Cal Worsham
Encyclopedia
Cal Worsham is an American
mixed martial arts
fighter and former corrections officer. He is an early pioneer of mixed martial arts having competed in one of the earliest modern events. Worsham has competed against notable fighters such as Tank Abbott
, Travis Fulton
, Gary Goodridge
, Bo Cantrell
, and Dan Severn
.
. His opponent was the much larger, Paul "The Polar Bear" Varelans. The fight was stopped after only 1:02 after Varelans landed a series of devastating 12-6 elbows to the spine and neck of Worsham. Worsham collapsed and had to be taken out of the ring on a stretcher. He nearly became the only UFC fighter to have died from severe trauma suffered in a bout. Worsham would return to action 10 months later at UFC 9
, defeating journeyman Zane Frazier by TKO. His last foray in the UFC would occur at Ultimate Ultimate 1996 where Worsham would again make UFC history by being the fighter who was closest to being thrown out of the cage. Ultimately this may have been a blessing in disguise for Worsham as by not having been extricated from the cage, he suffered another devastating TKO loss at the hands of Tank Abbott
.
, Worsham would go 9-4 during the next 10 years in MMA and ascend to become the Gladiator Challenge Heavyweight champion. At Gladiator Challenge 67, Cal and his son Hunter would both fight on the same card. Both Worshams annihilated their opponents via 1st round TKO finishes. Cal most recently fought a rematch against Dan Severn
losing via unanimous decision.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fighter and former corrections officer. He is an early pioneer of mixed martial arts having competed in one of the earliest modern events. Worsham has competed against notable fighters such as Tank Abbott
Tank Abbott
David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...
, Travis Fulton
Travis Fulton
Travis Fulton is an American mixed martial artist and a professional boxer in the heavyweight division. He has notched up over 300 vale tudo and mixed martial arts fights since 1996 and over 30 boxing matches since 1999....
, Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
, Bo Cantrell
Bo Cantrell
Bo Cantrell is a retired American mixed martial artist. He competed in the Heavyweight division. He lost his last fight at EliteXC: Renegade against Kimbo Slice on November 10, 2007. He is notoriously known for not fighting back against Kimbo which lead to his being black balled from Elite XC by...
, and Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
.
1995–1996
Worsham would have his first three professional fights in the UFC and despite going 1-2, his bouts would prove quite notable. He first competed in mixed martial arts in UFC 6UFC 6
UFC 6: Clash of the Titans was the sixth mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 14, 1995, at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyoming. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.-History:UFC 6 featured the...
. His opponent was the much larger, Paul "The Polar Bear" Varelans. The fight was stopped after only 1:02 after Varelans landed a series of devastating 12-6 elbows to the spine and neck of Worsham. Worsham collapsed and had to be taken out of the ring on a stretcher. He nearly became the only UFC fighter to have died from severe trauma suffered in a bout. Worsham would return to action 10 months later at UFC 9
UFC 9
UFC 9: Motor City Madness was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 17, 1996, at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan...
, defeating journeyman Zane Frazier by TKO. His last foray in the UFC would occur at Ultimate Ultimate 1996 where Worsham would again make UFC history by being the fighter who was closest to being thrown out of the cage. Ultimately this may have been a blessing in disguise for Worsham as by not having been extricated from the cage, he suffered another devastating TKO loss at the hands of Tank Abbott
Tank Abbott
David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...
.
1997-2001
Worsham would loss 4 out of his next 5 bouts resulting in an abysmal 2-6 record having been finished quickly in all his losses. Worsham would participate in smaller shows during these 4 years in fringe promotions such as IFC, IVC, and IAFC.2001-present
In 2001, Worsham began competing in Gladiator Challenge. This would prove to be a resounding success for the pioneer mixed martial artist. Despite two losses to legend Dan SevernDan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
, Worsham would go 9-4 during the next 10 years in MMA and ascend to become the Gladiator Challenge Heavyweight champion. At Gladiator Challenge 67, Cal and his son Hunter would both fight on the same card. Both Worshams annihilated their opponents via 1st round TKO finishes. Cal most recently fought a rematch against Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
losing via unanimous decision.
Mixed martial arts record
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 11-10 |  Dan SevernDan Severn Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the... |
Unanimous Decision | Gladiator Challenge:Legends Collide | 3 | 5:00 | San Jacinto, California San Jacinto, California San Jacinto is a city in Riverside County, California, U.S.A. It was named after Saint Hyacinth and is located at the north end of the San Jacinto Valley, with Hemet to its south. The mountains associated with the valley are the San Jacinto Mountains. The population was 44,199 at the 2010... |
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| Win | 11-9 | Adam MacKay |
TKO (Strikes) | Gladiator Challenge 67:Vendetta | 1 | 1:16 | Lakeport, California Lakeport, California Lakeport is an incorporated city and county seat of Lake County, California. Lakeport is located on the west shore of Clear Lake, at an elevation of 1355 feet... |
Fought along side son Hunter at this event | |
| Loss | 10-9 | Bo Cantrell Bo Cantrell Bo Cantrell is a retired American mixed martial artist. He competed in the Heavyweight division. He lost his last fight at EliteXC: Renegade against Kimbo Slice on November 10, 2007. He is notoriously known for not fighting back against Kimbo which lead to his being black balled from Elite XC by... |
KO (Punch) | Gladiator Challenge 57:Holiday Beatings | 1 | 0:17 | Sacramento, California Sacramento, California Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,... |
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| Win | 10-8 | Harry Avis |
TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | Gladiator Challenge 51:Madness at the Memorial | 1 | 5:00 | Sacramento, California Sacramento, California Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,... |
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| Win | 9-8 | Carlos Cantu |
TKO | Gladiator Challenge 44:Redemption | 1 | 1:55 | Colusa, California Colusa, California Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
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| Loss | 8-8 | Dan Severn Dan Severn Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the... |
TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | Gladiator Challenge 34:Legends Collide | 3 | 3:29 | Colusa, California Colusa, California Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
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| Win | 8–7 | Will Scott |
TKO (Punches) | KOTC 44:Revenge | 1 | 0:52 | San Jacinto, California San Jacinto, California San Jacinto is a city in Riverside County, California, U.S.A. It was named after Saint Hyacinth and is located at the north end of the San Jacinto Valley, with Hemet to its south. The mountains associated with the valley are the San Jacinto Mountains. The population was 44,199 at the 2010... |
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| Win | 7–7 | Adrian Perez |
TKO (Punches) | Gladiator Challenge 30 | 1 | 0:48 | Colusa, California Colusa, California Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
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| Win | 6–7 | Terry Davis |
TKO | Gladiator Challenge 27:FightFest 2 | 1 | 2:35 | Colusa, California Colusa, California Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
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| Win | 5–7 | Carlos Garcia |
TKO (Punches) | Gladiator Challenge 13 | 1 | 4:39 | Colusa, California Colusa, California Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
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| Loss | 4–7 | Carlos Garcia |
TKO (Corner Stoppage) | Gladiator Challenge 12 | 1 | 5:00 | Colusa, California Colusa, California Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
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| Win | 4–6 | Rick Collup |
Decision | KOTC 13:Revolution | 1 | 1:37 | Reno, Nevada Reno, Nevada Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area... |
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| Win | 3–6 | David Fox |
KO (Punch) | Gladiator Challenge 9 | 1 | 4:02 | San Jacinto San Jacinto San Jacinto is Spanish for Saint Hyacinth; as a place name, it may refer to:* San Jacinto, Bolívar, Colombia* San Jacinto, Chiquimula, Guatemala* San Jacinto, Comondú, Mexico* San Jacinto, Lerdo, Mexico* San Jacinto, Ancash Region, Peru... |
For Gladiator Challenge Heavyweight Championship. | |
| Loss | 2–6 | Travis Fulton Travis Fulton Travis Fulton is an American mixed martial artist and a professional boxer in the heavyweight division. He has notched up over 300 vale tudo and mixed martial arts fights since 1996 and over 30 boxing matches since 1999.... |
TKO (Corner Stoppage) | IFC Warriors Challenge 13 | 2 | 5:00 | California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
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| Loss | 2–5 |  Griffen Reynaud |
TKO (Injury) | Extreme Challenge 22 | 1 | 4:38 | West Valley City, Utah West Valley City, Utah West Valley City is a city in Salt Lake County and a suburb of Salt Lake City in the U.S. state of Utah. The population was 129,480 at the 2010 census,... |
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| Loss | 2–4 |  Gary GoodridgeGary Goodridge Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship... |
Submission (Keylock) | IVC 1 | 1 | 0:43 |  BrazilBrazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
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| Win | 2–3 | Aloisio Freitas Neta |
Submission (Guillotine Choke) | IVC 1 | 1 | 0:25 | Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
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| Loss | 1-3 |  Leonid Efremov |
Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Absolute Fighting Championship 2 | 1 | 2:49 | Moscow, Russia |
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| Loss | 1-2 | Tank Abbott Tank Abbott David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"... |
Submission (Punches) | Ultimate Ultimate 1996 | 1 | 2:51 | Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... |
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| Win | 1-1 | Zane Frazier Zane Frazier "Nasty" Zane Frazier is an American former Karateka, kickboxer and mixed martial artist. Notably, he took part at the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship event in 1993.-Career:... |
TKO (Punches) | UFC 9:Motor City Madness UFC 9 UFC 9: Motor City Madness was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 17, 1996, at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan... |
1 | 3:14 | Detroit, Michigan Detroit, Michigan Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River... |
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| Loss | 0–1 | Paul Varelans |
KO (Elbows) | UFC 6:Clash of the Titans UFC 6 UFC 6: Clash of the Titans was the sixth mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 14, 1995, at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyoming. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.-History:UFC 6 featured the... |
1 | 1:02 | Casper, Wyoming Casper, Wyoming Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316... |
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