Frank Trigg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frank Trigg |
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| Born | May 7, 1972 Kendall, New York, U.S |
| Nickname(s) | Twinkle Toes |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Weight | 181 lb (82 kg) |
| Division |
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| Reach | 71 in (180 cm) |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Fighting out of | Rochester, New York, U.S |
| Team | Xtreme Couture |
| Rank | Black belt in Submission Fighting under Neil Melanson 2nd degree black belt in Judo |
| Wrestling | NCAA Division I Wrestling |
| Years active | 1997–2011 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 30 |
| Wins | 21 |
| By knockout | 12 |
| By submission | 4 |
| By decision | 5 |
| Losses | 9 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 4 |
| By decision | 1 |
| University | University of Oklahoma |
| Notable school(s) | East Ridge JR-SR High School |
Frank Trigg (born May 7, 1972) is an American who used to be a mixed martial artist. He was also a sports commentator, professional wrestler, and TV host. Trigg competed in big fighting organizations like the UFC and Pride Fighting Championships. He also appeared in professional wrestling shows like Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
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Frank Trigg: A Champion Fighter
Frank Trigg started his journey in martial arts by training in Wrestling and Tai Chi. In 1995, he began studying Judo under a former Olympian, Patrick Burris. It was during this time that Trigg earned his first black belt. This also introduced him to the exciting world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).
Early Wrestling Career
In high school, Frank was a state champion wrestler in New York. He first wrestled at Oklahoma State University. Later, he transferred to Phoenix College, where he finished second in the NJCAA championships. He then received a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. After earning his degree in 1997, Trigg became an assistant coach for the wrestling team.
Starting His MMA Journey
Frank Trigg decided to start a professional MMA career. He used the money he earned from fights to travel and compete in international freestyle wrestling tournaments. In 1999, he fought in Japan at Pride 8, winning his match. Less than a year later, in 2000, Trigg became an Olympic Trials Finalist in wrestling.
He realized that a career in professional wrestling and MMA was his next big step. By the end of 2000, Trigg fought for the Shooto world title. He lost this fight, which was his first career defeat.
Success in World Fighting Alliance
From 2001 to 2002, Trigg joined the World Fighting Alliance (WFA). During this time, he was undefeated and held the WFA welterweight title.
Fighting in the UFC
In 2003, Frank Trigg joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which is a top MMA organization. He immediately got a chance to fight for the title against champion Matt Hughes at UFC 45. Trigg lost this fight in the first round.
However, Trigg quickly bounced back. He defeated Dennis Hallman and Renato Verissimo in later UFC events. These wins earned him another shot at Matt Hughes' Welterweight Championship.
Second Fight with Matt Hughes
Their second fight at UFC 52 was very exciting. Trigg almost won, but Hughes made an amazing comeback and defeated him in the first round. This fight is remembered as one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history.
After this, Trigg fought future welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 54. He lost in the first round. This was his last UFC appearance for a few years.
Life After First UFC Run
After leaving the UFC, Trigg competed in a welterweight tournament in 2006. He won his first fight but lost in the second round. He then focused on his job as a broadcaster for Pride FC.
In December 2006, he won the Icon Sport Middleweight title. He successfully defended this title against Kazuo Misaki in February 2007. However, a month later, he lost his title to Robbie Lawler.
Trigg continued to fight in other organizations. He won against Edwin Dewees in 2007 and Makoto Takimoto in Japan in 2008. He also won against Falaniko Vitale and Danny Babcock in 2008 and 2009.
Return to the UFC
In May 2009, Trigg signed a new deal with the UFC. He returned to the welterweight division to face Josh Koscheck at UFC 103. Koscheck won the fight in the first round.
After this loss, Trigg fought former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra at UFC 109. He lost this fight too. Following these two losses, Trigg was released from the UFC again.
Later Career and Retirement
Trigg continued to fight after his second UFC run. He won a fight in Israel in 2010. At BAMMA 6 in 2011, he defeated John Phillips. He was supposed to fight for the Middleweight title at BAMMA 7, but his opponent got injured. Trigg lost his last professional fight in September 2011.
In 2015, Frank Trigg was honored by being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. This was for his second fight against Matt Hughes at UFC 52, which was a memorable match.
Beyond Fighting: Other Roles
Frank Trigg has had many roles outside of MMA fighting.
Professional Wrestling
In 2008, Frank Trigg also worked as an analyst and character in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was part of a storyline with Kurt Angle. At a show called No Surrender (2008), he had an MMA-style match against A.J. Styles, which ended in a draw.
In 2019, Trigg appeared as a trainer for a wrestler named Moose. He even interfered in a match to help Moose win.
MMA Refereeing
Frank Trigg had always been interested in how MMA fights were judged. In 2011, a well-known referee, John McCarthy, offered to train him. Trigg learned how to be an MMA referee and started working amateur fights in 2014. On December 9, 2017, Trigg made his debut as a referee in the UFC.
Personal Life
Frank Trigg has four children: Frankie, Kiara, Stone, and Lavin. His son Stone was born in September 2008, and his son Lavin was born in October 2010.
In 2006, he appeared in an episode of the TV show The King of Queens. Since retiring from fighting, he has mostly worked as a stuntman. He has done a lot of stunt work for the TV show Hawaii Five-0. Frank is also a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, which he joined in 1997 at the University of Oklahoma.
Championships and Accomplishments
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Hall of Fame (Fight Wing, Class of 2015) for his fight against Matt Hughes 2 at UFC 52
- UFC.com Awards
- 2005: Ranked #2 Fight of the Year (vs. Matt Hughes) & Ranked #10 Fight of the Year (vs. Georges St. Pierre)
- World Fighting Alliance
- WFA Welterweight Championship (One time)
- Icon Sport
- Icon Sport Middleweight Championship (One time)
See also
- List of male mixed martial artists
- List of Phi Beta Sigma brothers
