Ulysses Gomez (

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, May 25, 1983) is an American

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

who competes in the

flyweight Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing above 49 kg (108 lb) and up to 51 kg (112 lb). Professional boxing The flyweight division was the last of b ...

and

bantamweight Bantamweight is a weight class in combat sports. For boxing, the range is above and up to . In kickboxing, a bantamweight fighter generally weighs between . In MMA, bantamweight is . The name for the class is derived from bantam chickens. B ...

divisions. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Gomez has mostly fought in PFC and Tachi Palace Fights and is also known for his grappling career.

Early life

Gomez was born in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

to two

Mexican-Americans Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican ...

. He is the brother of soccer player and U.S. national team representative Herculez Gomez. Before his fights, Ulysses has worn the shirt of the club that his brother plays for. This has included the Kansas City Wizards and

Club Puebla Club Puebla, formerly Puebla F.C. is a Mexican professional football club based in the city of Puebla, competing in the Liga MX. Known as ''La Franja'' ("The Striped Ones"), the team shirt features a diagonal stripe (traditionally blue on white ...

Mixed martial arts career

Background

Gomez has been training with Marc Laimon since he was in high school. Gomez' high school wrestling coach was UFC veteran and Nova União black belt

Tony DeSouza Anton Nicolas de Souza (born July 26, 1974) is a Peruvian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Biography and career His style of fighting is a blend of freestyle wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. De Souza compe ...

. In 2004, Gomez helped Laimon found the Cobra Kai Academy in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...

, where he trained and taught the children's class. Since Marc Laimons move to Texas in 2010, Gomez is now training under Laimon's 1st Blackbelt and now owner of Cobra Kai, Simpson Go.

Early career

Gomez began his career in PFC, in Lemoore, California. Gomez quickly amassed a record of 2–0, both via submission. Gomez then fought Thai Rambaa Somdet and lost via unanimous decision. In his final fight for the Palace Fights Championship, Gomez defeated David Suarez. Gomez then joined Tachi Palace Fights and competed in their first event, against Martin Sandoval. In his second appearance for Tachi Palace Fights, Gomez defeated Chino Nicholas via technical submission (standing guillotine choke), when Nicholas refused to tap and passed out. Gomez fought Luis Gonzalez for the inaugural Tachi Palace Fights Flyweight Championship at TPF 4: Cinco de Mayhem. Gomez defeated Gonzalez to take the title, but then immediately announced his signing with Bellator, in addition to his move in weight class. The fight was closely fought and Gomez' decision victory over Gonzalez was heavily booed by the crowd.

Bellator Fighting Championships

In May 2010, Gomez signed with Bellator Fighting Championships and moved up a weight class, to compete in their upcoming bantamweight tournament in their third season. In his opening round fight, at Bellator 27, Gomez faced Travis Reddinger, which Gomez won via split decision. Gomez would have faced

Zach Makovsky Zachary Paul "Zach" Makovsky (born April 19, 1982) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the flyweight division of the Brave Combat Federation. He has competed in EliteXC, ShoXC, Bellator, and Ultimate Fighting Championshi ...

in the semi-final; however, Gomez had to withdraw with a staph infection.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Gomez made his promotional debut against

John Moraga John Anthony Moraga (born March 20, 1984) is an American professional boxer and mixed martial artist who competes as a flyweight and featherweight in MMA and boxing, respectively. He is best known for his lengthy career Ultimate Fighting Champio ...

on August 4, 2012 at UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera. He lost the fight via KO in the first round. Gomez next faced

Phil Harris Wonga Philip Harris (June 24, 1904 – August 11, 1995) was an American actor, comedian, musician and songwriter. He was an orchestra leader and a pioneer in radio situation comedy, first with ''The Jack Benny Program'', then in '' The Phil Harr ...

on February 16, 2013 at UFC on Fuel TV: Barão vs. McDonald. Gomez lost the fight by unanimous decision and was subsequently released from the promotion.

Post-UFC career

Gomez faced Abel Cullum at RFA 18: Manzanares vs. Pantoja on September 12, 2014, in his first fight post-UFC release. He lost the fight by a first-round submission.

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 9–5 ,

Abel Cullum Abel Cullum (born April 21, 1987 in Tucumcari, New Mexico) is an American professional mixed martial artist and former King of the Cage Flyweight Champion. Mixed martial arts career King of the Cage Cullum made his debut for the King of the Cag ...

, Submission (guillotine choke) , RFA 18: Manzanares vs. Pantoja , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:29 , Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 9–4 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on Fuel TV: Barão vs. McDonald , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, England , , - , Loss , align=center, 9–3 ,

, KO (elbows and punches) , UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:46 ,

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–2 ,

Cody Gibson Cody Michael Gibson (born September 11, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist who formerly competed in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and last competed in Eagle FC. Background Born in Blackwell, Oklahoma, in ...

, Submission (guillotine choke) , TPF 11: Redemption , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 2:36 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–2 , Drew Bittner , Submission (rear-naked choke) , TPF 10: Let The Chips Fall , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:21 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 7–2 ,

Darrell Montague Darrell Montague (born November 3, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist who formerly competed in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Montague, originally from Chino, California, grew up around the sport ...

, Decision (unanimous) , TPF 8: All or Nothing , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–1 , Travis Reddinger , Decision (split) , Bellator 27 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–1 , Luis Gonzalez , Decision (unanimous) , TPF 4: Cinco de Mayhem , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–1 , Chino Nicolas , Submission (guillotine choke) , TPF 2: Brawl in the Hall , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:31 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–1 , Martin Sandoval , Submission (rear-naked choke) , TPF 1: Tachi Palace Fights 1 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:36 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , David Suarez , Submission (rear-naked choke) , PFC: Best of Both Worlds , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:45 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–1 , Rambaa Somdet , Decision (unanimous) , PFC 11: All In , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:00 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 ,

Hector Sandoval Hector Sandoval (born July 19, 1986) is Mexican-American mixed martial artist, who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He currently competes in the flyweight division. Background Born in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico, Sandoval moved to ...

, Submission (armbar) , PFC 9: The Return , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:51 , Lemoore, California, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Greg McDowell , Submission (choke) , PFC 7: Palace Fighting Championship 7 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:41 , Lemoore, California, United States ,

Grappling career

Gomez is a highly accomplished grappler, having won multiple awards and competitions. These include being ranked top of his weight class in Grapplers Quest. Gomez also competed in

Pancrase Pancrase Inc. is a mixed martial arts promotion company founded in Japan in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the Ancient Olympic Games. Suzuki and Funaki pr ...

. Gomez began as a beginner, entering himself into pro divisions and "began submitting black belts shortly after receiving his blue belt" Gomez then main evented the opening day of the inaugural UFC Fan Expo in a Grapplers Quest exhibition match against Shooto tournament winner and 40-fight MMA veteran

Rumina Sato (, kanji for given name: 留美奈) is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist, famous for his career in the Shooto organization. In the past he fought mostly in the 155 lb division, but he moved down to the 145 lb division. Mixed mar ...

; a natural featherweight. Gomez was defeated by submission (armbar).

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gomez, Ulysses 1983 births Living people American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from California American mixed martial artists of Mexican descent Flyweight mixed martial artists Bantamweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu