Mark Holata (born August 25, 1982) is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

former mixed martial artist. A professional from 2007 until 2014, he is best known for his appearances in

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) ** ...

Background

Holata was born in

Claremore, Oklahoma Claremore is a city in and the county seat of Rogers County, Oklahoma, Rogers County in northeastern Oklahoma, United States. Its population was 19,580 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, a 5.4% increase over the 18,581 recorded in ...

and raised in

Morris, Oklahoma Morris is a city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,299 at the 2020 census. History The community began as a cattle stop on the Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway (later the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway, ...

, attending Morris High School. At Morris, Holata competed in

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

, and was talented, earning four letters and winning multiple All-State selections including as a punter, as well as being named his district's Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. In addition to football, Holata also received four letters in powerlifting, All-State honors three times, won the state title, and also lettered one year in

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

. Holata continued his football career for the

University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa (TU) is a Private university, private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Church, although it is now nondenominational, and the campus ...

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Holata made his professional MMA debut in June 2007. During the first three years of his career, he amassed a record of 8-2.

Bellator

Holata made his

debut at

Bellator 31 2010 in Bellator MMA was the second installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships (Bellator FC)-produced series. It started on April 8, 2010, and ended on June 24, 2010. Tournaments were held in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight ...

, where he defeated

Shawn Jordan Shawn Martin Jordan (born October 24, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who last competed in the Professional Fighters League's Heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 200 ...

by way of first-round knockout. In 2011, Holata returned at Bellator 42, where he defeated Tracy Willis by way of first-round submission. At Bellator 52 Holata lost by first-round knockout to Ron Sparks in a

quarterfinal A single-elimination knockout, or sudden-death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of a match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final match-up, w ...

of the Bellator Season Five Heavyweight Tournament. Holata rebounded from the loss by defeating Abe Wagner by first-round submission at

Bellator 69 2012 in Bellator MMA was the sixth installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships, which began on March 9, 2012. The sixth season of Bellator was originally scheduled to begin on March 2, 2012. However, the debut was pushed back a week so ...

. At

Bellator 75 2012 in Bellator MMA was the sixth installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships, which began on March 9, 2012. The sixth season of Bellator was originally scheduled to begin on March 2, 2012. However, the debut was pushed back a week so i ...

Holata lost by first-round submission to

Vinicius Queiroz Vinicius Kappke de Queiroz (born August 29, 1983) is a Brazilian mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight division of Bellator MMA, Bellator. A professional competitor since 2003, h ...

in a quarterfinal of the Bellator Season Seven Heavyweight Tournament.Eight Heavyweights Invade Horseshoe Casino Hammond at Bellator 75 on October 5 – Bellator Fighting Championships
In March 2014, Holata returned to Bellator. He faced Alexander Volkov in the opening round of the Bellator Season 10 Heavyweight tournament at

Bellator 111 2014 in Bellator MMA was the tenth season for Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion. It began on February 28, 2014 and aired on Spike TV. The season included tournaments for the Heavyweight, Welterweight, Featherweight, Light Heavyweight ...

on March 7, 2014. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.

Mixed martial arts record

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Thackerville, Oklahoma Thackerville is a town in Love County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located near the Texas state border. The population was 400 at the 2020 census. Geography Thackerville is situated near the intersection of U.S. Highway 77 and State High ...

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Hammond, Indiana Hammond ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. Located along Lake Michigan, it is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the only city in Indiana to border Chicago. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the Li ...

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Lake Charles, Louisiana Lake Charles is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, fifth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the county seat, parish seat of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, Calcasieu Parish, located on Lake Charles (Louisiana), Lake Char ...

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Concho, Oklahoma Concho is an unincorporated area near El Reno in Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States. It is north of the Concho Indian Boarding School Concho Indian Boarding School (also known as the Cheyenne-Arapaho Boarding School at Concho or Conc ...

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Carmelo Marrero Carmelo Marrero (born January 26, 1981) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight divisions. He has competed for the UFC, WEC, Bellator Fighting Championships, the IFL, and ...

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Newkirk, Oklahoma Newkirk is a city in and the county seat of Kay County, Oklahoma, Kay County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,172 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. History Newkirk is on land known as the Cherokee Outlet (popularly ...

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Clinton, Oklahoma Clinton is a city in Custer and Washita counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 8,521 at the time of the 2020 census. History The community began in 1899 when two men, J.L. Avant and E.E. Blake, decided to locate a town i ...

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Red Rock, Oklahoma Red Rock ( pronounced , meaning "Rock Red town") is a town in northern Noble County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 283 at the 2010 census, a decline from 293 at the 2000 census. The headquarters of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indi ...

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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Holata, Mark 1982 births Living people American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from Oklahoma Heavyweight mixed martial artists People from Claremore, Oklahoma People from Morris, Oklahoma Sportspeople from Okmulgee County, Oklahoma Sportspeople from Oklahoma City