Roy Nelson (fighter) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Roy Nelson is an American

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 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...

who competes in the heavyweight

Heavyweight (MMA)

The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...

division. He last competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

after winning Season 10

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights is the tenth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship -produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter. In a press conference following UFC 98, Dana White announced that filming for the season would begin on June 1, 2009...

of The Ultimate Fighter
The Ultimate Fighter
The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts competition produced by Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship , and soon to be shown on FX. The show features unknown, professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as...

. The September 30, 2009 broadcast of his fight against Kimbo Slice

Kimbo Slice

Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...

, officially an exhibition, was the 2nd most-watched MMA match in U.S. history. He was also the last International Fight League Heavyweight Champion.

Nelson started off his martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

training in Shaolin Kung Fu

Shaolin kung fu

Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...

for a number of years and is a black belt

Black belt (martial arts)

In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...

in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...

under Renzo Gracie

Renzo Gracie

Renzo Gracie is a Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and a former mixed martial arts competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is member of the Gracie family of Brazil. He is the son of Robson Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie, nephew of Carlos...

Mixed martial arts career

Nelson has been a long time student of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Renzo Gracie

Renzo Gracie

, who granted him a Black Belt on August 26, 2009. Nelson has competed at the Abu Dhabi Grappling Championships

ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship

The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship is a competition involving professional athletes who have been successful at the highest levels of jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo, sambo, shooto and mixed martial arts...

(ADCC) and has trained with some of the world's best fighters including UFC's Randy Couture

Randy Couture

Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

, Tito Ortiz

Tito Ortiz

Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...

, Ricco Rodriguez

Ricco Rodriguez

Ricco Rodriguez is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion. He has also competed in Pride Fighting Championship, EliteXC, International Fight League, BAMMA, World Extreme Cagefighting and King of the Cage.-Early life:Rodriguez grew up in the...

and Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock

Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...

.

As a member of Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock

Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...

's Lion's Den

Lion's Den (mixed martial arts)

The Lion's Den is a mixed martial arts team and training facility that was based out of Susanville, California and San Diego, California but has recently moved its headquarters to Reno, Nevada. The team was founded in the early 1990s by UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, and was the most dominant...

, he was asked to become a member of the IFL's Nevada Lions

Nevada Lions

The Nevada Lions were an International Fight League team based in Reno, Nevada. Coached by UFC and MMA legend Ken Shamrock the Lions were one of four teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season.-Record/Roster:...

in 2007. In the 2007 IFL World Grand Prix, Nelson became the league's first ever heavyweight champion, defeating Antoine Jaoude

Antoine Jaoude

Antoine Jaoude is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He fought for the Southern California Condors in the, now defunct, International Fight League.-Bio:...

on December 29, 2007. Nelson successfully defended his title twice, before the IFL ceased operations.

After the IFL ceased operations Nelson took a fight with EliteXC on 10 days' notice against former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Valeryevich Arlovski is a Belarusian kickboxer, mixed martial artist and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.-Biography:...

. Roy Nelson lost via KO in the second round; however, controversy broke out over Nelson being stood up by the referee in the first round from side control, while staying active and working on a kimura.
He then went on to fight for Roy Jones Jr.

Roy Jones Jr.

Roy Jones, Jr. is an American boxer. As a professional he has captured numerous world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight divisions...

's Square Ring Promotions against Jeff Monson

Jeff Monson

Jeffrey William Monson is an American mixed martial artist from Olympia, Washington. He is a 2 time winner of the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, and a No Gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion. He currently holds the Heavyweight titles in the International Sport Karate Association...

. This fight also ended in a controversial loss for Nelson. According to the TV commentators and most MMA media, Nelson won the bout. However Jeff Monson was awarded a unanimous decision.

The Ultimate Fighter

Nelson was one of the 16 fighters in The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights
The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights
The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights is the tenth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship -produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter. In a press conference following UFC 98, Dana White announced that filming for the season would begin on June 1, 2009...

. He did commentaries on the show for multiple websites, including weekly Q&A sessions about each episode for USA Today

USA Today

USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...

's Fighting Stances and a blog for SpikeTV.com.
In his first fight of the show, Nelson defeated former street-fighter Kimbo Slice

Kimbo Slice

Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...

via TKO stoppage in round 2 with repeated punches to the head in the crucifix position

Crucifix position

The Crucifix position, also known as the Salaverry, is a ground grappling position that involves being perpendicularly behind the opponent, chest against back, and controlling the opponent's arms. One of the opponent's arms is controlled using the legs, and the other using the arms, hence...

. The broadcast was the highest rated MMA show in U.S. history with a 3.7 rating. The fight itself had 6 million viewers.

In the quarterfinals, Nelson defeated Justin Wren

Justin Wren

Justin Christopher Wren is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights.-Amateur wrestling career:...

in a two-round majority decision.

In the semifinals, Nelson defeated James McSweeney

James McSweeney

James Adam McSweeney is an English mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai kickboxer. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights.-Biography:...

via strikes in the first round again utilizing the crucifix position.

He defeated Brendan Schaub

Brendan Schaub

Brendan Peter Schaub is an American professional mixed martial artist and former professional football player for the AFL's Utah Blaze and as a member of the Buffalo Bills practice squad. He was a finalist and the runner-up of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights.-Biography:Schaub was...

at The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale, also referred to as The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale, was a mixed martial arts event that was held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 5, 2009...

to become the winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights. In the finale, Nelson knocked out Schaub at 3:45 into the first round with a right hook to Schaub's left temple and then hit Schaub on the ground with one punch to the face before the referee pulled Nelson off Schaub. With the win, Nelson earned a six-figure contract with the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

In his first fight since The Ultimate Fighter Finale, Nelson knocked out Stefan Struve after 39 seconds in the first round at the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 21 on March 31, 2010, winning his second straight Knockout of the Night Bonus.

Nelson was scheduled to fight Cheick Kongo

Cheick Kongo

Cheick Guillaume Ouedraogo , more commonly known as Cheick Kongo, is a professional French heavyweight mixed martial artist and kickboxer currently fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

, though the bout was cancelled after Kongo withdrew.

Nelson instead faced Junior dos Santos

Junior dos Santos

Junior dos Santos Almeida, also known as Junior Cigano , is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. Dos Santos fights in the Heavyweight division, under the tutelage of former UFC and Pride Heavyweight Champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and UFC...

at UFC 117

UFC 117

UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 7, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States.-Background:...

in a bout to determine the #1 contender (after Cain Velasquez) to the UFC Heavyweight title. Nelson lost by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27), but was able to withstand the varied attacks of dos Santos, becoming the first man to take dos Santos to a decision.

Nelson was set to face Shane Carwin

Shane Carwin

Shane Bannister Carwin is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , where he was previously the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion...

at UFC 125

UFC 125

UFC 125: Resolution was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:...

Carwin, however, has announced via his blog that he will be pulling out of the fight due to a back injury. Nelson was pulled off the card altogether.

On 14 November 2010 UFC President Dana White

Dana White

Dana White is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.- Biography :...

announced that Nelson's UFC career would be on hold due to Nelson being contractually bound to another fight promotion. White declined to specifically name the promotion, but sources close to "Big Country" confirmed that Roy Jones Jr.'s Square Ring Promotions claims to have Nelson tied down. Nelson stated on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani

Ariel Helwani

- Biography :Helwani was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, he grew up in a Jewish family in the Town of Mount Royal and Westmount and attended the Akiva School and Herzliah High School. In 2004, he graduated from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. He works for...

that this is old news and that he is still able to fight in the UFC with no problems.

Nelson faced Frank Mir

Frank Mir

Francisco Santos Miranda is an American mixed martial artist, as well as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kenpō Karate, who competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and a former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion...

on May 28, 2011 at UFC 130

UFC 130

UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 28, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:...

and lost by unanimous decision. UFC president Dana White criticized Nelson's performance after the fight for Nelson's lack of conditioning. Nelson blamed a bout with the flu for his poor performance. Nelson indicated that he has plans of cutting weight and fighting in the light heavyweight division at some point in the future.

Nelson faced Mirko Filipović

Mirko Filipovic

Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...

on 29 October 2011 at UFC 137

UFC 137

UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 29, 2011 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...

and won by TKO in the 3rd Round.

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...

Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
- The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Tournament Winner
  The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights
  The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights is the tenth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship -produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter. In a press conference following UFC 98, Dana White announced that filming for the season would begin on June 1, 2009...
- Knockout of the Night (two times)

International Fight League
International Fight League
The International Fight League was an American mixed martial arts promotion billed as the world's first MMA league. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008...
- IFL Heavyweight Championship (one time; first; last)
- IFL 2007 Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion

Rage on the River
- Rage on the River Heavyweight Tournament Winner

Submission grappling

Abu Dhabi Combat Club
- 2003 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships Quarterfinalist

Grapplers Quest
- 2003 Grapplers Quest Superfight Champion

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
|align=center| 16-6
| Mirko Filipović

Mirko Filipovic

|TKO (punches)
| UFC 137

UFC 137

UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 29, 2011 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

Frank Mir

|Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 130

UFC 130

UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 28, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:...

Las Vegas, Nevada

Junior dos Santos

| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 117

UFC 117

UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 7, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States.-Background:...

Oakland, California

Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...

UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi

UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi, also referred to as UFC Fight Night 21 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 31, 2010 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, This was the third time the UFC held an event in Charlotte, but the first since...

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...

, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–4
| Brendan Schaub

Brendan Schaub

| KO (punch)
| The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada

Jeff Monson

Pensacola, Florida

Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...

Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Valeryevich Arlovski is a Belarusian kickboxer, mixed martial artist and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.-Biography:...

| KO (punch)
| EliteXC: Heat

EliteXC: Heat

EliteXC: Heat was a mixed martial arts event held by EliteXC on October 4, 2008 in Sunrise, Florida at the Bank Atlantic Center.It would be the last for the promotion....

Sunrise, Florida

-Overview:Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area...

, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–2
| Brad Imes

Brad Imes

Bradley Imes Smith , is a retired American mixed martial artist. Imes appeared on the second season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show on Spike TV. He has competed as a heavyweight in the UFC, WEC, and most recently King of the Cage...

Uncasville, Connecticut

Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut. The area traditionally known as Uncasville is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River...

, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–2
| Fabiano Scherner

Fabiano Scherner

Fabiano "Pega-Leve" Scherner is a German - Brazilian mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. He competes in the Heavyweight division...

Las Vegas, Nevada

, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–2
| Antoine Jaoude

Antoine Jaoude

Antoine Jaoude is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He fought for the Southern California Condors in the, now defunct, International Fight League.-Bio:...

Uncasville, Connecticut

Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut. The area traditionally known as Uncasville is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River...

, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–2
| Bryan Vetell

Bryan Vetell

Bryan Vetell is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. Most of his career was spent in the now defunct International Fight League.-Bio:...

Las Vegas, Nevada

Ben Rothwell

Ben Rothwell is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Mixed martial arts career:...

Moline, Illinois

Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...

Oakland, California

Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...

Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...

Butte, Montana

Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...

Butte, Montana

Las Vegas, Nevada

Redding, California

Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...

, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| 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...

Redding, California

Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...

, United States
|

Mixed martial arts exhibition record

| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| James McSweeney

James McSweeney

James Adam McSweeney is an English mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai kickboxer. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights.-Biography:...

| TKO (strikes)
| The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

Las Vegas, Nevada

, Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Justin Wren

Justin Wren

Justin Christopher Wren is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights.-Amateur wrestling career:...

| Decision (majority)
| The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

Las Vegas, Nevada

, Nevada

Nevada

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Kimbo Slice

Kimbo Slice

Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...

| TKO (strikes)
| The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

Las Vegas, Nevada

, Nevada

Nevada

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.