Don Frye
Encyclopedia
Donald Frye is a retired American
mixed martial artist
, actor
, and professional wrestler
. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship
events, winning the UFC 8
and Ultimate Ultimate 96
tournaments. He holds notable victories over Ken Shamrock
, Gary Goodridge
(2x), Tank Abbott
, and Gilbert Yvel
legend, then assistant wrestling coach, Dan Severn
. In 1987, he won the freestyle
and Greco-Roman
events during an Olympic qualifier. A year later, he transferred to Oklahoma State, where he encountered another future UFC star amongst his teammates: Randy Couture
.
debut against Luis Mora in Phoenix, Arizona
and won via first round knock out. This was to be his final pro boxing bout.
for the Ultimate Ultimate 1995
, accompanying Severn's entourage to Denver. Severn returned the favour in 1996, when he acted as Frye's manager for UFC 8
. Fighting three times in one night, Frye dispatched all of his opponents in just under a minute total, winning the tournament with relative ease. At this event Frye set the record, since broken by Todd Duffee
, for fastest KO in the UFC at just 8 seconds. However, due to the controversial nature of the event, Frye was barred from both firefighting, his previous occupation in Sierra Vista, Arizona
, and from training in the Buena High School
gym he had used since his ASU
days. Along with Marco Ruas
, Frye is considered one of the original "cross trained" MMA
competitors who had a background in multiple disciplines. Along with his collegiate wrestling experience, Frye holds a 2nd degree black belt in Judo
and a professional boxing
record.
Instantly a fan favorite in the UFC, Frye returned at UFC 9
to take a single bout TKO victory over Brazilian Amaury Bitetti instead of the scheduled Marco Ruas. At UFC 10
, Frye returned to tournament format and defeated Mark Hall and Brian Johnston
both by TKO. But in the finals for UFC 10
, Frye faced his toughest challenge yet - Mark Coleman
. Coleman came out on top via TKO after eleven minutes, handing Frye his first loss in seven fights.
Frye would return to his winning ways at U-Japan in November 1996, taking a submission victory over Mark Hall. Just one month later, Frye entered the UFC's Ultimate Ultimate 96
tournament, held to find the best of the best from past UFC winners and runners up. Frye took wins over Gary Goodridge
, and Mark Hall (for the third time), with both wins coming by submission. In the finals of UU 96, Frye faced feared striker Tank Abbott
, who landed early devastating shots, opening a cut on Frye's face, and causing swelling but Abbott lost his balance and fell, allowing Frye to secure a Rear Naked Choke
, to take the title of Ultimate Ultimate 96
Champion, his second UFC Tournament Championship. After winning the Ultimate Ultimate 96
tournament, Don Frye retired from the UFC.
in August 1997. By 1998, Frye began to rise in the ranks as he quickly became one of the companies lead heels, on April 4, 1998, Frye won the Antonio Final Opponent tournament on April 4, 1998 to earn the right to wrestle New Japan Pro Wrestling founder and wrestling legend: Antonio Inoki
in his retirement match which took place later that night which Frye lost. After a brief feud with Kensuke Sasaki
at end the year, Frye joined Masahiro Chono
's new stable: Team 2000 in early 1999. After joining, Frye would spend most of 1999 and early 2000 feuding with Scott Norton
over the unofficial title of Gaijin Ace, took part in the G1 Tag League in 1999 with Chono, and make two challenges for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but was unsuccessful in each attempt. After being in Team 2000 for two years, Frye left the group, and joined Keiji Mutoh
's new stable: BATT
where he made a third attempt at the IWGP Title but came up short again. In September 2001, Frye won the G1 World Climax tournament (a tournament similar to New Japan's G1 Climax only for gaijins), after the tournament win, Frye left New Japan and returned to Mixed Martial Arts. Frye would make a one time appearance at New Japan's Fighting Spirit Memorial Day Tokyo Dome show on May 2, 2002 where he defeated Tadao Yasuda
.
Frye returned to professional wrestling in 2003 where he competed for Fighting World of Japan on two occasions. He also appeared for All Japan Pro Wrestling
on October 26, 2003 at their 31st Anniversary, challenging Toshiaki Kawada
for the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship but lost. In 2004, Frye returned to New Japan for two appearances as a member of Chono's Black New Japan
stable, teaming with Chono in a tag match defeating Hiroyoshi Tenzan
and Yuji Nagata
and then teaming with Scott Norton
and Manabu Nakanishi
in a winning effort against Shinsuke Nakamura
, Yutaka Yoshie
, and Blue Wolf. On October 2, 2005, Frye took part in the WRESTLE-1 Grand Prix where he lost to Jamal
in the second. On September 8, 2007, Frye lost to Josh Barnett
at Inoki Genome Federation
. In October 2008, Frye wrestled at the Pro Wrestling Expo shows, teaming with Yoshihiro Takayama
in a losing effort to Masahiro Chono
and Scott Norton
on the first day, then losing a six man tag on the third day.
, Frye faced Dutch
kickboxer Gilbert Yvel
, who repeatedly gouged Frye's eyes and was eventually disqualified for continuously holding the ropes. Three months later, at a joint New Year's Eve show Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001 K-1
vs. Inoki
, Frye submitted Cyril Abidi
by Rear Naked Choke. Frye returned to Pride in February 2002, facing long-time rival Ken Shamrock
at Pride 19
. After an exciting hard tough battle, Frye pulled out a decision victory. Even though Shamrock had injured Frye's ankles, later leading to dependency on painkillers, the two hugged after the fight ended, putting an end to their rivalry. Many MMA fans agree that both fighters were never the same again, as both their careers began a steady downturn after the fight.
Just four months after defeating Ken Shamrock, Frye returned to face Japanese professional wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama
at Pride 21
. In a fight that many consider to be one of Pride's most exciting matches, Frye and Takayama clinched in a "hockey fight" pose, each holding the head and hitting, with Takayama finally going to the body after more than a full minute of unrelenting, undefended shots. This would happen three times in the fight, until the referee stopped the bout after Frye mounted Takayama, who was visibly much worse for the wear.
Riding a new wave of popularity, Frye returned at Pride 23
to face Japanese Olympic Gold Medalist Hidehiko Yoshida
. Taking his first loss since fighting Mark Coleman
in 1996, Frye was submitted by Yoshida via armbar in the first round. While Frye did not tap out, the referee stopped the bout in fear of serious injury. Just one month later, Frye fought at the K-1
/Pride New Year's Eve event, Pride Shockwave
, taking on K-1
Champion Jérôme Le Banner
. The match was not a mixed martial arts event as kickboxing
rules were followed. It should be noted that Frye had mentioned in an interview prior to the fight that (besides some knee strikes) he had never thrown a kick in his life. Frye's disadvantage was obvious as he couldn't use his wrestling skills and at 1:30 of the first round Don Frye was knocked out.
Frye took seven months off following the loss to Le Banner, and returned at Pride 26
to try to avenge his loss to Mark Coleman
. In a rather long battle, Frye lost a unanimous decision to Coleman after three rounds. Another rematch was on tap for Pride Shockwave 2003
, when Frye faced Gary Goodridge
for the third time. In a stunning bout that lasted all of 0:39, Goodridge scored a vicious high kick to the head, knocking Frye out completely. He made his Pride return at Pride 34
fighting James Thompson
and lost by strikes.
mixed martial arts promotion Hero's
, which held both kickboxing and mixed martial arts matches. In K-1 MMA-Romanex, Frye faced Japanese firebrand Yoshihiro Nakao
, but the bout was called a no contest
in the first round due to an accidental headbutt. The pair would face off at K-1's New Year's Eve show K-1-Premium 2004 Dynamite to settle the score, with Frye ultimately losing a unanimous decision. After another brief retirement, Frye returned in May 2006 to fight Akebono
at Hero's 5
, winning by guillotine choke in the second round.
Just ten days later, in his first appearance in the US since 1996, Don Frye took on Ruben Villarreal in King of the Cage: Predator
. After three rounds of what many considered to be a lackluster fight, the bout was ruled a draw. 3 months later he defeated Yoshihisa Yamamoto at Hero's 6
using the rear-naked choke in the end of the first round. In his latest appearance, Frye faced Min Soo Kim at Hero's 7
and knocked him out with a punch in the second round.
based Tucson Scorpions
in the International Fight League
, but on November 9, 2007 Don announced on TAGG radio, that he and the IFL had parted ways. They were one of four new teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season. He also wrote a humorous weekly column called "Dear Don: Advice from The Predator" in which he gives fans advice on love, life, friendship, and more. However, Don is currently on MMA Junkie
radio on Fridays on a segment known as "Don Fryedays" which is a follow up to his Dear Don segments from the IFL.
on the debut card for YAMMA Pit Fighting
on April 11 in the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The fight will be the first fight in YAMMA's Masters Division, a division for fighters over the age of 39. However, he had to withdraw due to an injury and was replaced by UFC 1 entree Pat Smith.
Following his tenure with the IFL and a one-off fight with Texas-based promotion NoLimit Fighting, Don Frye competed in his inaugural fight with the DEEP organization, fighting Japanese fan favorite Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa
. Minowa won via kneebar at the 3:56 mark of Round 1, dropping Frye's record in Japan to 8-6. Frye later admitted to not taking the fight seriously and was quoted as saying that he thought he could "charm" his way through the fight with "Minowaman" only to find out "He (Minowa) didn't find me very charming."
Frye faced Ritch Moss on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Shark Fights in Lubbock, Texas. Frye won by Submission (Rear Naked Choke).
On Sep 12, 2009, Frye was defeated by Dave "Pee Wee" Herman
at "Shark Fights 6: Stars & Stripes" PPV at the Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum in Texas.
At the Strikeforce Nashville Event, in an interview with Ariel Helwani, Don said he'd like to fight again, possibly in a rematch with Dave Herman.
Don Frye recently told MiddleEasy.com that he will not be doing commentary for Shark Fights anymore, but on a more positive note he will be competing in mixed martial arts again on card to be announced in China.
(2004), playing the role of Captain Douglas Gordon. In an interview, Frye mentions that unlike his fights where he has complete control, acting in a Godzilla film he had no control but enjoyed the experience nonetheless. The director of the film, Ryuhei Kitamura
, mentioned that he wrote the role with Frye in mind since he was a fan of Frye's fighting matches. Kitamura found Frye's tough-guy/good-heart demeanor to be the perfect role for the character of Gordon. Curiously, for a prominent character in a Japanese-language film, all of his dialogue was spoken in English.
2005 turned out to be a busy year for Frye as he made several appearances. In Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
, he played Rocco Piedra, the father of a wrestling family who dreams on marrying their child off to a famous wrestler. He also appeared in No Rules
and starred in Nagurimono. In 2006, he made an appearance in Miami Vice
and even lent his voice for The Ant Bully
.
Frye is also set to appear in Apparitions: The Darkness (formerly Paper Dolls) and in the Rob Schneider
prison comedy Big Stan
, along with fellow MMA
fighters Randy Couture
and Bob Sapp
.
He played Clarence Hurt, a Texas Ranger, in Public Enemies, by director Michael Mann.
Since he competed in Pride FC, he has also appeared in several commercial ads in Japan. The latest one is a television ad for a yakisoba
product named "UFO" produced by Nissin Foods (an executive officer was a fierce fan of Frye).
His significant popularity in Japan in the 2000s might be attributed to his "good old tough fuddy-daddy" character reminiscent of sheriffs in some '60s American movies.
Frye appeared in an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" entitled "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops," in which he played a professional wrestler that was getting pummeled by Roddy Piper's character, The Maniac. The part did not involve any lines and he is not currently credited on IMDB for it, but his name is in the end credits of the episode.
Frye also appeared in a new AT&T mini-movie advertisement for the Blackberry Bold 9700 entitled "Stay One Step Ahead" during the 2009 holiday season.
, Scottish
and Pennsylvania Dutch
descent.
|align=center| 20–8–1(1)
| Dave Herman
| TKO (punches)
| Shark Fights 6: Stars & Stripes
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:00
| Amarillo, Texas
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 20–7–1(1)
| Ritch Moss
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Shark Fights 4
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:48
| Lubbock, Texas
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 19–7–1(1)
| Ikuhisa Minowa
| Submission (kneebar)
| Deep: Gladiator
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:56
| Okayama, Okayama
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 19–6–1(1)
| Bryan Pardoe
| KO (punches)
| NLF: Heavy Hands
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:47
| Dallas, Texas
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 18–6–1(1)
| James Thompson
| TKO (punches)
| Pride 34
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 6:23
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 18–5–1(1)
| Min Soo Kim
| KO (punch)
| Hero's 7
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:47
| Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 17–5–1(1)
| Yoshihisa Yamamoto
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Hero's 6
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:52
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center| 16–5–1(1)
| Ruben Villareal
| Draw
| King of the Cage: Predator
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Globe, Arizona
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–5(1)
| Akebono Tarō
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| Hero's 5
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:50
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–5(1)
| Yoshihiro Nakao
| Decision (unanimous)
| K-1 Premium 2004 Dynamite
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Osaka, Osaka, Japan
|
|-
| NC
|align=center| 15–4(1)
| Yoshihiro Nakao
| No contest (cut caused by accidental headbutt)
| K-1 MMA ROMANEX
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–4
| Gary Goodridge
| KO (head kick)
| Pride Shockwave 2003
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:39
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–3
| Mark Coleman
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 26
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–2
| Hidehiko Yoshida
| Technical submission (armbar)
| Pride 23
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:32
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–1
| Yoshihiro Takayama
| TKO (punches)
| Pride 21
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 6:10
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
| Wrestling Observer Newsletter 2002 Fight of the Year Award.
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–1
| Ken Shamrock
| Decision (split)
| Pride 19
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–1
| Cyril Abidi
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 0:33
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–1
| Gilbert Yvel
| DQ (eye gouging)
| Pride 16
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 7:27
| Osaka
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–1
| Eric Valdez
| Submission (choke)
| Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation 5
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:49
| Amarillo, Texas
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–1
| Tank Abbott
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Ultimate Ultimate 96
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:22
| Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
| Won Ultimate Ultimate 96 Tournament
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–1
| Mark Hall
| Submission (achilles lock)
| Ultimate Ultimate 96
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:20
| Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–1
| Gary Goodridge
| Submission (fatigue)
| Ultimate Ultimate 96
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 11:19
| Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–1
| Mark Hall
| Submission (forearm choke)
| U-Japan
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:29
| Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 6–1
| Mark Coleman
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 10
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 11:34
| Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
| UFC 10 tournament championship fight
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–0
| Brian Johnston
| Submission (elbow)
| UFC 10
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:37
| Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–0
| Mark Hall
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 10
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 10:21
| Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Amaury Bitetti
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 9
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 9:22
| Detroit, Michigan
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Gary Goodridge
| Submission (position)
| UFC 8
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:14
| Bayamon
, Puerto Rico
| Won UFC 8 tournament
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Sam Adkins
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| UFC 8
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:48
| Bayamon
, Puerto Rico
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Thomas Ramirez
| KO (punch)
| UFC 8
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:08
| Bayamon
, Puerto Rico
|
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. Frye rose to fame fighting in early 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...
events, winning the UFC 8
UFC 8
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico...
and Ultimate Ultimate 96
Ultimate Ultimate 96
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 7, 1996...
tournaments. He holds notable victories over Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
, Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
(2x), Tank Abbott
Tank Abbott
David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...
, and Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Ramon Yvel is a Dutch heavyweight mixed martial artist associated with the Vos Gym training camp in the Netherlands. He has competed in the Pride Fighting Championships, Affliction Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship promotions...
Biography
Don Frye began wrestling at Buena High School in Sierra Vista, Arizona then in college (for Arizona State) in 1984, where he was trained by fellow future Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipUltimate 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...
legend, then assistant wrestling coach, Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
. In 1987, he won the freestyle
Freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
and Greco-Roman
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
events during an Olympic qualifier. A year later, he transferred to Oklahoma State, where he encountered another future UFC star amongst his teammates: Randy Couture
Randy Couture
Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
.
Professional boxing
On August 28, 1989, Frye made his professional boxingProfessional Boxing
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...
debut against Luis Mora in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
and won via first round knock out. This was to be his final pro boxing bout.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
In 1995, Frye helped train his old friend Dan SevernDan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
for the Ultimate Ultimate 1995
Ultimate Ultimate 1995
-External links:***...
, accompanying Severn's entourage to Denver. Severn returned the favour in 1996, when he acted as Frye's manager for UFC 8
UFC 8
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico...
. Fighting three times in one night, Frye dispatched all of his opponents in just under a minute total, winning the tournament with relative ease. At this event Frye set the record, since broken by Todd Duffee
Todd Duffee
Todd Duffee is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. Duffee fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship until his surprise release in September 2010, which came as a result of an apparent dispute with UFC President Dana White.-Background:Duffee was born in...
, for fastest KO in the UFC at just 8 seconds. However, due to the controversial nature of the event, Frye was barred from both firefighting, his previous occupation in Sierra Vista, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, and from training in the Buena High School
Buena High School (Arizona)
Buena High School is a high school in Sierra Vista, Arizona. It is the only high school in the Sierra Vista Unified School District.The current school building was built in the early 1990s to accommodate an ever-expanding student enrollment and opened in the spring of the 1992-93 school year...
gym he had used since his ASU
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
days. Along with Marco Ruas
Marco Ruas
Marco Antônio de Lima Ruas is a retired mixed martial arts fighter and instructor. Most notably, he was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion and is considered one of the earliest examples of the complete mixed martial artist, highly skilled in both striking and grappling.-Biography:Ruas is famous for...
, Frye is considered one of the original "cross trained" MMA
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...
competitors who had a background in multiple disciplines. Along with his collegiate wrestling experience, Frye holds a 2nd degree black belt in Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and a professional boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
record.
Instantly a fan favorite in the UFC, Frye returned at UFC 9
UFC 9
UFC 9: Motor City Madness was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 17, 1996, at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan...
to take a single bout TKO victory over Brazilian Amaury Bitetti instead of the scheduled Marco Ruas. At UFC 10
UFC 10
-External links:***...
, Frye returned to tournament format and defeated Mark Hall and Brian Johnston
Brian Johnston (fighter)
Brian Johnston was a mixed martial artist who competed throughout the mid 1990s, most notably in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His effective mix of precision striking and ground fighting, as seen with other fighters such as Marco Ruas, would set the standard for what are now common traits in...
both by TKO. But in the finals for UFC 10
UFC 10
-External links:***...
, Frye faced his toughest challenge yet - Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
. Coleman came out on top via TKO after eleven minutes, handing Frye his first loss in seven fights.
Frye would return to his winning ways at U-Japan in November 1996, taking a submission victory over Mark Hall. Just one month later, Frye entered the UFC's Ultimate Ultimate 96
Ultimate Ultimate 96
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 7, 1996...
tournament, held to find the best of the best from past UFC winners and runners up. Frye took wins over Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
, and Mark Hall (for the third time), with both wins coming by submission. In the finals of UU 96, Frye faced feared striker Tank Abbott
David L. Abbott
David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...
, who landed early devastating shots, opening a cut on Frye's face, and causing swelling but Abbott lost his balance and fell, allowing Frye to secure a Rear Naked Choke
Rear naked choke
The Rear naked choke is a chokehold in martial arts applied from an opponent's back. Depending on the context, the term may refer to one of two variations of the technique, either arm can be used to apply the choke in both cases...
, to take the title of Ultimate Ultimate 96
Ultimate Ultimate 96
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 7, 1996...
Champion, his second UFC Tournament Championship. After winning the Ultimate Ultimate 96
Ultimate Ultimate 96
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 7, 1996...
tournament, Don Frye retired from the UFC.
Professional Wrestling
After leaving the UFC, Frye went into professional wrestling and debuted for New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
in August 1997. By 1998, Frye began to rise in the ranks as he quickly became one of the companies lead heels, on April 4, 1998, Frye won the Antonio Final Opponent tournament on April 4, 1998 to earn the right to wrestle New Japan Pro Wrestling founder and wrestling legend: Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
in his retirement match which took place later that night which Frye lost. After a brief feud with Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
at end the year, Frye joined Masahiro Chono
Masahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
's new stable: Team 2000 in early 1999. After joining, Frye would spend most of 1999 and early 2000 feuding with Scott Norton
Scott Norton
Scott Michael Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Before wrestling:...
over the unofficial title of Gaijin Ace, took part in the G1 Tag League in 1999 with Chono, and make two challenges for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but was unsuccessful in each attempt. After being in Team 2000 for two years, Frye left the group, and joined Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
's new stable: BATT
BATT (professional wrestling)
BATT was a professional wrestling stable that competed in both New Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling from 2001 to 2002. The name: BATT is short for "Bad Ass Translate Trading", meaning a group of wrestlers that crossed borders...
where he made a third attempt at the IWGP Title but came up short again. In September 2001, Frye won the G1 World Climax tournament (a tournament similar to New Japan's G1 Climax only for gaijins), after the tournament win, Frye left New Japan and returned to Mixed Martial Arts. Frye would make a one time appearance at New Japan's Fighting Spirit Memorial Day Tokyo Dome show on May 2, 2002 where he defeated Tadao Yasuda
Tadao Yasuda
Tadao Yasuda is a retired sumo and professional wrestler from Ōta, Tokyo, Japan. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992, under the shikona of Takanofuji, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011.-Sumo career:He made his...
.
Frye returned to professional wrestling in 2003 where he competed for Fighting World of Japan on two occasions. He also appeared for All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
on October 26, 2003 at their 31st Anniversary, challenging Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
for the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship but lost. In 2004, Frye returned to New Japan for two appearances as a member of Chono's Black New Japan
Black New Japan
Black New Japan was a professional wrestling stable that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Black New Japan was led by Masahiro Chono and was one of many of Chono's anti-New Japan stables.-History:...
stable, teaming with Chono in a tag match defeating Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Hiroyoshi Tenzan
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the Real World Tag League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Climax Tag League in NJPW becoming in the only tag team which has done...
and Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
and then teaming with Scott Norton
Scott Norton
Scott Michael Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Before wrestling:...
and Manabu Nakanishi
Manabu Nakanishi
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur wrestling career:...
in a winning effort against Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
, Yutaka Yoshie
Yutaka Yoshie
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer in Japan, performing for promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1...
, and Blue Wolf. On October 2, 2005, Frye took part in the WRESTLE-1 Grand Prix where he lost to Jamal
Eddie Fatu
Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga...
in the second. On September 8, 2007, Frye lost to Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett
Joshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...
at Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.The IGF is now also the official National Wrestling Alliance territory of Japan, since Antonio Inoki is the person who holds those rights and transferred them to IGF from New Japan Pro...
. In October 2008, Frye wrestled at the Pro Wrestling Expo shows, teaming with Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
in a losing effort to Masahiro Chono
Masahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
and Scott Norton
Scott Norton
Scott Michael Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Before wrestling:...
on the first day, then losing a six man tag on the third day.
Pride Fighting Championships
In 2001, because of his Japanese Pro-wrestling career Frye was still a successful celebrity in Japan, Pride Fighting Championships signed The Predator to a multi fight contract. Appearing for the first time in five years, Frye was noticeably bigger, ripped and seemed much stronger. In a controversial bout at Pride 16PRIDE 16
Pride 16: Beasts From the East was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships on September 24, 2001 at the Osaka Castle Hall in Japan. The fight card featured 7 fights that night, including the return of Don Frye to MMA...
, Frye faced Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
kickboxer Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Ramon Yvel is a Dutch heavyweight mixed martial artist associated with the Vos Gym training camp in the Netherlands. He has competed in the Pride Fighting Championships, Affliction Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship promotions...
, who repeatedly gouged Frye's eyes and was eventually disqualified for continuously holding the ropes. Three months later, at a joint New Year's Eve show Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001 K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
vs. Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
, Frye submitted Cyril Abidi
Cyril Abidi
Cyril "Marseille Bad Boy" Abidi is a French former super heavyweight kickboxer. His road to fame started in 2000 when he entered K-1 and created a huge upset with a first round knockout win over legendary Peter Aerts....
by Rear Naked Choke. Frye returned to Pride in February 2002, facing long-time rival Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
at Pride 19
PRIDE 19
Pride 19: Bad Blood was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on February 24, 2002.-Results:...
. After an exciting hard tough battle, Frye pulled out a decision victory. Even though Shamrock had injured Frye's ankles, later leading to dependency on painkillers, the two hugged after the fight ended, putting an end to their rivalry. Many MMA fans agree that both fighters were never the same again, as both their careers began a steady downturn after the fight.
Just four months after defeating Ken Shamrock, Frye returned to face Japanese professional wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
at Pride 21
PRIDE 21
Pride 21: Demolition was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on June 23, 2002.-Results:...
. In a fight that many consider to be one of Pride's most exciting matches, Frye and Takayama clinched in a "hockey fight" pose, each holding the head and hitting, with Takayama finally going to the body after more than a full minute of unrelenting, undefended shots. This would happen three times in the fight, until the referee stopped the bout after Frye mounted Takayama, who was visibly much worse for the wear.
Riding a new wave of popularity, Frye returned at Pride 23
PRIDE 23
Pride 23: Championship Chaos 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 24, 2002.- Jerrel Venetiaan vs. Hirotaka Yokoi:...
to face Japanese Olympic Gold Medalist Hidehiko Yoshida
Hidehiko Yoshida
is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
. Taking his first loss since fighting Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
in 1996, Frye was submitted by Yoshida via armbar in the first round. While Frye did not tap out, the referee stopped the bout in fear of serious injury. Just one month later, Frye fought at the K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
/Pride New Year's Eve event, Pride Shockwave
PRIDE Shockwave
PRIDE Shockwave was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event co-promoted by the PRIDE Fighting Championships and K-1 promotions on August 28, 2002. It was held at the Tokyo National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. This event holds the Pride FC attendance record with 91,107 spectators...
, taking on K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
Champion Jérôme Le Banner
Jérôme Le Banner
Jérôme "Geronimo" Le Banner , is a French kickboxer and K-1 superstar, famous for his aggressive fighting style and knockout power....
. The match was not a mixed martial arts event as kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
rules were followed. It should be noted that Frye had mentioned in an interview prior to the fight that (besides some knee strikes) he had never thrown a kick in his life. Frye's disadvantage was obvious as he couldn't use his wrestling skills and at 1:30 of the first round Don Frye was knocked out.
Frye took seven months off following the loss to Le Banner, and returned at Pride 26
PRIDE 26
Pride 26: Bad to the Bone was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on June 8, 2003....
to try to avenge his loss to Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
. In a rather long battle, Frye lost a unanimous decision to Coleman after three rounds. Another rematch was on tap for Pride Shockwave 2003
PRIDE Shockwave 2003
Pride Shockwave 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. Gary Goodridge announced he would retire from Pride. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2003.- Quinton Jackson vs. Ikuhisa Minowa:Jackson defeated Minowa by TKO ...
, when Frye faced Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
for the third time. In a stunning bout that lasted all of 0:39, Goodridge scored a vicious high kick to the head, knocking Frye out completely. He made his Pride return at Pride 34
PRIDE 34
Pride 34: Kamikaze was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships on April 8, 2007 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.-Background:...
fighting James Thompson
James Thompson (fighter)
James Thompson is an English mixed martial artist. He fights as a heavyweight and has appeared in such promotions as Elite Xtreme Combat , Pride Fighting Championship, and Cage Rage. He is known for rushing his opponents at the start of the bout.-Biography:James Thompson grew up in Rochdale,...
and lost by strikes.
K-1 and Hero's
In 2004 Frye signed with Japan's K-1K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
mixed martial arts promotion Hero's
HERO'S
Hero's was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion operated by Fighting and Entertainment Group, the parent entity behind kickboxing organization K-1. Grown from and branched off of K-1's earlier experiments in MMA, including the K-1 Romanex event and various MMA fights on its regular K-1...
, which held both kickboxing and mixed martial arts matches. In K-1 MMA-Romanex, Frye faced Japanese firebrand Yoshihiro Nakao
Yoshihiro Nakao
Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao is a Japanese heavyweight mixed martial artist and former K-1 kickboxer who has defeated the likes of Don Frye, Jim York, Wesley Correira, and Edson Draggo. He is currently under contract to fight for DREAM and World Victory Road promotions...
, but the bout was called a no contest
No contest (boxing)
No contest is a technical term used in some combat sports to describe a fight that ends for reasons outside the fighters' hands.-Boxing:...
in the first round due to an accidental headbutt. The pair would face off at K-1's New Year's Eve show K-1-Premium 2004 Dynamite to settle the score, with Frye ultimately losing a unanimous decision. After another brief retirement, Frye returned in May 2006 to fight Akebono
Akebono Taro
is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
at Hero's 5
Hero's 5
Hero's 5: 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix Opening Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on May 3, 2006 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.The opening round of the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix was held at the event...
, winning by guillotine choke in the second round.
Just ten days later, in his first appearance in the US since 1996, Don Frye took on Ruben Villarreal in King of the Cage: Predator
King of the Cage
King of the Cage, also known as KOTC, is a mixed martial arts promotion based in Southern California, USA.-History:KOTC was founded in 1998 by Terry Trebilcock. KOTC features up and coming MMA stars as well as experienced combat fighters....
. After three rounds of what many considered to be a lackluster fight, the bout was ruled a draw. 3 months later he defeated Yoshihisa Yamamoto at Hero's 6
Hero's 6
Hero's 6 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on August 5, 2006 at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan.The quarter-finals of the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix was held at the event. The opening round had took place at the previous event...
using the rear-naked choke in the end of the first round. In his latest appearance, Frye faced Min Soo Kim at Hero's 7
Hero's 7
Hero's 7 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on October 9, 2006 at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan.The semi-finals and final of both the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix and the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix were held at the event....
and knocked him out with a punch in the second round.
International Fight League
In 2007 Frye assembled and coached the ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
based Tucson Scorpions
Tucson Scorpions
The Tucson Scorpions are an International Fight League team based in Tucson, Arizona. Coached by MMA and UFC legend Don Frye, the Scorpions were one of four new teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season.-Record/Roster:...
in the International Fight League
International Fight League
The International Fight League was an American mixed martial arts promotion billed as the world's first MMA league. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008...
, but on November 9, 2007 Don announced on TAGG radio, that he and the IFL had parted ways. They were one of four new teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season. He also wrote a humorous weekly column called "Dear Don: Advice from The Predator" in which he gives fans advice on love, life, friendship, and more. However, Don is currently on MMA Junkie
MMAjunkie.com
MMAjunkie.com aka MMAjunkie is a news website that covers the sport of mixed martial arts .-Overview:MMAjunkie.com is an independent news site covering the latest MMA news...
radio on Fridays on a segment known as "Don Fryedays" which is a follow up to his Dear Don segments from the IFL.
Post IFL
On February 8, 2008, Frye announced on TAGG Radio that he would be fighting Oleg TaktarovOleg Taktarov
Oleg Nikolaevich Taktarov is a retired Russian mixed martial artist and actor. He is a practitioner of Sambo and Judo and has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships. Taktarov was the UFC 6 tournament champion and holds notable wins over Marco Ruas and David...
on the debut card for YAMMA Pit Fighting
YAMMA Pit Fighting
Yamma Pit Fighting was a mixed martial arts promotion that was created by original UFC promoter Bob Meyrowitz. The promotion's first and only event, YAMMA 1, was held on April 11, 2008 in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the Trump Taj Mahal....
on April 11 in the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The fight will be the first fight in YAMMA's Masters Division, a division for fighters over the age of 39. However, he had to withdraw due to an injury and was replaced by UFC 1 entree Pat Smith.
Following his tenure with the IFL and a one-off fight with Texas-based promotion NoLimit Fighting, Don Frye competed in his inaugural fight with the DEEP organization, fighting Japanese fan favorite Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa
Ikuhisa Minowa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and pro wrestler currently competing in Dream as . He was a long time veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotions such as K-1 HERO'S, Cage Rage, UFC, and DEEP. At 5'9" he is notable for taking...
. Minowa won via kneebar at the 3:56 mark of Round 1, dropping Frye's record in Japan to 8-6. Frye later admitted to not taking the fight seriously and was quoted as saying that he thought he could "charm" his way through the fight with "Minowaman" only to find out "He (Minowa) didn't find me very charming."
Frye faced Ritch Moss on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Shark Fights in Lubbock, Texas. Frye won by Submission (Rear Naked Choke).
On Sep 12, 2009, Frye was defeated by Dave "Pee Wee" Herman
Dave Herman (fighter)
Dave Herman is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Herman received a significant amount of buzz from fans and media for being undefeated in his first fifteen fights and beating his opponents impressively, having only been...
at "Shark Fights 6: Stars & Stripes" PPV at the Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum in Texas.
Retirement
When asked in a February 2010 interview if he was definitely retired Frye replied, "Yeah, yeah. I'm done with it. I just lost my desire. A lot of it was the promoters, and the time commitment. You know, to be a top athlete, it's a pretty selfish endeavor." Frye also said he'd like to spend more time with his children.At the Strikeforce Nashville Event, in an interview with Ariel Helwani, Don said he'd like to fight again, possibly in a rematch with Dave Herman.
Don Frye recently told MiddleEasy.com that he will not be doing commentary for Shark Fights anymore, but on a more positive note he will be competing in mixed martial arts again on card to be announced in China.
Acting
Don Frye began acting in movies with Godzilla: Final WarsGodzilla: Final Wars
is a 2004 Japanese science fiction-kaiju film directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, written by Wataru Mimura and Isao Kiriyama and produced by Shogo Tomiyama. It is the twenty-eighth film in the Godzilla film series, and the sixth in terms of the series' Millennium era...
(2004), playing the role of Captain Douglas Gordon. In an interview, Frye mentions that unlike his fights where he has complete control, acting in a Godzilla film he had no control but enjoyed the experience nonetheless. The director of the film, Ryuhei Kitamura
Ryuhei Kitamura
-External links:*...
, mentioned that he wrote the role with Frye in mind since he was a fan of Frye's fighting matches. Kitamura found Frye's tough-guy/good-heart demeanor to be the perfect role for the character of Gordon. Curiously, for a prominent character in a Japanese-language film, all of his dialogue was spoken in English.
2005 turned out to be a busy year for Frye as he made several appearances. In Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy is a 2007 movie starring April Hunter and Joanie Laurer. This Romantic comedy film was premiered at New Jersey & New York on December 1, 2006 and was released on DVD in the United States and the United Kingdom on April 17, 2007 after the films DVD release Just...
, he played Rocco Piedra, the father of a wrestling family who dreams on marrying their child off to a famous wrestler. He also appeared in No Rules
No Rules (film)
No Rules is a 2005 action movie directed by Gerry Anderson. It follows a small-town man, haunted by his parents murder, who wants to become a mixed martial artist.-Cast:* David Dunn as Diamond* Randy Couture as Mason* Tom Sizemore as Kain Diamond...
and starred in Nagurimono. In 2006, he made an appearance in Miami Vice
Miami Vice (film)
Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...
and even lent his voice for The Ant Bully
The Ant Bully
The Ant Bully is a 1999 children's book drawn and written by John Nickle. It is about a young boy named Lucas Nickle , who is the titular character in the book and who likes to torment ants. It was later adapted into a computer-animated film of the same name by John A...
.
Frye is also set to appear in Apparitions: The Darkness (formerly Paper Dolls) and in the Rob Schneider
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
prison comedy Big Stan
Big Stan
Big Stan is a 2007 American comedy film produced, directed by and starring Rob Schneider. It is his directorial debut. Although released in some overseas markets during the fall of 2008, it was released straight to DVD in the U.S. on March 24, 2009. It debuted at number 17 on the DVD rental charts...
, along with fellow MMA
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...
fighters Randy Couture
Randy Couture
Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
and Bob Sapp
Bob Sapp
Robert Malcolm "Bob" Sapp is an American kickboxer, mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, actor, comedian and former professional American football player. Sapp currently has a combined fight record of 21–21–0, mostly fighting in Japan...
.
He played Clarence Hurt, a Texas Ranger, in Public Enemies, by director Michael Mann.
Since he competed in Pride FC, he has also appeared in several commercial ads in Japan. The latest one is a television ad for a yakisoba
Yakisoba
', literally "fried noodles", is a dish often sold at festivals in Japan, but originates in China. The dish was derived by the Chinese from the traditional chow mein, but has been more heavily integrated into Japanese cuisine like ramen...
product named "UFO" produced by Nissin Foods (an executive officer was a fierce fan of Frye).
His significant popularity in Japan in the 2000s might be attributed to his "good old tough fuddy-daddy" character reminiscent of sheriffs in some '60s American movies.
Frye appeared in an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" entitled "The Gang Wrestles for the Troops," in which he played a professional wrestler that was getting pummeled by Roddy Piper's character, The Maniac. The part did not involve any lines and he is not currently credited on IMDB for it, but his name is in the end credits of the episode.
Frye also appeared in a new AT&T mini-movie advertisement for the Blackberry Bold 9700 entitled "Stay One Step Ahead" during the 2009 holiday season.
Personal life
Frye is married and the couple has two daughters. He is of Cherokee, IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
descent.
Mixed martial arts
- Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipUltimate Fighting ChampionshipThe 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...
- UFC 8 Tournament Winner
- UFC Ultimate Ultimate 1996 Tournament Winner
- UFC 10 Tournament Runner-Up
- UFC Viewer's Choice AwardUFC 45UFC 45: Revolution was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on 21 November 2003, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut...
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Fight of the Year (2002)- vs. Yoshihiro Takayama on June 23
Professional Wrestling
- New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
- G1 World Climax Tournament Winner (2001)
- Antonio InokiAntonio Inokiis a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
Final Opponent Tournament Winner (1998)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #175 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
in 1999 - PWI ranked him #247 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003
- PWI ranked him #175 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500
Mixed martial arts record
| Loss|align=center| 20–8–1(1)
| Dave Herman
Dave Herman (fighter)
Dave Herman is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Herman received a significant amount of buzz from fans and media for being undefeated in his first fifteen fights and beating his opponents impressively, having only been...
| TKO (punches)
| Shark Fights 6: Stars & Stripes
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:00
| Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 20–7–1(1)
| Ritch Moss
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Shark Fights 4
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:48
| Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 19–7–1(1)
| Ikuhisa Minowa
Ikuhisa Minowa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and pro wrestler currently competing in Dream as . He was a long time veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotions such as K-1 HERO'S, Cage Rage, UFC, and DEEP. At 5'9" he is notable for taking...
| Submission (kneebar)
| Deep: Gladiator
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:56
| Okayama, Okayama
Okayama, Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of August 2010, the city has an estimated population of 705,224 and a population density of 893 persons per km². The total area is 789.88 km²....
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 19–6–1(1)
| Bryan Pardoe
| KO (punches)
| NLF: Heavy Hands
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:47
| Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 18–6–1(1)
| James Thompson
James Thompson (fighter)
James Thompson is an English mixed martial artist. He fights as a heavyweight and has appeared in such promotions as Elite Xtreme Combat , Pride Fighting Championship, and Cage Rage. He is known for rushing his opponents at the start of the bout.-Biography:James Thompson grew up in Rochdale,...
| TKO (punches)
| Pride 34
PRIDE 34
Pride 34: Kamikaze was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships on April 8, 2007 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 6:23
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 18–5–1(1)
| Min Soo Kim
| KO (punch)
| Hero's 7
Hero's 7
Hero's 7 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on October 9, 2006 at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan.The semi-finals and final of both the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix and the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix were held at the event....
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:47
| Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 17–5–1(1)
| Yoshihisa Yamamoto
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Hero's 6
Hero's 6
Hero's 6 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on August 5, 2006 at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan.The quarter-finals of the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix was held at the event. The opening round had took place at the previous event...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:52
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center| 16–5–1(1)
| Ruben Villareal
Ruben Villareal
Ruben "Warpath" Villareal is an American MMA fighter, former Gladiator Challenge Heavyweight Champion, and former professional wrestler. He has kept his pro-wrestling persona while competing in MMA, including wearing makeup on his face while fighting. He is known for his willingness to fight at...
| Draw
| King of the Cage: Predator
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Globe, Arizona
Globe, Arizona
Globe has an arid climate, characterized by hot summers and moderate to warm winters. Globe's arid climate is somewhat tempered by its elevation, however, leading to slightly cooler temperatures and slightly more precipitation than Phoenix or Yuma....
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–5(1)
| Akebono Tarō
Akebono Taro
is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| Hero's 5
Hero's 5
Hero's 5: 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix Opening Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on May 3, 2006 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.The opening round of the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix was held at the event...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:50
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–5(1)
| Yoshihiro Nakao
Yoshihiro Nakao
Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao is a Japanese heavyweight mixed martial artist and former K-1 kickboxer who has defeated the likes of Don Frye, Jim York, Wesley Correira, and Edson Draggo. He is currently under contract to fight for DREAM and World Victory Road promotions...
| Decision (unanimous)
| K-1 Premium 2004 Dynamite
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Osaka, Osaka, Japan
|
|-
| NC
|align=center| 15–4(1)
| Yoshihiro Nakao
Yoshihiro Nakao
Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao is a Japanese heavyweight mixed martial artist and former K-1 kickboxer who has defeated the likes of Don Frye, Jim York, Wesley Correira, and Edson Draggo. He is currently under contract to fight for DREAM and World Victory Road promotions...
| No contest (cut caused by accidental headbutt)
| K-1 MMA ROMANEX
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–4
| Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
| KO (head kick)
| Pride Shockwave 2003
PRIDE Shockwave 2003
Pride Shockwave 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. Gary Goodridge announced he would retire from Pride. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2003.- Quinton Jackson vs. Ikuhisa Minowa:Jackson defeated Minowa by TKO ...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:39
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–3
| Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 26
PRIDE 26
Pride 26: Bad to the Bone was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on June 8, 2003....
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 15–2
| Hidehiko Yoshida
Hidehiko Yoshida
is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
| Technical submission (armbar)
| Pride 23
PRIDE 23
Pride 23: Championship Chaos 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 24, 2002.- Jerrel Venetiaan vs. Hirotaka Yokoi:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:32
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–1
| Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
| TKO (punches)
| Pride 21
PRIDE 21
Pride 21: Demolition was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on June 23, 2002.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 6:10
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
| Wrestling Observer Newsletter 2002 Fight of the Year Award.
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–1
| Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
| Decision (split)
| Pride 19
PRIDE 19
Pride 19: Bad Blood was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on February 24, 2002.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–1
| Cyril Abidi
Cyril Abidi
Cyril "Marseille Bad Boy" Abidi is a French former super heavyweight kickboxer. His road to fame started in 2000 when he entered K-1 and created a huge upset with a first round knockout win over legendary Peter Aerts....
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001: K-1 vs. Inoki was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Antonio Inoki on December 31, 2001 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan....
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 0:33
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–1
| Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Ramon Yvel is a Dutch heavyweight mixed martial artist associated with the Vos Gym training camp in the Netherlands. He has competed in the Pride Fighting Championships, Affliction Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship promotions...
| DQ (eye gouging)
| Pride 16
PRIDE 16
Pride 16: Beasts From the East was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships on September 24, 2001 at the Osaka Castle Hall in Japan. The fight card featured 7 fights that night, including the return of Don Frye to MMA...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 7:27
| Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–1
| Eric Valdez
| Submission (choke)
| Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation 5
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:49
| Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–1
| Tank Abbott
Tank Abbott
David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Ultimate Ultimate 96
Ultimate Ultimate 96
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 7, 1996...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:22
| Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
| Won Ultimate Ultimate 96 Tournament
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–1
| Mark Hall
| Submission (achilles lock)
| Ultimate Ultimate 96
Ultimate Ultimate 96
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 7, 1996...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:20
| Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–1
| Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
| Submission (fatigue)
| Ultimate Ultimate 96
Ultimate Ultimate 96
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 7, 1996...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 11:19
| Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–1
| Mark Hall
| Submission (forearm choke)
| U-Japan
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:29
| Japan
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 6–1
| Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 10
UFC 10
-External links:***...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 11:34
| Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
| UFC 10 tournament championship fight
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–0
| Brian Johnston
| Submission (elbow)
| UFC 10
UFC 10
-External links:***...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:37
| Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–0
| Mark Hall
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 10
UFC 10
-External links:***...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 10:21
| Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Amaury Bitetti
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 9
UFC 9
UFC 9: Motor City Madness was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 17, 1996, at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 9:22
| Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
| Submission (position)
| UFC 8
UFC 8
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:14
| Bayamon
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
| Won UFC 8 tournament
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Sam Adkins
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| UFC 8
UFC 8
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:48
| Bayamon
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Thomas Ramirez
| KO (punch)
| UFC 8
UFC 8
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:08
| Bayamon
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
|
Kickboxing record
| 0 Wins, 1 Loss, 0 Draw, 0 No Contest | ||||||||
| Record | Date | Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Round, Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | 28 August 2002 | Loss | Jérôme Le Banner Jérôme Le Banner Jérôme "Geronimo" Le Banner , is a French kickboxer and K-1 superstar, famous for his aggressive fighting style and knockout power.... |
KO | Pride Shockwave PRIDE Shockwave PRIDE Shockwave was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event co-promoted by the PRIDE Fighting Championships and K-1 promotions on August 28, 2002. It was held at the Tokyo National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. This event holds the Pride FC attendance record with 91,107 spectators... |
Round 1, 3:30 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
|
Boxing record
| 1 Win, 0 Loss, 0 Draw, 0 No Contest | |||||||
| Record | Date | Result | Opponent | Method | Round, Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–0 | 28 August 1989 | Win | Luis Mora | KO | Round 1 | Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|