Derek Brunson Mma
Derek Brunson is no stranger to hype, and he knows exactly how his opponent will be feeling when he steps into the Octagon on Saturday. Jackson Wink MMA Academy - NM. Brunson was a 3-time Division II All-American wrestler from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. When he finished college he immediately turned his attention to mixed martial arts. He trains at Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Jackson’s MMA along with Jon Jones. Mixed martial arts career.
The first few minutes were a feeling out process for the two fighters, but Brunson was able to record a takedown roughly two minutes in. Shahbazyan got back up, and the two engaged in a brief firefight before settling back in. It was clear at this time a more patient Brunson was in the cage than what fight fans have seen in the past, and it resulted in a very tight first round. Brunson got another takedown early in Round 2, but against wasn't able to do much with it. After a brief stoppage due to Shahbazyan getting poked in the eye, Shahbazyan landed a big body shot, but Brunson gained momentum back shortly after that. The veteran started throwing with more consistency, frequently backup Shahbazyan up against the cage. With a bit under 90 seconds left, Brunson scored another takedown and held on longer this time, dealing some damaging ground-and pound. He came dangerously close to a finish in the final seconds of the round as Shahbazyan visibly tired, and referee Herb Dean even called in the doctor to check on him between rounds. Shahbazyan was allowed to go out for Round 3, but didn't make it 30 seconds before Brunson got another takedown and essentially pounded him out. It's a massive win for Brunson, who makes it three victories in a row despite entering as high as a +330 underdog. He'll get a highly-ranked opponent his next time out.
Main Page News DiscussionUpdate / Claim Page
Fighter Details
- Given Name:Derek T. Brunson
- Pro MMA Record:21-7-0 (Win-Loss-Draw)
- Nickname:N/A
- Current Streak:3 Wins
- Age:37 Date of Birth:1984.01.04
- Last Fight:August 01, 2020inUFC
- Weight Class:Middleweight Last Weigh-In:186.0 lbs
- Affiliation:Brunsons MMA and Fitness
- Height:6'1' (186cm) Reach:77.0' (196cm)
- Career Disclosed Earnings:$510,000 USD
- Born:Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
- Fighting out of:Wilmington, NC
- College:University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- Foundation Style:Wrestling
- Head Coach:Henry Hooft
- Other Coaches:Greg Jackson
- Fighter Links:
- Personal Links:
Worldwide RankingsRankings FAQ
Regional RankingsRankings FAQ
Fighting for a major organization has made Derek Brunson ineligible for regional rankings.
Gyms & Affiliations
Wiki
Derek Brunson is an American middleweight fighter currently signed to the UFC. He fights out of Renzo Gracie's academy in New York and Jackson's MMA in New Mexico. He has fought for promotions such as Shofight and Strikeforce and holds notable wins over Lumumba Sayers and Chris Leben. Of his eleven wins, eight have been stoppages with equal numbers of submissions and T/KOs. He has won the 'Fight of the Night' bonus one time.
Brunson is a former NCAA division ll wrestler turned mixed martial artist. He wrestled in college for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where he was a three time All American. His nickname of 'the human blanket' comes from his wrestling base. After college, Brunson immediately took up MMA, training at Renzo Gracie's Jiu Jitsu academy. He won his first six fights on the local circuit, five of which were by strikes. He eventually moved his camp to Jackson's MMA.
In 2011, Brunson debuted in Strikeforce. He went on to win his first three fights with the promotion. He was next supposed to fight Ronaldo Souza but the Ohio State Athletic commission would not allow him to fight with contact lenses as he had done in previous fights. He immediately had LASIK eye surgery to remove the need to wear contacts. He fought once outside of Strikeforce which resulted in a controversial decision loss to UFC veteran Kendall Grove. He returned to Strikeforce in August 2012, again scheduled against Ronaldo Souza. He would lose to the former Strikeforce champion by strikes in the first minute of the fight.
He was supposed to debut with the UFC on the seventeenth season of The Ultimate Fighter but on the first day of filming, he was pulled from the cast due to his Strikeforce contract linked to Showtime which he they would not release him from. He filled in for an injured Karlos Vemola against Chris Leben at UFC 155, his UFC debut. In the fight were he was an underdog, he surprised many by earning a decision victory against the long time UFC employee. He next took on the debuting Brian Houston at UFC: Fight for the Troops 3. After rocking Houston almost immediately with a head kick, he was able to sink in a rear naked choke to get the submission win. He would get back to action two months later when he was matched up with Yoel Romero at UFC Fight Night 35, but this time he would lose a back and forth fight by TKO with less than two minutes left in the fight. Both fighters were awarded the 'Fight of the Night' bonus for their performance.
Brunson would get back in the win column with a Unanimous Decision over Lorenz Larkin at UFC 177.
Wiki Contributors:
Derek Brunson NewsView All
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54202663/076_Anderson_Silva_vs_Derek_Brunson.0.0.jpg "Vs.")