Chris Dempsey is an American professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

who last competed in 2021. A professional since 2012, he has competed for the

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The larg ...

and

Bellator MMA Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) was an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and operated until 2025. The promotion takes its name from ''wikt:bellator, bellātor ...

Background

Born and raised in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, Dempsey played football, and also competed in wrestling growing up as a youngster. He was a two time All-American at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, where he also earned a degree in political science. He began training in mixed martial arts part-time as a college student in 2008.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Dempsey made his debut as an amateur in 2011, winning three fights before turning professional in 2012. He fought primarily for regional promotions in

Western Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the Unite ...

where he compiled a record of 10-1 competing in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions before signing with the UFC on the summer of 2014.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Dempsey made his promotional debut as a short notice replacement against

Ilir Latifi Ilir Latifi (born July 28, 1983) is a Swedish mixed martial artist who fights in the Heavyweight division, most recently in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A two-time national wrestling champion and a professional MMA competitor since 2008, ...

on July 19, 2014, at

UFC Fight Night 46 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The large ...

, filling in for

Tom Lawlor Thomas Joseph Lawlor (born May 15, 1983) is an American professional wrestler, retired mixed martial artist and podcast host. He is signed to both New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was the inaugural and longest reigning NJPW Strong Openw ...

. Latifi effectively used leg kicks to disable his opponent, before finishing him with punches, ending the fight by a first round knockout. Dempsey next faced Eddie Gordon in a middleweight bout on April 18, 2015, at

UFC on Fox 15 ''UFC on Fox: Machida vs. Rockhold'' (also known as ''UFC on Fox 15'') was a mixed martial arts event held on April 18, 2015, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Background The event was the sixth event that the UFC has hosted in New ...

. He won the fight via split decision. Dempsey returned to the light heavyweight division as a short notice replacement to face promotional newcomer Jonathan Wilson on August 8, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 73, filling in for

Jared Cannonier Jared Christopher Cannonier (born March 16, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of February 4, 2025, he is #7 in the UFC midd ...

. He lost the fight knockout in the first round. Dempsey faced Scott Askham on February 27, 2016, at

UFC Fight Night 84 ''UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bisping'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 84'') was a mixed martial arts event held on February 27, 2016 at The O2 Arena in London, England. Background The event was the eighth that the promotion hosted in London ...

. He lost the fight by knockout in the first round and was subsequently released from the promotion.

Bellator MMA

In his Bellator debut, Dempsey faced undefeated prospect Ed Ruth on November 3, 2017, at Bellator 186. He lost the fight via knockout in the second round.

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 11–7 , Rex Harris , TKO (punches) , 247 FC: Flood City Fight Night , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:58 ,

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is the largest city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, it is the principal city of the Metropolitan statistical area ...

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University Park, Pennsylvania Penn State University Park, also referred to as University Park, is the main campus of Pennsylvania State University, located in both State College and College Township, both in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. The campus post off ...

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 11–4 , Scott Askham , KO (punch and head kick) , UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bisping , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:45 ,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England , , - , Loss , align=center, 11–3 , Jonathan Wilson , KO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Saint Preux , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:50 ,

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–2 , Eddie Gordon , Decision (split) , UFC on Fox: Machida vs. Rockhold , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...

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, KO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Brandão , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:07 ,

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, Ireland , , - , Win , align=center, 10–1 , Nick Krauss , TKO (punches) , Gladiators of the Cage: Road to Glory 6 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 4:11 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–1 , Muhammad Abdullah , Submission (guillotine choke) , Gladiators of the Cage: North Shore 4 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:56 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–1 , Tiawan Howard , Submission (north-south choke) , Gladiators of the Cage: North Shore 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:51 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–1 , Tenyeh Dixon , TKO (punches) , Gladiators of the Cage: Road to Glory 5 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:27 ,

Cheswick, Pennsylvania Cheswick is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Allegheny River. The population was 1,672 as of the 2020 census. Cheswick Borough was incorporated in 1902. It is a residential suburb of the Pittsburgh metropoli ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–1 , Lewis Rumsey , Decision (unanimous) , Gladiators of the Cage: North Shore 2 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Winn , align=center, 5–1 , Dervyn Lopez , Decision (unanimous) , Gladiators of the Cage: Road to Glory 5 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–1 , Christopher Wing , Decision (unanimous) , Xtreme Caged Combat: Mayhem , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , Chase Owens , Decision (unanimous) , Gladiators of the Cage: North Shore , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–1 , Mojtaba Najim Wali , Submission (armbar) , Caged Power 2 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 1:45 ,

Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Monongahela River in North Central West Virginia and is the home of West Virginia University. The population was 30,347 at the 2 ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 , Marcus Finch , Decision (split) , Gladiators of the Cage: Road to Glory 2 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Kittanning, Pennsylvania Kittanning ( ) is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The population was 3,921 at the 2020 census. The name is ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Eddie Hardison , Submission (rear-naked choke) , American MMA Fight League 4: Fight Night , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:57 ,

West Newton, Pennsylvania West Newton, located southeast of Pittsburgh, is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Formerly, the manufacture of radiators and boilers were the chief industries. The population ...

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Grappling record

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dempsey, Chris 1987 births Living people Sportspeople from Sewickley, Pennsylvania American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing wrestling Mixed martial artists from Pennsylvania Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters