Clifford Starks
Encyclopedia
Clifford Starks is an American
professional mixed martial artist
who competes in the middleweight
division. He is currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship
.
and was a teammate of current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez
.
Starks made his professional MMA debut in 2009 and fought primarily for the Rage in the Cage promotion in Arizona. He quickly amassed an undefeated record of 7 wins and 0 losses during the first two years of his career before joining the UFC.
at UFC 137
. He faced fellow UFC newcomer Dustin Jacoby and won the fight via unanimous decision (30-27, 30–27, 30–27).
|Win
|align=center|8–0
|Dustin Jacoby
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 137
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|UFC debut
|-
|Win
|align=center|7–0
|Artenas Young
|Decision (unanimous)
|Shark Fights 20
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Laughlin, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|6–0
|Rudy Aguilar
|TKO (punches)
|Rage in the Cage 152
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:42
|Chandler, Arizona
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5–0
|Roe Harris
|KO (punch)
|Rage in the Cage 151
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:59
|Chandler, Arizona
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4–0
|Tony Johnson
|Decision (unanimous)
|MEZ Sports - Pandemonium 4
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Riverside, California
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3–0
|Mike Heidenreich
|TKO (punches)
|Rage in the Cage 144
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:23
|Chandler, Arizona
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2–0
|Reyes Ortiz
|Decision (split)
|Rage in the Cage 139
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Tucson, Arizona
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
|Chad Menneke
|Submission (keylock)
|Rage in the Cage 138
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:35
|Mesa, Arizona
, United States
|
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
who competes in the middleweight
Middleweight (MMA)
The middleweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Strikeforce's middleweight division, which groups competitors within 171 to 185 lb...
division. He is currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
.
Early career
Starks was a NCAA division 1 wrestler at Arizona State UniversityArizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
and was a teammate of current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez
Cain Velasquez
Cain Ramirez Velasquez is an American mixed martial artist fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is a two-time All-American collegiate wrestler from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and a Junior College National Champ at Iowa...
.
Starks made his professional MMA debut in 2009 and fought primarily for the Rage in the Cage promotion in Arizona. He quickly amassed an undefeated record of 7 wins and 0 losses during the first two years of his career before joining the UFC.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Starks made his UFC debut less than two weeks removed from his last fight as a short-notice replacement for injured Brad TavaresBrad Tavares
Brad Tavares is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Tavares fought in local promotions...
at UFC 137
UFC 137
UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 29, 2011 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
. He faced fellow UFC newcomer Dustin Jacoby and won the fight via unanimous decision (30-27, 30–27, 30–27).
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Win
|align=center|8–0
|Dustin Jacoby
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 137
UFC 137
UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 29, 2011 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|UFC debut
|-
|Win
|align=center|7–0
|Artenas Young
|Decision (unanimous)
|Shark Fights 20
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Laughlin, Nevada
Laughlin, Nevada
Laughlin is a census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States, and a port located on the Colorado River. Laughlin is south of Las Vegas, located in the far southern tip of Nevada. It is best known for its gaming, entertainment, and water recreation. As of the 2010 census, the...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|6–0
|Rudy Aguilar
|TKO (punches)
|Rage in the Cage 152
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:42
|Chandler, Arizona
Chandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5–0
|Roe Harris
|KO (punch)
|Rage in the Cage 151
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:59
|Chandler, Arizona
Chandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4–0
|Tony Johnson
|Decision (unanimous)
|MEZ Sports - Pandemonium 4
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3–0
|Mike Heidenreich
|TKO (punches)
|Rage in the Cage 144
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:23
|Chandler, Arizona
Chandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2–0
|Reyes Ortiz
|Decision (split)
|Rage in the Cage 139
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
|Chad Menneke
|Submission (keylock)
|Rage in the Cage 138
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:35
|Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
, United States
|