David Branch (fighter) facts for kids

David Branch, born on September 26, 1981, is an American former mixed martial artist. He used to compete as a middleweight fighter. From 2007 to 2023, he fought in many big organizations. These include the UFC, World Series of Fighting, and Bellator. Branch is well-known for being a champion in two different weight classes in the World Series of Fighting. He held both the Light Heavyweight and Middleweight titles.

About David Branch

David Branch was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He grew up in the Bronx, New York. When he was younger, he trained in Karate for about two and a half years. After that, he switched to Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He went to A. Philip Randolph Campus High School in New York.

Branch trained for three years with Michael Casey. Casey was a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Later, David trained with famous MMA fighter Renzo Gracie. He also worked on his striking skills with Jason Strout. After training with Renzo Gracie for about ten years, Branch earned his black belt. Besides MMA, David also won titles in Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions across the country.

His Mixed Martial Arts Career

Starting His Career

David Branch became a professional MMA fighter in 2007. He started his career with a perfect record of three wins and no losses. Because of his strong start, he was soon signed by Bellator.

Fighting in Bellator

Branch made his first appearance in Bellator at Bellator 11. He won his fight against Dennis Olson by submission. This means he made his opponent give up. He won very quickly, in the first round. He later returned to Bellator at Bellator 15. There, he defeated Derrick Mehmen also by submission.

First Time in the UFC

In May 2010, David Branch signed a contract to fight in the UFC. This is one of the biggest MMA organizations. His first UFC fight was at UFC 116. He fought Gerald Harris and lost by knockout. This was his first loss as a professional fighter.

Later, Branch faced Tomasz Drwal at UFC Fight Night 22. He won this fight by a unanimous decision. This was his first victory in the UFC. He then defeated Rich Attonito at The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale. He won that fight by unanimous decision too. His time in the UFC ended after a loss to Rousimar Palhares.

Independent Fights

After leaving the UFC, Branch continued to fight in other promotions. He fought Jeremy May at Shark Fights 15 and won by TKO. He also fought Strikeforce veteran Dominique Steele. Branch won that fight by unanimous decision. He then faced Anthony Johnson at Titan Fighting Championships 22. Branch lost this fight by unanimous decision.

Becoming a Champion in WSOF

David Branch then joined the World Series of Fighting (WSOF). He quickly made a name for himself. He defeated Dustin Jacoby and PRIDE legend Paulo Filho. Both wins were by unanimous decision.

In 2013, WSOF announced a tournament to find its first Middleweight Champion. Branch was one of the four fighters in this tournament. He won his first tournament fight against Danillo Villefort. In the final, he faced Jesse Taylor at World Series of Fighting 10. Branch won by submission, becoming the first-ever WSOF Middleweight Champion.

He successfully defended his Middleweight title three times. One of his defenses was against fellow UFC veteran Yushin Okami. Branch won that fight by TKO.

Branch also entered a tournament for the Light Heavyweight Championship. He won this tournament too, becoming the first fighter in WSOF history to hold titles in two different weight classes at the same time. He defended his Light Heavyweight title against Vinny Magalhães.

Back to the UFC

In 2017, David Branch signed with the UFC again. He returned to fight in the middleweight division. His first fight back was at UFC 211 against Krzysztof Jotko. Branch won this fight by a split decision.

He then faced former UFC champion Luke Rockhold. Branch lost this fight by submission due to strikes. Later, he fought Thiago Santos at UFC Fight Night 128. Branch won this fight by knockout in the first round. This impressive win earned him a special "Performance of the Night" bonus award.

Branch's last fights in the UFC were against Jared Cannonier and Jack Hermansson. He lost both of these fights.

A Break from Fighting

In 2019, David Branch received a suspension. This was because he tested positive for a substance that was not allowed. He was not allowed to compete for two years. After this, he was released from the UFC.

After the UFC

After leaving the UFC, Branch fought Alexander Shlemenko in Russia. He lost that fight by submission. In 2022, he signed with ONE Championship, another big MMA organization. However, he was not cleared to compete in his first scheduled fight there.

Beyond the Ring

David Branch comes from a family of fighters. His brothers, Sechew Powell and Jamelle Hamilton, are both professional boxers.

What He Achieved

David Branch had a very successful career in mixed martial arts.

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Performance of the Night (One time)
• World Series of Fighting
  • WSOF Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
    • One successful title defense
  • WSOF Middleweight Championship (One time)
    • Three successful title defenses
  • WSOF Middleweight Championship Tournament Winner
  • WSOF Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament Winner
  • He was the first fighter to hold championships in two different weight classes in WSOF.
  • He tied for the second most wins in WSOF history (10 wins).
  • He holds the record for the most submission wins in WSOF history (4 wins).
  • He was undefeated in the World Series of Fighting (10 wins, 0 losses).

His Fight Stats