Origin Stories
The origin stories of MMA's greatest fighters. How legends were made.
The Soldier of God: Yoel Romero
From Pinar del Río to the UFC to Bellator to BKFC to RAF to Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA. Yoel Romero has competed in eight promotions across five disciplines since 2020 and just broke Alex Nicholson's jaw at 49 years old. The Soldier of God origin story.
The Professor Finesser: The Construction Worker Who's Quietly Becoming the Scariest Bantamweight Prospect
Ethyn Ewing took his UFC debut on two days notice at MSG, beat an undefeated fighter, then went back to his construction job. Three months later he KO'd another undefeated prospect. The bantamweight nobody is watching is about to be the one everybody's talking about.
The Invoice Guy From Perth Who Became UFC Welterweight Champion
JDM lost his first two pro fights in Perth. Then he won the Eternal MMA title, worked a desk job at Key Factors, got a UFC contract, won eight straight, and became welterweight champion. Now he's home to face the scariest finisher in the division.
Ryan Spann: The "Superman" Story Nobody Is Telling
Ryan Spann went from a 15 second Contender Series loss and severe depression to a UFC contract in under a year. Now he's 34, fighting at heavyweight, and just earned a $100K bonus for KO'ing one of the greatest BJJ competitors alive.
The Funk Master Origin Story: How Aljamain Sterling Went From Uniondale to UFC Champion
Aljamain Sterling grew up with 20 siblings in Uniondale, New York. Brothers in gangs. Friends getting shot. Then a wrestling coach saved his life. Now at 36 he just dominated Zalal at UFC Vegas 116 and is chasing a second divisional title at featherweight.
Josh Hokit Stole Joe Rogan's Mic, Beat Curtis Blaydes, and Is the Most Polarizing Heavyweight in the UFC
Josh Hokit just beat Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 to move to 9-0 with all finishes. The full story on the two sport Fresno State All American who quit the NFL over the vaccine mandate, stole Joe Rogan's mic during fight week, and is somehow already the most polarizing heavyweight in the UFC.
Cub Swanson Walks One Last Time on Saturday and the WEC Officially Dies With Him
Cub Swanson takes his final walk at UFC 327 on Saturday in Miami against Nate Landwehr. The last WEC fighter on the UFC roster goes out after 21 years, 44 pro fights, and 11 record-setting bonuses.
The UFC's Youngest Female Fighter Just Got Her First Win With a Brutal Knee KO
Alice Pereira started martial arts as a hobby in 2022. By 2024 she was the Cage Masters champion calling out the UFC on a custom t-shirt. Mick Maynard signed her on Christmas Eve. Tonight at UFC Vegas 115 she knocked Hailey Cowan out cold with a knee at 20 years old.
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev: The Chechen Plumber Who Holds the Fastest Submission in UFC Light Heavyweight History
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev was born in a war zone, worked as a plumber, moved across three countries, and set the record for the fastest submission in UFC light heavyweight history in his debut. He's 8-0 with six first round finishes and fights tomorrow at UFC Vegas 115.
Luke Riley: 13-0, Nine Knockouts, and the UFC Already Knows He's a Star
13-0 with nine KOs. Co-headlining UFC London in his second fight. Training with Paddy Pimblett at the gym that keeps producing UFC stars. Luke Riley is 26 and the featherweight division isn't ready for what's coming out of Liverpool.
Demetrious Johnson Was Working Full Time Jobs Until His First Title Fight. Last Night the UFC Put Him in the Hall of Fame.
A kid from a low income neighborhood in Parkland, Washington who ran 100 miles for a gold medal in middle school, worked full time jobs until the UFC gave him a title shot, and then defended that title 11 consecutive times. Demetrious Johnson is finally in the Hall of Fame.
Lone'er Kavanagh: The Little Dragon From London Who's About to Take Over the Flyweight Division
A five-time K-1 world champion with a 2-2-2 amateur MMA record who turned everything around. Lone'er Kavanagh is 26, ranked #6 at flyweight, and just outpointed a former two time champion in his home country on short notice. The little dragon is breathing fire.
Mandel Nallo Takes Photos of Dead Rats, Calls Himself 'Rat Garbage,' and Just Started Knocking People Out in the UFC at 37 Years Old
A Jackie Chan fan from Vancouver Island who moved to Ghana at 10, discovered fighting at 15, and spent 13 years grinding before the UFC finally called. Mandel Nallo is 1-0 in the octagon with 12 first-round finishes on his record. The rat survives.
Mansur Abdul-Malik Started Fighting Because He Wanted to Be a Ninja Turtle. Now He's the Most Dangerous Prospect Nobody's Talking About
Mansur Abdul-Malik started martial arts at six because he wanted to be a Ninja Turtle. He wrestled at 285 pounds in college with a 1-12 record. Now he's 9-0-1 in MMA and finishing everyone in the UFC.
Michael 'Venom' Page Just Got Booed in His Own Country and Still Climbed the Rankings. His Story Is Way Crazier Than You Think
Michael 'Venom' Page started kung fu at three, won 10 world kickboxing titles, and turned down the Olympics. Now he's 4-1 in the UFC, climbing the welterweight rankings, and getting booed in his own country.
Who Is Salahdine Parnasse? KSW Double Champ Fighting on Netflix May 16
Baisangur Susurkaev: The Chechen Who Fought Twice in One Week and Won Both
Bro, I need to tell you about this dude because what he did last August might be the craziest week any fighter has ever had in the UFC.
Ateba Gautier: The Silent Assassin From Cameroon Nobody Sees Coming
Ateba Gautier is 23, from Cameroon, 10-1 with 8 KOs, and has three first-round UFC finishes. He left everything behind at 19 to move to Manchester and now he's the scariest middleweight prospect on the roster.
Marwan Rahiki Left His Entire Family in Morocco at 19 to Chase MMA. Last Night He Broke a Man's Jaw in His UFC Debut.
Marwan Rahiki left Morocco at 19, moved to Australia alone, went 8-0 with all finishes, survived getting dropped twice on the Contender Series, and just broke Harry Hardwick's jaw in his UFC debut last night.
Manoel Sousa Used to Open 1,000 Coconuts a Day for $10. He Just Won His UFC Debut by Knockout
Manoel Sousa grew up cracking 1,000 coconuts a day for $10, lived at his gym for 8 years, knocked out Mauricio Ruffy before anyone knew his name, and just won his UFC debut by KO tonight.
Kevin Vallejos Headlines His First UFC Main Event Tonight and Most of You Still Don't Know His Name
Kevin Vallejos is 17-1 with 14 stoppages, ranked #14 at featherweight, and headlines his first UFC main event tonight against Josh Emmett. The kid from Argentina is just getting started.
Elijah Smith Was Supposed to Play Football. Now He's Powerbombing People in the UFC
Elijah Smith was supposed to play college football. Then COVID killed that plan, he walked into his dad's UFC gym, and four years later he's delivering powerbomb knockouts on national TV.
Quillan Salkilld: From Skateboarding in the Middle of Nowhere to Knocking People Out in the UFC
Quillan Salkilld grew up skateboarding in a remote Australian town, never went to college, and is now 4-0 in the UFC with three Performance of the Night bonuses. His story is wild.
David Martinez: The UFC's Doctor of Violence Nobody Saw Coming
David Martinez went from medical school at UNAM to the UFC bantamweight top 10 in under two years. The origin story of MMA's most dangerous doctor.
From Coal Mines to Championship Gold: The Origin of Cody Garbrandt
Drug addict father. Stabbed in a bar fight. A pact with a kid fighting cancer. Then a UFC title. The Cody Garbrandt origin story
From South Auckland Streets to the K-1 World Grand Prix: The Origin of Mark Hunt
Beaten as a child. In prison twice by 18. Then a nightclub brawl changed everything.
The Origin of Tito Ortiz: From Juvenile Hall to the UFC Light Heavyweight Throne
Juvenile hall. Heroin addicted parents. Selling fish at seven. How Tito Ortiz clawed his way to the UFC Light Heavyweight throne.
Islam Makhachev Origin Story: From a Dagestani Village to UFC Double Champion
How Islam Makhachev went from a mountain village in Dagestan to UFC double champion.
Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez: The Rise Nobody Saw Coming
Tomorrow night at UFC Houston, Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez steps into the main event against former middleweight champion Sean Strickland. And on the eve of the biggest fight of his career, he's carrying more than just an 8 fight win streak into that cage. He's carrying his dad.
Tank Abbott: The Original MMA Villain
Before heel turns became common, Tank Abbott was terrifying opponents and audiences alike. The story of the man who made MMA dangerous.