Jonathan Quinn Brookins (born August 13, 1985) 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 competed as a
featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling.
Boxing
Professional boxing
History
A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, this ...
for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
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 Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Brookins has mostly fought in Florida, as well as competing in The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck. On December 4, 2010, Brookins defeated Michael Johnson to become the ''Ultimate Fighter'' and earn a contract with the UFC. During his time at
Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University is a private university in St. Charles, Missouri. Founded in 1827 by George Champlin Sibley and Mary Easton Sibley as The Lindenwood School for Girls, it is the second-oldest higher-education institution west of the Missis ...
he was also the college roommate of former fellow UFC fighter Mike Rio.
Early life
Brookins was born on August 13, 1985, in Portland, Oregon. He attended high school at Century High School in
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro ( ) is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Situated in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city hosts many high-technology companies ...
, a suburb of Portland. There he started wrestling, winning a state title his senior year and earning a scholarship to
Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University is a private university in St. Charles, Missouri. Founded in 1827 by George Champlin Sibley and Mary Easton Sibley as The Lindenwood School for Girls, it is the second-oldest higher-education institution west of the Missis ...
.
Mixed martial arts career
Background
Brookins was introduced to mixed martial arts by Charles Bennett. After meeting him and training with him, Brookins made his professional MMA debut against Allen Berube, a TUF 5 veteran. Having only trained in wrestling, Brookins surprised himself by winning via KO in under twenty seconds.
Brookins has mostly fought at featherweight, most notably in
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) was an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion founded in 2001. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was mad ...
where he lost to
José Aldo
José Aldo da Silva Oliveira Júniorhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/CI3oOc0VAAAr_iv.jpg (, born 9 September 1986), commonly anglicized as Jose Aldo, is a retired Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He last competed in the Ultimate Fig ...
via TKO in the third round. Brookins would later rebound at
Bellator 1
2009 in Bellator MMA was the first installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships (Bellator FC)-produced series. It started broadcasting April 3, 2009, through an exclusive television agreement with ESPN Deportes. The episodes had a one-day ...
where he defeated Stephen Ledbetter via submission (rear naked choke).
Brookins then won two fights in G-Force fights, the most notable being a submission victory over Luis Palomino.
The Ultimate Fighter
Brookins then signed with the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
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 Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
to compete in '' The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck''.
In the debut episode, Brookins faced fellow wrestler Ran Weathers. Brookins would go on to take a unanimous decision victory in two rounds. Following this, Brookins was selected by Team GSP. Brookins was GSPs second pick and the fourth overall.
Brookins was picked by GSP to face Sevak Magakian in the preliminary house fights. Brookins faked a takedown, which fooled Magakian. Brookins was then able to take down Magakian before attempting a standing rear naked choke. Brookins eventually secured the submission at 2:04 of the opening round.
In the quarter-finals, Brookins faced
Judo
is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo") ...
specialist Sako Chivitchian. Brookins was able to throw Chivitchian to the mat, which forced Chivitchian to try to stand up. Brookins then got hooks in and worked for a rear naked choke, eventually sealing it soon after, to advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-final round, Brookins faced teammate Kyle Watson. In a somewhat lopsided bout, Brookins controlled Watson on the ground to take a 30–27 judges decision. The win moved Brookins into the finals against Michael Johnson.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Brookins defeated Michael Johnson at The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale. In the first round, Brookins was dominated on the feet by Johnson. However, he pulled through and used his wrestling to edge rounds 2 and 3, taking the unanimous decision to become The Ultimate Fighter.
Brookins was expected to face John Makdessi on April 30, 2011 at UFC 129. However, Brookins was pulled from the bout and replaced by Kyle Watson.
Brookins was expected to face Jeremy Stephens on June 4, 2011 at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale. However, Brookins was forced from the bout with an injury and replaced by Danny Downes.
Brookins returned to featherweight for his next fight and faced Erik Koch on September 17, 2011 at UFC Fight Night 25. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Brookins was expected to face
Rani Yahya
Rani Ahmad Yahya (born September 12, 1984) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and BJJ practitioner. He won the 66 kg division of the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in April 2007. He currently fights in ...
guillotine choke
The guillotine choke, also known as Mae Hadaka Jime (前裸絞, "front naked choke"; compare to a rear naked choke) in judo, is a chokehold in martial arts applied from in front of the opponent, often on the ground but can also be done while st ...
in the second round.
Brookins next faced Dustin Poirier on December 15, 2012 at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson Finale. He lost the back-and-forth fight via submission in the first round.
On December 21, 2012, Brookins decided to retire from MMA in order to move to
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
and devote his time to practicing
Yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-conscio ...
full-time.
Legacy Fighting Championship
On January 24, 2014 it was announced that Brookins would return from his retirement to fight for
Legacy Fighting Championship
Legacy Fighting Alliance is an American mixed martial arts promotion, created as a result of the ''Legacy Fighting Championship'' and ''Resurrection Fighting Alliance'' merger in early 2017.
History Resurrection Fighting Alliance
On October 11, ...
. He dropped down to 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 ...
division to make his debut on March 21 at Legacy FC 29 against Cody Fuller. Brookins was victorious in his flyweight debut with a second round submission finish. He then faced Austin Lyons in a bantamweight bout at Legacy FC 34 on August 29, 2014. Brookins lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Pancrase
Brookins made his
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 ...
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingd ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. North ...
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 15–10
, Kyle Nelson
, Decision (split)
, Z Promotions: Fight Night Medicine Hat 2
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Medicine Hat, Alberta
Medicine Hat is a city in southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff to the northwest are with ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 15–9
, Tom Niinimäki
, Decision (unanimous)
, Euro FC 1
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
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Espoo
Espoo (, ; sv, Esbo) is a city and municipality in the region of Uusimaa in the Republic of Finland. It is located on the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland, bordering the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, Kirkkonummi, Vihti and Nurmijärvi ...
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, Japan
, Non Title Fight
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 14–7
, Austin Lyons
, Decision (unanimous)
, Legacy FC 34
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, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
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Tunica, Mississippi
Tunica is a town in and the county seat of Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s when casino gambling was introduced in the area, Tunica had been one of the most impoverished places in the Un ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 14–6
, Cody Fuller
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, Legacy FC 29
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 3:02
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Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 13–6
, Dustin Poirier
, , Submission (D'arce choke)
,
The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale
''The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson'' is the sixteenth main installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television series '' The Ultimate Fighter''.
This season reverted to the taped format, after ...
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 4:15
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County, Nebraska, Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. List of ...
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 10–3
, Luis Palomino
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, G-Force Fights: Bad Blood 2
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 1:44
,
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248.
Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 9–3
, Stephen Ledbetter
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
,
Bellator 1
2009 in Bellator MMA was the first installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships (Bellator FC)-produced series. It started broadcasting April 3, 2009, through an exclusive television agreement with ESPN Deportes. The episodes had a one-day ...
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 3:32
,
Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is no ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 8–3
,
José Aldo
José Aldo da Silva Oliveira Júniorhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/CI3oOc0VAAAr_iv.jpg (, born 9 September 1986), commonly anglicized as Jose Aldo, is a retired Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He last competed in the Ultimate Fig ...
Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is no ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 8–2
, Jose Santibanez
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, South Coast Promotions
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 2:07
, Houston, Texas, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 7–2
, Greg Loughran
, Decision (split)
, Cage Warriors: USA Battle Royale
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 79,226. It is a Principal City of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area, wh ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 7–1
, Jose Figueroa
, Submission (guillotine choke)
, WEF: King of the Streets
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 2:47
,
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 79,226. It is a Principal City of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area, wh ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 6–1
, Donald Brook
, Submission (punches)
, Harmful Intent Promotions 2
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 0:35
,
Estero, Florida
Estero is a village in Lee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,939. During the 2010 census, Estero was an unincorporated community, or census-designated place, the population at that time was 22,612. Est ...
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 4–1
, Harris Sarmiento
, Decision (unanimous)
, Shakedown: Maui vs. Oahu
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...
, United States
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, -
, Win
, align=center, 4–0
, Sean Bartlett
, TKO (punches)
, Combat Fighting Championships 3
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, align=center, 1
, align=center, 4:05
, Orlando, Florida, United States
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, -
, Win
, align=center, 3–0
, Ryan Nakamura
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, Combat Fighting Championship 2
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 1:09
, Orlando, Florida, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 2–0
, York Ash
, Submission (guillotine choke)
, Full Throttle 8
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 3:58
,
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 1–0
, Allen Berube
, KO (punch)
, Combat Fighting Championship
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 0:19
, Orlando, Florida, United States
,