Richard Shay Whitson (born February 11, 1986 in Sitka, Alaska) is a American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom.
Early life[]
Whitson grew up in Sitka, Alaska and attended the local high school, Sitka High School. He graduated from Sitka in 2004 and began work as a commercial fisherman. In 2008, went to work for the Alaskan Forest Service as a trail crewman.[1]
MMA career[]
Richie Whitson got his start in combat sports at a young age, by enrolling in boxing. He competed in amateur competitions throughout high school. Whitson started with MMA after high school and, in 2007, he began fighting for an Alaskan mixed martial arts promotion, Alaska Fighting Championships.[1] Whitson won his first three bouts for the AFC with a submission, a knockout and a decision.[2] Whitson was then offered a fight against veteran fighter Ray Cooper. Whitson defeated Cooper with a first round knockout. Afterward, he decided to make MMA his full time career and began training with Team Quest in California.[1]
He is most known for his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom. He earned himself a spot on the United States team after he defeated Paul Bird via submission in an elimination match. Whitson lost his second fight against the eventual show winner, Ross Pearson via armbar submission in the first round. The loss took Whitson out of the tournament and he was released from his UFC contract.
After the UFC release, he defeated Emiliano Vatti on the Total Combat 33 card. He then beat Leonardo Soares at a Respect in the Cage event that was dedicated to Ultimate Fighter alumni.
Richie will try and earn back his now vacant lightweight title against Harris Sarmiento at X-1: Champions II in Honolulu.[3]
With a win over Harris, Whitson may earn a spot on the undercard of a Bellator event with the possibility of taking a spot in the third season tournament.
MMA record[]
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 12 | 6 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 2 | 0 |
| By submission | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 2 | 1 |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss |  Harris Sarmiento
|
Decision (Split) | X-1: Champions II | March 20, 2010 | 5 | 5:00 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Win |  Leonardo Soares
|
Decision (Unanimous) | RITC: Ultimate Fighter Showdown | September 20, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Pico Rivera, California |
| Win |  Emiliano Vatti
|
Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Total Combat 33 | July 11, 2009 | 1 | 3:12 | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Win | Ray Cooper
|
KO (Punch) | X-1: Legends | May 18, 2008 | 1 | 3:54 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Win | Schon Ellis
|
TKO (Punches) | AFC 47: Lightweight War | May 7, 2008 | 3 | 2:20 | Anchorage, Alaska |
| Win | Jesse Krueber
|
Decision (Unanimous) | AFC 45: High Stakes | March 27, 2007 | 2 | 5:00 | Anchorage, Alaska |
| Win | Joe Degroff
|
Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | AFC 33: Alaska Fighting Championship | March 7, 2007 | 1 | 2:48 | Anchorage, Alaska |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Richie Whitson. UFC.com. Retrieved on April 13, 2009.
- ↑ Fight Finder- Richie Whitson. Sherdog.com. Retrieved on April 13, 2009.
- ↑ http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2010/02/27/x-1-champions-ii-comes-to-honolulu-in-march/
External links[]
Template:The Ultimate Fighter 9
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