Kris McCray facts for kids

Kris Eric Johannes McCray (born September 24, 1981) is an American former mixed martial artist. He is well-known for being the runner-up on the TV show The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz.

Early Life and Education

Kris McCray was born in Germany on September 24, 1981. His parents are Calvin and Barbara McCray. He has two brothers, Dominic and Thomas. Kris has a diverse background, with African American, Austrian, and Mexican roots.

Because his father was in the Army, Kris lived in Germany and Alabama when he was young. Later, his family moved to Woodbridge, Virginia. He finished high school there in 1998.

Kris then went to college at George Mason University. While studying, he also spent his free time teaching high school wrestling. When he was 21, Kris joined the U.S. Army Reserve and served for six years.

Starting a Mixed Martial Arts Career

Kris McCray began learning martial arts at a young age. When he was just 7 years old, he started training in Tae Kwon Do and Karate. In high school, he was a member of the wrestling team.

During his time in the Army Reserve, Kris started learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu. After returning home, he joined a team called Gold Medal Grappling.

Before becoming a professional fighter, Kris had a perfect record as an amateur. He won all 10 of his amateur fights. His professional career mostly involved fighting for a group called Ultimate Warrior Challenge in Virginia.

Competing on The Ultimate Fighter

Kris McCray was chosen to be a contestant on the eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. This is a TV show where fighters live together and compete. To get into the house, Kris first had to win a fight against Cleburn Walker. He won when Walker had to stop due to a shoulder injury.

Kris was picked by Team Punishment, led by famous fighter Tito Ortiz. For his second fight, he faced Josh Bryant. It was a close fight, but Bryant won by decision after three rounds.

Even though he lost, Kris was given a second chance as a "wildcard" contestant. He then fought Kyacey Uscola. Kris controlled much of the fight and won in the second round by using an americana submission. This win moved him into the quarter-finals.

Next, Kris fought his good friend, Kyle Noke. Kris managed to take Noke down many times, and Noke had trouble stopping him. Kris also defended well against Noke's submission attempts. Kris won this fight by a unanimous decision after three rounds.

This victory led Kris to the semi-finals, where he had a rematch with Josh Bryant. Kris had lost to Bryant earlier, but this time he won by unanimous decision. This meant Kris would go on to the finals to face Court McGee.

Kris set a new record on the show for fighting the most times in one season. He fought five times in total! The show's president, Dana White, even said that Kris had fought "literally every Tuesday" since he joined the house.

Kris then went to the TUF 11 finale. There, he faced Court McGee in the main event.

Fighting in the UFC

At the finale, Kris McCray lost to Court McGee. McGee won in the second round using a rear-naked choke submission. After the show, Kris signed a four-fight deal with the UFC, which is a major mixed martial arts organization.

His first fight under this contract was at UFC 122. He moved to the Welterweight division for this fight. Kris faced Carlos Eduardo Rocha and lost by a kneebar submission in the first round. After this, he changed his training camp. He moved from Washington, D.C., to Toms River, New Jersey, to train with the Renzo Gracie Combat Team.

Kris fought John Hathaway on March 26, 2011, at UFC Fight Night 24. It was a very close fight, but Hathaway won by a split decision. After this loss, Kris was no longer part of the UFC.

Bellator Fighting Championship

After leaving the UFC, Kris McCray signed with Bellator, another big fighting organization. He made his debut with Bellator on April 13, 2012, at Bellator 65. He fought Ailton Barbosa and won the fight by a split decision.

Personal Life

Kris McCray became a father to a daughter when he was 15 years old. According to his social media, he is married.

Mixed Martial Arts Record Summary

Kris McCray's professional fighting career lasted from 2008 to 2015.