Michael Waylon Lowe (born October 31, 1980) 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 ...

who most recently competed in the

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 ...

division. A professional competitor since 2006, 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 ...

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 ...

, and the

World Series of Fighting 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 ...

Amateur wrestling career

Lowe was a two-time state finalist and one-time state champion for Jefferson County High School in

Dandridge, Tennessee Dandridge is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Tennessee. It had a population of 3,341 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Jefferson and Hamblen co ...

before

wrestling 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 di ...

for the

University of Findlay The University of Findlay (UF) is a private Christian university in Findlay, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1882 through a joint partnership between the Churches of God General Conference and the city of Findlay. UF has nearly 80 ...

Findlay, Ohio Findlay ( ) is a city in Hancock County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The second-largest city in Northwest Ohio, Findlay lies about 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. Its population was 40,313 at the 2020 United Sta ...

. Lowe recorded 112 victories during his collegiate career. He was the school's first

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. ...

national champion in any sport when he captured the 149 lbs national title in 2002. He won two other

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 ...

crowns, one at 149 lbs in 2003 and another at 165 lbs in 2004. In 2004, he faced off with Shawn Silvis in the finals who also was a two-time national champion. Lowe won the match 8-6 and also won the Outstanding Wrestling award for the tournament. Lowe ranks 4th in career wins, 1st in season wins, 2nd in career takedowns, and 6th in season takedowns for the University of Findlay. In 2013, he joined the advisory board for Wrestler Supply, an online e-commerce site for high-end wrestling gear.

Mixed martial arts career

Lowe's interest in MMA sparked while he was training at the

Olympic Training Center Olympic Training Center may refer to: *United States Olympic Training Center * Olympic Training Center (Rio de Janeiro) *Olympic Training Center Velodrome The Olympic Training Center Velodrome, also known as the 7-11 Velodrome, is a velodrome in ...

Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010 United States Census, 2 ...

. He was only there to train in wrestling, but he had the opportunity to briefly speak with

Matt Lindland Matthew James Lindland (born May 17, 1970), is an American retired mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler, speaker, actor, coach, entrepreneur, and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of Representati ...

. Lindland was so influential that Lowe flew out to

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

to train with Lindland and

Randy Couture Randall Duane Couture (; born June 22, 1963) is an American mixed martial arts commentator, actor, former United States Army sergeant, former professional mixed martial artist, and former Collegiate wrestling, collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestlin ...

. Lowe held only a 1-0 amateur record before his team, Team Gurgel and Team Vision, requested he go pro. Lowe's professional debut was against David Love at a local Hook 'N' Shoot event. Lowe lost the fight after he tapped out from a

guillotine choke The guillotine choke, also known as Mae Hadaka Jime (前裸絞, "front naked choke"; compared 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 stan ...

. He bounced back from the loss with two submission wins, improving his record to 2-1. In 2007, he lost to the more experienced Alonzo Martinez via submission from punches in the first round. Lowe racked up three wins before trying out for the ninth season of the Ultimate Fighter reality show. Lowe was selected as one of the contestants and brought in for the show. Before he could move in the TUF house, Lowe had to fight Santino DeFranco. After an impressive first round, which

Dana White Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who is the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at . Out ...

believed should not have gone to a second round because of the beating Lowe delivered to DeFranco, Lowe was defeated by submission early in the second round. Lowe took about five months off after losing on the Ultimate Fighter show, but then returned to fight for

Bellator Fighting Championships Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) was an American mixed martial arts promotion founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and operated until 2025. The promotion takes its name from '' bellātor'', the Latin word for "warrior". Bellato ...

. At Bellator 5, Lowe defeated Frank Caraballo via unanimous decision. In April 2010, Lowe defeated UFC veteran Steve Berger via KO midway through round one.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Lowe made his UFC debut stepping in for Thiago Tavares against

Melvin Guillard Melvin Guillard (born March 30, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division. Guillard most notably competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator MMA and World S ...

on May 29, 2010, at UFC 114. Guillard won the fight via KO due to a knee to the body as Lowe was attempting a takedown in the first round. Lowe fought Steve Lopez on September 25, 2010, at

UFC 119 ''UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 25, 2010, at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The event was the first that the UFC hosted in Indiana. ...

. Lowe defeated Lopez via split decision earning his first UFC victory. On January 22, 2011, at

UFC Fight Night 23 ''UFC: Fight for the Troops 2'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 23'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 22, 2011 at Fort Hood, near Killeen, Texas. The event was the third that the UFC has ho ...

, Lowe fought former Shooto welterweight champion, Willamy Freire. Lowe won the fight via unanimous decision after dominating his opponent with superior wrestling and effective ground and pound. Lowe lost to

Nik Lentz Nik Lentz (born August 13, 1984) is an American retired mixed martial artist. He most notably fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, fighting in the lightweight division. Background Lentz was born in El Paso, Texas but grew up in Twin ...

on March 26, 2011, at UFC Fight Night 24. After Lowe won the first and second rounds convincingly, Lentz came back in the third and scored an impressive come-from-behind submission win. Following his loss to Lentz, Lowe was subsequently released from the promotion.

Pro Elite

Lowe signed with

ProElite ProElite, Inc. is an American entertainment and media company involved in the promotion of mixed martial arts (MMA). First incarnation Founded by boxing promoter Gary Shaw and his son Jared in 2006 in partnership with Showtime Networks Inc. (a ...

in October 2011. He made his Pro Elite debut against Floyd Hodges at ProElite: Big Guns. Lowe won via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of the second round.

World Series of Fighting

Lowe made his WSOF debut at World Series of Fighting 2 where he defeated Cameron Dollar by knockout. For his second fight with the promotion, Lowe appeared on the main card in a fight against Georgi Karakhanyan at World Series of Fighting 5 on September 14, 2013. He lost the fight via submission in the first round.

XFC Brazil

Lowe made his XFC Brazil debut, when he faced Marcos dos Santos at XFC International 4 on April 26, 2014. After three close rounds, Lowe would lose via split decision. However, following the fight, the result would later be turned to a no contest. In his next fight in the organization, Lowe faced Deivison Ribeiro for the XFC Featherweight Championship at XFC International 6 on September 27, 2014. He lost the fight via TKO in the fourth round.

Return to Bellator

Lowe faced

Ryan Quinn Ryan Quinn (born January 22, 1987) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2008 until 2017, he competed for Bellator MMA, Titan FC, and CES MMA. Mixed martial arts career Early career Quinn began his MMA car ...

at Bellator 140 on July 17, 2015. He lost the fight by submission in the second round.

Mixed martial arts record

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China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 15–6 (1) , Mateusz Teodorczuk , Decision (unanimous) , Abu Dhabi Warriors 2 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United Arab Emirates , , - , Loss , align=center, 14–6 (1) , Deivison Ribeiro , TKO (head kick and punches) , XFC International 6 , , align=center, 4 , align=center, 0:11 ,

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, Brazil , , - , NC , align=center, 14–5 (1) , Marcos dos Santos , No Contest , XFC International 4 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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, Brazil , , - , Loss , align=center, 14–5 , Georgi Karakhanyan , Submission (guillotine choke) , World Series of Fighting 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:37 ,

Atlantic City Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan sta ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 14–4 , Cameron Dollar , KO (punch) , World Series of Fighting 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:58 ,

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 13–4 , Mike Diggs , TKO (punches) , Pure MMA 2: Next Episode , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:13 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 12–4 , Tim Wadsworth , KO (punch) , Instinct MMA: Instinct Fighting 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:51 ,

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, Canada , , - , Win , align=center, 11–4 , Floyd Hodges , TKO (doctor stoppage) , ProElite: Big Guns , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 10–4 ,

, Submission (guillotine choke) , UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 2:24 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 10–3 , Willamy Freire , Decision (unanimous) , UFC: Fight For The Troops 2 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–3 , Steve Lopez , Decision (split) ,

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 8–3 ,

, TKO (knee to the body) , UFC 114 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:28 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–2 , Steve Berger , KO (punches) , KOTC: Bad Boys II , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:18 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–2 , Chris Barnes , TKO (punches) , 5150 Combat League/XFL: New Year's Revolution , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:12 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–2 , Frank Caraballo , Decision (unanimous) , Bellator 5 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–2 , Jay Ellis , Decision (unanimous) , Extreme Challenge 109 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–2 , Alex Carter , Submission (rear-naked choke) , International Combat Event 32 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:06 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–2 , Andrew Hoogeboom , TKO (punches) , Xtreme Fighting Organization 22 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:43 ,

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–2 , Alonzo Martinez , TKO (submission to punches) , Fightfest: Season 1 Finale , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:07 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–1 , Nick Sorg , TKO (submission to punches) , Fightfest 10 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:59 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–1 , Cody Shipp , Submission (kimura) , Fightfest 7: Battle of the Titans , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:23 ,

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 0–1 , David Love , Submission (guillotine choke) , HOOKnSHOOT: Midwest , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:00 ,

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References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lowe, Waylon 1980 births Living people American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from Tennessee Lightweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling Sportspeople from Coconut Creek, Florida People from Jefferson City, Tennessee Sportspeople from Jefferson County, Tennessee Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters American male sport wrestlers Findlay Oilers athletes College wrestlers in the United States People from Dandridge, Tennessee