Stephen Abas
Encyclopedia
Stephen Anthony Abas (born January 12, 1978) is an American
Olympic
Freestyle wrestler
and Mixed martial artist
. Abas became a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion in the 125 lb (56.7 kg) weight division while attending Fresno State University. He has competed in two world freestyle championships and received a silver medal
at the 2004 Olympic Games
.
after two years as a star wrestler. Prior to JLHS he attended Canyon Springs High School
, in Moreno Valley, California
. He and his brother Gerry Abas were members of the Wan Tu Wazuri wrestling club at Oakland Tech
, Oakland, California
.
Wrestling for California State University, Fresno
from 1998 – 2002, he earned four All-America
n honours at the D1 NCAA
wrestling championships, placing fourth at 118 as a freshman and winning the next three years at the 125 pounds (56.7 kg) weight class. He finished his college career with a 144-4 record, with 46 pins. going undefeated his last two college seasons.
wrestler; he has competed in two world freestyle championships and received a silver medal
at the 2004 Olympic Games
. At the 2005 D1 championships, he was named as one the fifteen greatest wrestlers in NCAA history alongside others standouts such as Kurt Angle
, Cael Sanderson
, Dan Gable
, etc. and was elected to the NCAA 75th Anniversary Wrestling Team.
He tried out for the 2008 USA Olympic Team and reached the finals of the Olympic Trials, losing to Henry Cejudo
in a best of 3 series 2 matches to 1, even though he competed with a damaged knee. In 2008, he retired from competitive wrestling.
, Rani Yahya, KJ Noons, Fabricio Camoes, and Xande Ribeiro.
|Win
|align="center"|2-0
|
Joey de la Cruz
|Decision (Unanimous)
|TPF 5 - Stars and Strikes
|7/9/2010
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|3:00
| Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, Lemoore, California
|
|-
|Win
|align="center"|1-0
| Sam Stevens-Milo
|Decision (Majority)
|TPF 4 - Cinco de Mayhem
|5/5/2010
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|3:00
| Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, Lemoore, California
|
|}
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Freestyle wrestler
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 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...
. Abas became a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion in the 125 lb (56.7 kg) weight division while attending Fresno State University. He has competed in two world freestyle championships and received a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 2004 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
Early life
He graduated from James Logan High SchoolJames Logan High School
James Logan High School is a public secondary school in Union City, California, United States. The school is administrated by the New Haven Unified School District and has an enrollment of more than 4000 students.-Demographics:...
after two years as a star wrestler. Prior to JLHS he attended Canyon Springs High School
Canyon Springs High School
Canyon Springs High School is a public high school located in Moreno Valley, California. Founded in 1987, it is part of the Moreno Valley Unified School District....
, in Moreno Valley, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He and his brother Gerry Abas were members of the Wan Tu Wazuri wrestling club at Oakland Tech
Oakland Technical High School
Oakland Technical High School, known locally as Oakland Tech, or just simply "Tech", is a public high school in Oakland, California, and is operated under the jurisdiction of the Oakland Unified School District.-Background:...
, Oakland, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Wrestling for California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
from 1998 – 2002, he earned four All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n honours at the D1 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
wrestling championships, placing fourth at 118 as a freshman and winning the next three years at the 125 pounds (56.7 kg) weight class. He finished his college career with a 144-4 record, with 46 pins. going undefeated his last two college seasons.
Olympic wrestling career
He is also a decorated freestyleFreestyle 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...
wrestler; he has competed in two world freestyle championships and received a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 2004 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. At the 2005 D1 championships, he was named as one the fifteen greatest wrestlers in NCAA history alongside others standouts such as Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
, Cael Sanderson
Cael Sanderson
Cael Norman Sanderson , is considered one of the greatest American amateur wrestlers of all time. A 2004 Olympic champion in Athens, Greece, he went undefeated in four years of college wrestling at Iowa State University , winning four consecutive NCAA titles...
, Dan Gable
Dan Gable
Dan Gable is an American amateur wrestler. He is famous for having only lost one match in his entire Iowa State University collegiate career—his last, and winning gold at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany while not giving up a single point...
, etc. and was elected to the NCAA 75th Anniversary Wrestling Team.
He tried out for the 2008 USA Olympic Team and reached the finals of the Olympic Trials, losing to Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo is a freestyle wrestler, Olympic gold medalist, and author. Cejudo became an Olympic gold medalist at just 21 years old, the youngest American wrestler to win a gold medal....
in a best of 3 series 2 matches to 1, even though he competed with a damaged knee. In 2008, he retired from competitive wrestling.
Mixed martial arts career
He began a MMA career. He teaches and trains out of The Arena MMA gym in San Diego, alongside other notable athletes such as Diego SanchezDiego Sánchez
Diego J. Sanchez is an American mixed martial artist of Mexican descent, with a background in wrestling and Gaidojutsu, system of submission wrestling developed by his longtime trainer Greg Jackson...
, Rani Yahya, KJ Noons, Fabricio Camoes, and Xande Ribeiro.
MMA record
|-|Win
|align="center"|2-0
|
Joey de la Cruz|Decision (Unanimous)
|TPF 5 - Stars and Strikes
|7/9/2010
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|3:00
|
Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, Lemoore, CaliforniaLemoore, California
Lemoore is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Lemoore is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 230 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
|
|-
|Win
|align="center"|1-0
|
Sam Stevens-Milo|Decision (Majority)
|TPF 4 - Cinco de Mayhem
|5/5/2010
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|3:00
|
Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, Lemoore, CaliforniaLemoore, California
Lemoore is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Lemoore is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 230 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
|
|}