview that the UFC wanted him to replace Evans in his fight against Mauricio Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Jones accepted and the fight was set for UFC 128.^[36] It was then expected that if Jones won, he would face Evans in his first title defense.^[37]