Derek Brunson
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Derek T. Brunson (born January 4, 1984) 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 competes in the
Light heavyweight Light heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the division is above and up to , falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight (boxing), cruiserweight. The light heavyweight class has ...
division of the
Professional Fighters League The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promot ...
(PFL). He is most notable for his 21 fight tenure in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
(UFC) between 2012 and 2023, where he competed in the
Middleweight Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to . Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have beg ...
division.


Background

Brunson was a competitive
cheerleader Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ent ...
and
wrestler Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves diffe ...
at John T. Hoggard High School in
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...
, under coach Dan Willis. He then attended the
University of North Carolina at Pembroke The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNC Pembroke or UNCP) is a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina, United States. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the University of North Carolina syste ...
on a wrestling scholarship, where he was a three-time
NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
. Brunson majored in criminal justice and minored in sociology. Following college, he turned his attention to mixed martial arts. Brunson was inspired by his high school classmate Shelly Johnson to pursue a career in fighting. Prior to his mixed martial arts career, Brunson was a therapist.


Mixed martial arts career

Brunson made his professional MMA debut in May 2010 against John Bryant where he won by a rear-naked choke in under a minute. He then won his next five fights with none of them making it past 2:30 of the first round.


Strikeforce

Brunson made his
Strikeforce Strike Force may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games *Strike Force (video game), ''Strike Force'' (video game), a 1991 arcade game *''Commandos: Strike Force'', a 2006 video game *''Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'', a 2009 video game *' ...
debut on June 24, 2011, at Strikeforce Challengers: Fedor vs. Terry against undefeated Jeremy Hamilton. He won the fight via unanimous decision. In a quick turnaround, Brunson fought his second fight for Strikeforce just over one month after his debut. He faced Lumumba Sayers on the undercard of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson on July 30, 2011. He won the fight via submission in the first round. Brunson's next fight was on November 18, 2011, at Strikeforce Challengers: Britt vs. Sayers against Nate James. He won the fight via unanimous decision. He was scheduled to face
Ronaldo Souza Ronaldo Souza dos Santos (born 7 December 1979), nicknamed " Jacaré" (), is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, submission grappler and 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Souza was a multiple time BJJ World ch ...
on March 3, 2012, at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey. However, the Ohio State Athletic Commission denied his fight license based on an eye exam he had submitted. Brunson fought wearing contacts in all of his bouts, but Ohio has a rule against this. He immediately scheduled a Lasik procedure and missed about six weeks. He later faced Souza on August 18, 2012, at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman and was defeated by KO at :41 of the 1st round.


The Ultimate Fighter

Brunson was accepted to compete in The Ultimate Fighter 17, but on the first day of filming he was pulled from the competition due to Showtime having yet to release him from his contract.


Ultimate Fighting Championship

Brunson made his UFC debut replacing an injured Karlos Vemola against
Chris Leben Christian Cyrus Leben (born July 21, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist, referee, and bare knuckle boxer. A professional MMA competitor from 2002 until 2013, he most notably competed in the UFC in the Middleweight division, compiling ...
on December 29, 2012, at
UFC 155 ''UFC 155: dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 29, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background A Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez rematch ...
. Despite being a late replacement and heavy underdog, Brunson utilized his superior wrestling to defeat Leben via unanimous decision. He was expected to face
Ronny Markes Ronny Markes (born April 21, 1988) is a Brazilian mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist currently competing in the Heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2007, Markes has formerly competed for the Ultimate Fig ...
on June 8, 2013, at UFC on Fuel TV 10. However, the bout was scrapped on the day of the weigh in as Markes was involved in a traffic accident. While Markes was not seriously injured, the incident prevented him from competing. Brunson was expected to face
Yoel Romero Yoel Romero Palacio (born April 30, 1977) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division. Romero formerly competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate ...
on August 31, 2013, at
UFC 164 ''UFC 164: Henderson vs. Pettis 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held on August 31, 2013, at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Background The main event was expected to be a UFC Lightweight Championship bout between the cur ...
but was eventually forced off the card with an injury. He was expected to face Antonio Braga Neto on November 6, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 31. However, Neto pulled out of the bout citing an injury and was replaced by Brian Houston. Brunson won the fight in impressive fashion early, connecting with a head kick on Houston and then securing a rear-naked choke submission. The bout with Romero was rescheduled for January 15, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 35. After winning the first two rounds, Brunson was dropped by a left hook and lost the fight via TKO due to elbows on the ground in the third round. Both fighters earned a $50,000 ''Fight of the Night'' bonus award. On February 15, 2014, it was announced that Brunson had signed a four-fight contract with UFC. Brunson was expected to face Lorenz Larkin on August 2, 2014, at UFC 176. After UFC 176 was cancelled, Larkin/Brunson was rescheduled and eventually took place on August 30, 2014, at UFC 177. Brunson won the fight via unanimous decision. Brunson was expected to face
Ed Herman Edward Benson Herman (born October 2, 1980) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor from 2003 to 2023, Herman was a ...
on December 13, 2014, at
UFC on Fox 13 ''UFC on Fox: dos Santos vs. Miocic'' (also known as ''UFC on Fox 13'') was a mixed martial arts event held at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 13, 2014. Background The event was the first that the organization has hosted in ...
. However, the bout was scrapped just hours before the fight, as Brunson was stricken with a stomach ailment. Subsequently, the bout with Herman was rescheduled and took place on January 31, 2015, at
UFC 183 ''UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz'' was a mixed martial arts event held on January 31, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The event was headlined by a middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silv ...
. Brunson won the fight via TKO in the first round. Brunson was expected to face
Krzysztof Jotko Krzysztof Jotko (born August 19, 1989) is a Polish mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. He has previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Professional Fighters Leagu ...
on June 20, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 69. However, Brunson pulled out of the fight on June 9 citing a rib injury and was briefly replaced by
Uriah Hall Uriah Alexander Hall (born July 31, 1984) is a Jamaican-American former professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Kickboxing, kickboxer, and current Professional boxing, boxer. He competed in the Middleweight (MMA), Middleweight divi ...
. Three days after the booking, Hall was removed due to an alleged
visa Visa most commonly refers to: * Travel visa, a document that allows entry to a foreign country * Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company ** Visa Debit card issued by the above company ** Visa Electron, a debit card ** Vi ...
issue. In turn, Jotko was removed from the card entirely. Brunson faced
Sam Alvey Sam Alvey (born May 6, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial artist, who competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the current Karate Combat Heavyweight Champion. A professional MMA competi ...
on August 8, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 73. He won the fight via TKO in the first round. Brunson next faced
Roan Carneiro Roan Carneiro Pereira (born 2 June 1978) is a Brazilian retired professional mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2000, Carneiro was ...
on February 21, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 83. He won the fight via TKO, earning his third consecutive TKO stoppage in the first round. He was scheduled to face
Gegard Mousasi Gegard Mousasi (born 1 August 1985) is a Dutch mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. Mousasi most recently competed in Bellator MMA, where he is the former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion. He is also the former DREAM Light Heavywe ...
on July 9, 2016, at UFC 200. However, he later was forced to pull out of the bout. Brunson faced
Uriah Hall Uriah Alexander Hall (born July 31, 1984) is a Jamaican-American former professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Kickboxing, kickboxer, and current Professional boxing, boxer. He competed in the Middleweight (MMA), Middleweight divi ...
on September 17, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 94. Brunson won the fight via TKO in the first round after dropping Hall with a left hook and finishing him with a flurry of ground and pound. Brunson faced Robert Whittaker on November 27, 2016, at
UFC Fight Night 101 ''UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 101'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on November 27, 2016, at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. Background Thi ...
. He lost the back and forth fight via first-round TKO. Both participants were awarded a ''Fight of the Night'' bonus. Brunson faced
Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...
on February 11, 2017, at
UFC 208 ''UFC 208: Holm vs. de Randamie'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on February 11, 2017, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Background The event was originally scheduled to take p ...
. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. 20 out of 24 media sources scored the fight in favor of Brunson. Brunson fought Dan Kelly on June 11, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 110. He won by knockout in the first round after dropping Kelly with a straight left and finishing him off with a barrage of ground and pound. Brunson faced
Lyoto Machida is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He mos ...
on October 28, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 119. He won the fight via knockout in the first round. This win also earned him a ''Performance of the Night'' bonus award. A rematch with
Ronaldo Souza Ronaldo Souza dos Santos (born 7 December 1979), nicknamed " Jacaré" (), is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, submission grappler and 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Souza was a multiple time BJJ World ch ...
took place on January 27, 2018, in the main event at UFC on Fox 27. Brunson lost the fight via TKO in the first round. He was expected to face Antônio Carlos Júnior on August 4, 2018, at UFC 227. However, Brunson pulled out of the fight in early July citing an eye injury. Brunson faced
Israel Adesanya Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya (born 22 July 1989) is a Nigerian-New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, former kickboxer and boxer. As a mixed martial artist, he currently competes in the Middleweight di ...
on November 3, 2018, at UFC 230. He lost the fight via technical knockout in round one. Brunson faced Elias Theodorou on May 4, 2019, at
UFC Fight Night 151 ''UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 151'' or ''UFC on ESPN+ 9'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on May 4, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontari ...
. He won the fight by unanimous decision. He faced
Ian Heinisch Ian Edward Heinisch (born August 5, 1988) is an American former mixed martial artist who previously competed in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional since 2015, he has also competed for the World Series ...
on August 17, 2019, at UFC 241. He won the fight by unanimous decision. In December 2019, Brunson announced on his social media that he had signed a new, six-fight contract with the UFC. Brunson was expected to face Edmen Shahbazyan on March 7, 2020, at
UFC 248 ''UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 7, 2020 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States. B ...
. However it was announced on February 20 that the bout had been rescheduled and would take place on April 11, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the event was eventually postponed. The bout eventually was scheduled on August 1, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan. He won the fight via technical knockout in round three. Brunson faced Kevin Holland on March 20, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 21. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Brunson faced
Darren Till Darren Till (born 24 December 1992) is an English professional mixed martial artist, former Muay Thai fighter, and professional boxer. Born in Liverpool, Till started his Muay Thai training at the age of 12 and turned professional three years la ...
on September 4, 2021, at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till. He won the fight via rear-naked choke submission in round three. Brunson was scheduled to face
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 ...
on January 22, 2022, at
UFC 270 ''UFC 270: Ngannou vs. Gane'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on January 22, 2022, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Background A UFC Heavyweight Championship title unificat ...
. However, for undisclosed reasons the bout was moved to
UFC 271 ''UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 12, 2022 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, United States. Background A UFC Middleweight Champio ...
on February 12, 2022. He lost the fight via knockout in round two. Brunson stated that his next fight will be his final fight in mixed martial arts. Brunson was scheduled to face Jack Hermansson on December 3, 2022, at
UFC on ESPN 42 ''UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 42'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 3, 2022, at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, United States. B ...
. However, Brunson withdrew due to an undisclosed injury and was replaced by Roman Dolidze. Brunson faced
Dricus du Plessis Dricus du Plessis (born 14 January 1994), also known by his initials DDP, is a South African professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight (MMA), Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting ...
on March 4, 2023, at UFC 285. He lost the fight via technical knockout due to a corner stoppage at 4:59 of the second round. Brunson was scheduled to face Roman Dolidze at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023. On September 14, 2023, the fight was scrapped, as it was announced Brunson had parted ways with the UFC.


Professional Fighters League

After parting ways with the UFC on October 5, 2023, it was announced that Brunson had signed a multi-fight deal with the
Professional Fighters League The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promot ...
, and that he would be a participant in their 2024 season as a light heavyweight. Brunson made his PFL debut against Ray Cooper III on November 24, 2023 at PFL 10. At weigh-ins, Cooper came in at 186.8 pounds, .8 pounds over the limit, leading him to being fined a percentage of his purse which went to Brunson and the bout was held at a catchweight. Brunson won the fight by unanimous decision.


Global Fight League

Brunson was scheduled to face
Omari Akhmedov Omari Sirazhudinovich Akhmedov (born October 12, 1987) is a Russian professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division. He previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Professional Fighters ...
in the inaugural Global Fight League event on May 24, 2025 at GFL 1. However, all GFL events were cancelled indefinitely.


Professional grappling career

Brunson faced Rodolfo Vieira in the main event of ADXC 7 on November 17, 2024. He lost the match by submission.


Personal life

Brunson has four children; he has never smoked a cigarette or drunk alcohol in his life.


Championships and accomplishments


Mixed martial arts

*
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
** Fight of the Night (Two times) ** Performance of the Night (One time) ** Tied (
Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...
& Robert Whittaker) for third most wins in UFC Middleweight division history (14) ** Tied (
Nate Marquardt Nathan Joel Marquardt (born April 20, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the middleweight and welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 1999, he is a former Strikeforce W ...
and
Chris Leben Christian Cyrus Leben (born July 21, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist, referee, and bare knuckle boxer. A professional MMA competitor from 2002 until 2013, he most notably competed in the UFC in the Middleweight division, compiling ...
) for third most finishes in UFC Middleweight division history (9) **Tied (
Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...
&
Thales Leites Thales Leites Lourenço (; born 6 September 1981) is a retired Brazilian mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist best known for competing in the Middleweight (MMA), middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Mixed martial art ...
) for fifth most bouts in UFC Middleweight division history (21) ** Tied (
Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English former mixed martial artist, sports commentator, analyst, and actor. He competed in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
,
Yoel Romero Yoel Romero Palacio (born April 30, 1977) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division. Romero formerly competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate ...
&
Chris Leben Christian Cyrus Leben (born July 21, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist, referee, and bare knuckle boxer. A professional MMA competitor from 2002 until 2013, he most notably competed in the UFC in the Middleweight division, compiling ...
) for fourth most knockouts in UFC Middleweight division history (7) **Tied ( Rafael Natal) for third most takedowns in UFC Middleweight division history (36) **Fourth most control time in UFC Middleweight division history (1:09:34) **Fifth most top position time in UFC Middleweight division history (50:33) **UFC.com Awards ***2016: Ranked #10 Fight of the Year *
Sherdog Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). It also has many forums and discussion pages on the many topics of MMA like records, promotions, etc. The site is a member of the CraveOnline network and provides MM ...
**2017 Robbery of the Year vs.
Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...
* MMAJunkie.com **2017 Robbery of the Year vs. Anderson Silva *MMADNA.nl **2017 Robbery of the Year vs.
Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...


Collegiate sports

*
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
**
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
Division II
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
Wrestler Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves diffe ...
out of
University of North Carolina at Pembroke The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNC Pembroke or UNCP) is a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina, United States. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the University of North Carolina syste ...
(2003, 2005, 2007) *
University of North Carolina at Pembroke The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNC Pembroke or UNCP) is a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina, United States. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the University of North Carolina syste ...
**2002 UCA Small Co-ed National Champs - Cheerleading


Other accomplishments

*Young Alumnus of the Year 2014 ( UNC Pembroke) * UNC Pembroke Athletics Hall of Fame, Inducted 2016


Mixed martial arts record

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Dricus du Plessis Dricus du Plessis (born 14 January 1994), also known by his initials DDP, is a South African professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight (MMA), Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting ...
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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 ...
, KO (elbows) ,
UFC 271 ''UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 12, 2022 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, United States. Background A UFC Middleweight Champio ...
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Darren Till Darren Till (born 24 December 1992) is an English professional mixed martial artist, former Muay Thai fighter, and professional boxer. Born in Liverpool, Till started his Muay Thai training at the age of 12 and turned professional three years la ...
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Ian Heinisch Ian Edward Heinisch (born August 5, 1988) is an American former mixed martial artist who previously competed in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional since 2015, he has also competed for the World Series ...
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Israel Adesanya Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya (born 22 July 1989) is a Nigerian-New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, former kickboxer and boxer. As a mixed martial artist, he currently competes in the Middleweight di ...
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Ronaldo Souza Ronaldo Souza dos Santos (born 7 December 1979), nicknamed " Jacaré" (), is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, submission grappler and 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Souza was a multiple time BJJ World ch ...
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Lyoto Machida is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He mos ...
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São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
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Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
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Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...
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UFC 208 ''UFC 208: Holm vs. de Randamie'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on February 11, 2017, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Background The event was originally scheduled to take p ...
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Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 16–4 , Robert Whittaker , TKO (head kick and punches) , UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:07 ,
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 16–3 ,
Uriah Hall Uriah Alexander Hall (born July 31, 1984) is a Jamaican-American former professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Kickboxing, kickboxer, and current Professional boxing, boxer. He competed in the Middleweight (MMA), Middleweight divi ...
, TKO (punch) , UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:41 ,
Hidalgo, Texas Hidalgo is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. Its population was 11,198 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, and in 2020, the population had risen to 13,964. History The area that is now Hidalgo was first settled by Spanis ...
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Roan Carneiro Roan Carneiro Pereira (born 2 June 1978) is a Brazilian retired professional mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2000, Carneiro was ...
, KO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:38 ,
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 , , - , Win , align=center, 14–3 ,
Sam Alvey Sam Alvey (born May 6, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial artist, who competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the current Karate Combat Heavyweight Champion. A professional MMA competi ...
, TKO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Saint Preux , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:19 ,
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 ...
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Ed Herman Edward Benson Herman (born October 2, 1980) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor from 2003 to 2023, Herman was a ...
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UFC 183 ''UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz'' was a mixed martial arts event held on January 31, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The event was headlined by a middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silv ...
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Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, United States , , - , Win , align="center" , 12–3 , Lorenz Larkin , Decision (unanimous) , UFC 177 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Sacramento, California Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat, seat of Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento Rive ...
, United States , , - , Loss , align="center" , 11–3 ,
Yoel Romero Yoel Romero Palacio (born April 30, 1977) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division. Romero formerly competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate ...
, TKO (punches and elbows) , UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Philippou , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:23 ,
Duluth, Georgia Duluth ( ) is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. Located north of Interstate 85, it is approximately northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Duluth had a population of 31,873, and the United Stat ...
, United States , , - , Win , align="center" , 11–2 , Brian Houston , Submission (rear-naked choke) , UFC: Fight for the Troops 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:48 ,
Fort Campbell Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Div ...
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Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
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Chris Leben Christian Cyrus Leben (born July 21, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist, referee, and bare knuckle boxer. A professional MMA competitor from 2002 until 2013, he most notably competed in the UFC in the Middleweight division, compiling ...
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UFC 155 ''UFC 155: dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 29, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background A Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez rematch ...
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Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
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Ronaldo Souza Ronaldo Souza dos Santos (born 7 December 1979), nicknamed " Jacaré" (), is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, submission grappler and 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Souza was a multiple time BJJ World ch ...
, KO (punches) , Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:41 ,
San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 9–1 ,
Kendall Grove Kendall Grove (born November 12, 1982) is an American mixed martial artist who is currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2003, he has also competed for the Bellator MMA, UFC, KSW, ProElite, King ...
, Decision (split) , ShoFight 20 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–0 , Nate James , Decision (unanimous) , Strikeforce Challengers: Britt vs. Sayers , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–0 , Lumumba Sayers , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:33 ,
Hoffman Estates, Illinois Hoffman Estates is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 52,530. The village previously served as the headquarters for Transform Holdco L ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–0 , Jeremy Hamilton , Decision (unanimous) , Strikeforce Challengers: Fodor vs. Terry , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Kent, Washington Kent is a city in King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area, Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metropolitan area and had a population of 136,588 as of the 2020 Unit ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–0 , Danny Babcock , KO (punch) , World Extreme Fighting 45 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:07 ,
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–0 , Rhomez Brower , TKO (submission to punches) , XFP: The Holiday Fight Fest , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:27 ,
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–0 , Todd Chattelle , TKO (punches) , ICE: Fright Night 2010 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:14 ,
Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–0 , Edward Jackson , KO (punches) , Carolina's Summer Fight Series 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:41 ,
Jacksonville, North Carolina Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the List of municipalities in North Carolina, 14th-most populous city in North Caroli ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 , Chris McNally , KO (punches) , Carolina's Summer Fight Series 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:42 ,
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , John Bryant , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Carolina's Summer Fight Series 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:52 ,
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...
, United States ,


NCAA record

! colspan="8", NCAA Division II Championships Matches , - ! Res. ! Record ! Opponent ! Score ! Date ! Event , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2007 NCAA (DII) Championships 7th at 197 lbs , - , Win , 9-9 , align=left, Kelsey Empting , style="font-size:88%", 8-2 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, March 9–10, 2007 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, 2007 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships , - , Loss , 8-9 , align=left, Heath Jolley , style="font-size:88%", Fall , - , Win , 8-8 , align=left, Chris Taylor , style="font-size:88%", 6-2 , - , Win , 7-8 , align=left, Jacob Marrs , style="font-size:88%", 12-7 , - , Loss , 6-8 , align=left, Josh Majerus , style="font-size:88%", Fall , - , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2005 NCAA (DII) Championships 8th at 184 lbs , - , Loss , 6-7 , align=left, Don Ortega , style="font-size:88%", 3-5 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, March 11–12, 2005 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, 2005 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships , - , Loss , 6-6 , align=left, Kristopher Klepacz , style="font-size:88%", Fall , - , Win , 6-5 , align=left, Dillon Blackman , style="font-size:88%", Fall , - , Loss , 5-5 , align=left, Clint Carmony , style="font-size:88%", 5-8 , - , Win , 5-4 , align=left, Todd Naasz , style="font-size:88%", 12-5 , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2004 NCAA (DII) Championships DNP at 184 lbs , - , Loss , 4-4 , align=left, Corey Jacoby , style="font-size:88%", TB-1 1-2 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3, March 12–13, 2004 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3, 2004 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships , - , Win , 4-3 , align=left, Matt Trout , style="font-size:88%", MD 16-6 , - , Loss , 3-3 , align=left, Greg Nurrenbern , style="font-size:88%", 4-10 , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2003 NCAA (DII) Championships 4th at 184 lbs , - , Loss , 3-2 , align=left, Jeff Henning , style="font-size:88%", TF 2-18 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, March 14–15, 2003 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, 2003 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships , - , Win , 3-1 , align=left, Ben McAvinew , style="font-size:88%", 10-5 , - , Loss , 2-1 , align=left, Mauricio Wright , style="font-size:88%", 5-11 , - , Win , 2-0 , align=left, Sam Kenton , style="font-size:88%", 5-3 , - , Win , 1-0 , align=left, Ben Holscher , style="font-size:88%", 11-5 , -


See also

*
List of current PFL fighters List of current PFL fighters records current PFL fighters' information, country origins, recent fighter signings and departures, fight schedules and results and the champion of each division. Unlike the UFC, PFL does allow its fighters to compete ...
*
List of male mixed martial artists This is a list of notable professional male mixed martial arts fighters in alphabetical order. __NOTOC__ A * Tank Abbott - ( UFC, Pride, Strikeforce) * Hamdy Abdelwahab - ( UFC) * Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov - ( ACB) * Shamil Abdurakhimov - ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brunson, Derek 1984 births Living people American male mixed martial artists African-American mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from North Carolina Middleweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing boxing Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters American male sport wrestlers African-American sport wrestlers Amateur wrestlers American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Sportspeople from Wilmington, North Carolina 21st-century African-American sportsmen 21st-century American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century American sportsmen