Marcus Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marcus Davis |
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| Born | Marcus Paul Davis August 24, 1973 Houlton, Maine, United States |
| Other names | The Irish Hand Grenade |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 171.5 lb (77.8 kg; 12.25 st) |
| Division | Middleweight Welterweight Lightweight |
| Reach | 70 in (178 cm) |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Fighting out of | Bangor, Maine, United States |
| Team | Team Sityodtong |
| Rank | Black belt in Choi Shin Do Karate |
| Years active | 2003–present (MMA) 1993–2000 (boxing) |
| Professional boxing record | |
| Total | 20 |
| Wins | 17 |
| By knockout | 12 |
| Losses | 1 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| Draws | 2 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 2 |
| Losses | 2 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 35 |
| Wins | 23 |
| By knockout | 6 |
| By submission | 10 |
| By decision | 7 |
| Losses | 11 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 3 |
| By decision | 4 |
| No contests | 1 |
Marcus Paul Davis (born August 24, 1973) is an American professional mixed martial artist and former professional boxer. He is well-known for competing in the UFC. Davis also fought in other big organizations like Bellator MMA and was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 2. He was a professional MMA fighter from 2003 to 2014, and he also boxed professionally from 1993 to 2000.
Marcus Davis: A Fighter's Journey
Early Life and Training
Marcus Davis was born in Houlton, Maine and grew up in Bangor, Maine. He was raised by his single mother alongside his older brother, Ron. Marcus started learning karate when he was eight years old. There were no boxing gyms nearby at that time.
He later began boxing at 14 and had his first amateur match that same year. Marcus attended Bangor High School. He became a professional boxer when he was 18 years old. His boxing career lasted seven years, mostly as a Junior-Middleweight. He had a record of 17 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws.
In 2000, after a loss, Marcus decided to try mixed martial arts (MMA). He found the challenge exciting. In 1995, he started training in grappling. Later, in 1997, he opened his own MMA school in Bangor. He trained with Tim Sylvia and later joined Miletich Fighting Systems. More recently, he has trained with Mark DellaGrotte and his own team, Team Sityodtong, in Bangor.
Starting in Mixed Martial Arts
Marcus Davis began his professional MMA career on August 22, 2003. He won his first fight by TKO in the first round. Even though he later said he was "one-dimensional" (meaning he mostly relied on one skill), he built a record of 3 wins and 2 losses.
Fighting in the UFC
In 2005, Marcus was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 2, a reality TV show for fighters. He was known for his boxing skills. In one episode, he lost to Joe Stevenson by submission. He was later brought back to the show, but didn't fight.
Marcus fought on the undercard of the show's finale, where he lost to Melvin Guillard. After this, he thought about retiring. However, he recovered from a shoulder injury and returned to MMA training. He then won 11 fights in a row, including a successful return to the UFC at Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3: The Final Chapter.
Memorable UFC Fights
At UFC 75 in London, England, Marcus fought Paul Taylor. He was knocked down but recovered and won by submission with an armbar. This fight earned him "Fight of the Night" and "Submission of the Night" awards.
His next fight was a knockout win against Jess Liaudin at UFC 80 in Newcastle, England. Marcus then lost a fight to Mike Swick at UFC 85, which ended his six-fight winning streak in the UFC. He quickly bounced back with a submission win over Paul Kelly at UFC 89.
On January 17, 2009, Davis fought Chris Lytle at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland. Both fighters were former boxers. They promised to stand and trade punches. Marcus won by a split decision, using good footwork and counter-punches. This fight also won "Fight of the Night" honors.
Rivalries and Challenges
On June 13, 2009, Marcus fought Dan Hardy. Their fight became very personal because Hardy made comments about Davis. Hardy won the fight by a close split decision. Marcus was upset with the decision and wanted a rematch.
Marcus then suffered his first knockout loss to Ben Saunders at UFC 106 in November 2009. He broke his nose and had to take a break from fighting. He returned at UFC 113, winning by TKO against Jonathan Goulet.
On August 28, 2010, Marcus lost to Nate Diaz at UFC 118 by submission. After this, he decided to move down to the Lightweight division (155 pounds). He felt his body was better suited for that weight. He fought Jeremy Stephens at UFC 125 on January 1, 2011, and lost by knockout in the third round.
After losing four out of his last five fights, Marcus Davis was released from the UFC on January 6, 2011.
Fighting in Other Organizations
After leaving the UFC, Marcus signed with the MFC. He won his first fight there against Curtis Demarce by split decision. He then defeated Pete Spratt by unanimous decision at MFC 30.
Marcus also fought in other independent promotions. He won against Travis Coyle by submission in September 2011. He later lost a split decision to Chuck O'Neil in October 2011.
In May 2012, Marcus tried kickboxing and challenged Mark Casserly for a world title in Dublin, Ireland. He lost by knockout in the first round. He then returned to MMA, winning against David Bielkheden by unanimous decision in October 2012. He also defeated Darrius Heyliger by unanimous decision in May 2013.
In February 2014, Marcus lost to Ryan Sanders by doctor stoppage TKO.
Bellator MMA and Retirement
Marcus Davis made his Bellator debut on March 21, 2013, against Waachiim Spiritwolf. The fight ended in a "no contest" (meaning no winner or loser was declared). He then faced Alexander Sarnavskiy in a tournament fight at Bellator 101 and lost by submission in the first round.
A comment on his YouTube account suggested that Marcus Davis would retire in 2014.
Return to Competition
However, in July 2020, news came out that Marcus Davis was planning to fight again. He was scheduled to face Nick Alley, but that fight was canceled. He then fought Stephen Stengel on November 19, 2021, at Premier FC 32. Marcus won the fight by submission in the first round.
Beyond the Ring
Marcus Davis has also been involved in other activities. He appeared on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's TV show Impact! in 2008. He was a personal trainer for wrestler Samoa Joe and presented the TNA Championship.
In November 2010, Marcus received a special award from the state of Maine. This award recognized his success as a fighter and how he brought attention to Maine and the sport of mixed martial arts. He also co-hosts a weekly radio show called Pull No Punches Radio. He appeared on Season 2 of Doomsday Preppers as an MMA instructor.
Achievements and Awards
Mixed Martial Arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Knockout of the Night (One time)
- Submission of the Night (One time)
- Fight of the Night (Three times)
- UFC.com Awards
- 2007: Ranked #10 Fighter of the Year (Tied with Kenny Florian) & Ranked #4 Submission of the Year vs. Paul Taylor
Images for kids
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Marcus Davis in the UFC
