Josh LaBerge is an American

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 ...

. A professional from 2007 until 2017, he fought in

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 *' ...

Bellator Bellator, warrior in Latin, may refer to: * Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States * Bishop Bellator of Sufetula (5th century) Taxonomy * ''Bellator'' (fish), a fish genus in the family Triglidae (sea robins) ** ...

and CES MMA.

Background

Born and raised in

Fall River, Massachusetts Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States census, making it the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, tenth-largest city in the state, and the second- ...

, LaBerge often was involved in street fights growing up, and once spent 90 days in jail for assault. Upon being released, LaBerge was involved in a fight while defending a relative, and was stabbed, causing a punctured lung and he was sent to the hospital in critical condition. LaBerge attended Durfee High School.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

After winning an amateur bout, LaBerge made his professional debut in late 2007. Facing 3-0 Andrew Carron, LaBerge was defeated via second-round TKO. Compiling a record of 5–4, LaBerge fought for the vacant Reality Fighting Featherweight Championship against champion Mike Gresh. LaBerge won via unanimous decision.

Bellator and Strikeforce

LaBerge made his second Bellator appearance at Bellator 17, against Dan Bonnell, whom he had previously defeated via first-round TKO. LaBerge won again, with a knockout in only 48 seconds. After the win over Bonnell, LaBerge appeared for Strikeforce at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva against Anthony Leone. In the biggest win of his career to date, LaBerge upset the future

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 ...

veteran via doctor stoppage at the end of the first round. 2-0 under the Bellator banner, LaBerge fought again in the promotion at Bellator 134 against

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

native

Matt Bessette Matthew James Bessette (born December 28, 1984) is a retired American Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 2007, he has also competed for Bellator MMA, Bellator and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Backgr ...

. LaBerge was defeated via doctor stoppage at the end of the second round.

CES MMA

In 2016, LaBerge returned to the cage for the CES MMA promotion, based out of

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. Fighting now as a lightweight, LaBerge defeated Ran Weathers via unanimous decision at CES MMA 35. Two months later at CES 36, LaBerge won again via second-round TKO against Jonathan Lemke. At CES MMA 42, LaBerge faced jiu-jitsu specialist and boxer Saul Almeida, losing via third-round submission. LaBerge last fought in October 2017, losing in a rematch with Lemke via unanimous decision.

Personal life

Aside from his career as a fighter, LaBerge works part time as a mason.

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 11–7 , Jon Lemke , Decision (unanimous) , CES MMA 46: Howard vs. Carroll , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Lincoln, Rhode Island Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,529 at the 2020 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence. Lincoln is part of the Providence metropolitan statistica ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 11–6 , Saul Almeida , Submission (rear-naked choke) , CES MMA 42: Curtis vs. Santiago Jr. , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 4:50 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–5 , Jon Lemke , TKO (punches) , CES MMA 36: Andrews vs. Muro , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:11 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 10–5 , Ran Weathers , Decision (unanimous) , CES MMA 35: Jeudi vs. Gonzalez , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Beverly, Massachusetts Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Sho ...

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Lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing (sport), rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) boxing weight classes, weight class in the spor ...

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, TKO (doctor stoppage) , Bellator 134: The British Invasion , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is a village in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is located in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–4 , Steve McCabe , KO (knees) , Classic Entertainment and Sports: CES MMA 22 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:37 ,

, United States , Catchweight (150 lb) bout. , - , Win , align=center, 8–4 , Anthony Leone , TKO (doctor stoppage) , Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:00 ,

East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an inner suburb, inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 Unit ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–4 , Dan Bonnell , TKO (punches) , Bellator XVII , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:48 ,

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–4 , Mike Gresh , Decision (unanimous) , Reality Fighting: Detonation , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Plymouth, Massachusetts Plymouth ( ; historically also spelled as Plimouth and Plimoth) is a town in and the county seat of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Greater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklor ...

, United States , Won the Reality Fighting Featherweight Championship. , - , Win , align=center, 5–4 , Dan Bonnell , TKO (punches) , WCF: World Championship Fighting 8 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:20 ,

Wilmington, Massachusetts Wilmington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Its population was 23,349 at the 2020 United States census. History Wilmington was first settled in 1665 and was officially incorporated in 1730, from parts of Woburn, Re ...

, United States , Return to

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, ...

. , - , Win , align=center, 4-4 , Chris Simmons , Decision (unanimous) , Bellator II , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Norman, Oklahoma Norman () is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, 3rd most populous city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, with a population of 128,026 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the most populous city and the county seat of Clevel ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–4 , Frank Latina , Decision (split) , USFL: Springfield Massacre , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...

, United States ,

debut. , - , Loss , align=center, 2–4 , Aguilano Brandao , Submission (armbar) , FFP: Untamed 26 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:22 ,

Westport, Massachusetts Westport (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a New England town, town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,339 at the 2020 census. The village of North Westport, Massachusett ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–3 , Jon Owens , KO (knee) , EVO MMA: Fight Night For The Kids , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:40 ,

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 United ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2-2 , Barrington Douse , Decision (split) , USFL: War in the Woods 5 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Ledyard, Connecticut Ledyard ( ) is a New England town, Town in New London County, Connecticut, New London County, Connecticut, United States, located along the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River. The town is named after Colonel William Ledyard, a American Revol ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 1–2 , Adailton Reis , TKO (punches) , ICE Fighter: ICE Fighter , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 0:24 ,

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1-1 , Joe Rizzo , Submission (rear-naked choke) , ICE Fighter: Dead Man Walking , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:55 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 0–1 , Andrew Carron , TKO (punches) , ICE Fighter: Put Up or Shut Up , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:08 ,

, United States , Catchweight (150 lb) bout.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:LaBerge, Josh American male mixed martial artists Featherweight mixed martial artists Lightweight mixed martial artists Living people Year of birth missing (living people)