Marcus Jones (athlete) facts for kids
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| Position: | Defensive end Defensive tackle |
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| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | August 15, 1973 Jacksonville, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 278 lb (126 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Southwest (Jacksonville) | ||||||
| College: | North Carolina | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Marcus Jones | |
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| Other names | The Darkness Big Baby |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Weight | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Reach | 80 in (203 cm) |
| Fighting out of | Tampa, Florida |
| Team | Gracie Tampa |
| Years active | 2007–2009 (MMA) |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 6 |
| Wins | 4 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| By submission | 1 |
| Losses | 2 |
| By knockout | 2 |
Marcus Edward Jones (born August 15, 1973) is an American athlete. He was a professional football player and later a mixed martial artist. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons.
Marcus Jones was also a cast member on the TV show The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights.
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Early Life and College Football
Marcus Jones was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina. He went to Southwest Onslow High School in Jacksonville. There, he played high school football for the Southwest Stallions team.
He earned a scholarship to the University of North Carolina. He played for the North Carolina Tar Heels football team from 1992 to 1995. Marcus set a record for the most sacks in the Tar Heels' history. In 1995, he was recognized as one of the best college football players in the country.
Professional Football Career
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Marcus Jones in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft. He was the 22nd player chosen overall. He played for the Buccaneers from 1996 to 2002.
During his time with the Buccaneers, he played in 85 games. He started 39 of those games. He also recorded 24 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. In October 2002, he left the Buccaneers. He then briefly joined the Buffalo Bills, but a knee injury ended his time there.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
After his football career, Marcus Jones started training in mixed martial arts (MMA). He trained in Tampa, Florida. He had his first professional MMA fight on October 26, 2007. He won that fight against Will Mora.
He won his next fight too, defeating Eduardo Boza. Marcus then had his first loss to Daniel Perez. After that, he won two more fights in a row. These wins helped him get selected for a TV show.
Competing on The Ultimate Fighter
Marcus Jones became a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights. This TV show is a competition for MMA fighters. Filming for his season began in June 2009.
During the show, Marcus faced some challenges. He had a slight knee injury and also struggled with his stamina. Despite these issues, he had his first fight against Mike Wessel. Marcus won this fight by using an armbar submission. This made him the only fighter from his team to move past the first round.
In the next round, Marcus fought Darrill Schoonover. Marcus won by knocking Schoonover out. This was Schoonover's first loss in MMA. Marcus then moved to the semifinals. He was defeated in the semifinals by Brendan Schaub.
Fighting in the UFC
After The Ultimate Fighter, Marcus Jones had his official debut fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He fought against Matt Mitrione in December 2009. Marcus lost this fight by knockout in the second round.
After this fight, Marcus decided to retire from MMA. He wanted to spend more time with his family.
