Randy Blake facts for kids

Randy “Boom Boom” Blake (born November 25, 1986) is an American kickboxer. He competes in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. These are weight classes in combat sports. He is known for his speed and strong kicks. Randy started training in karate when he was seven years old. Later, he switched to kickboxing.

He first became well-known in the World Combat League. Then, he won the Xtreme Fighting League's Light Heavyweight Kickboxing Championship. He defended this title many times. In 2012, Blake won the ISKA World Heavyweight Muay Thai title. After that, he competed in major kickboxing events like K-1 and Glory.

Early Life and Training

Randy Blake was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His family moved to Owasso, Oklahoma when he was young. He was inspired by the movie Bloodsport. This made him want to start training in karate at age seven.

When he was 16, in 2003, he earned his black belt. His teacher was Dale Cook, a former world kickboxing champion. Today, Randy is a fourth-degree black belt. He also played basketball for Tulsa Community College.

Kickboxing Career Highlights

Randy Blake started his amateur kickboxing career in 2007. He first gained attention fighting for the Oklahoma Destroyers. This was during the 2007–08 season of the World Combat League. He fought in the -88 kg (195 lb) division.

His first fight was against Freddie Espiricueta. Randy won by stopping his opponent with two spinning back kicks. These kicks hit the body. This impressive win earned him the nickname "Boom Boom."

Becoming a Champion (2007–2012)

After fighting in the WCL, Blake became a regular fighter in the Xtreme Fighting League (XFL). This promotion is based in Oklahoma. He won the XFL Light Heavyweight (-93 kg/205 lb) Kickboxing Championship. He was undefeated as a professional, with a record of 20 wins and no losses.

This led to a chance to fight for the vacant ISKA World Heavyweight (-96.4 kg/212 lb) Muay Thai Championship. This fight happened on June 21, 2012, in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His opponent was Mike Sheppard, who had beaten him before in the WCL. During the fight, Blake used the clinch to control Sheppard's head. He landed many knees, which caused a cut on Sheppard's face. The fight was stopped in the fifth round because of the cut. Randy Blake became the new world champion.

Fighting in K-1 (2012)

After winning the world title, Randy Blake was invited to fight in K-1. K-1 was once the biggest kickboxing organization in the world. His first K-1 fight was the main event at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2012 in Los Angeles. This was on September 8, 2012. He fought against experienced fighter Dewey Cooper. The winner would get a spot in the 2012 K-1 World Grand Prix.

Blake won against Cooper by a unanimous decision. This means all the judges agreed he won. This win moved him forward to the K-1 World Grand Prix 2012 in Tokyo final 16 on October 14, 2012. There, he faced Mirko Cro Cop, who later became the champion. Blake received a standing eight count in the second round. This happens when a fighter is knocked down but can continue. Blake said it was a low blow (a hit below the belt). In round three, Blake scored a knockdown of his own. Cro Cop tried to apologize after a slip, but Blake hit him when he wasn't expecting it. Randy lost the fight by a majority decision, which was his first loss.

Less than a month later, on November 16, 2012, he bounced back. He knocked out Deutsch Pu'u with a high kick in the third round at Xtreme Fight Night 10.

Competing in Glory (2013–2014)

In 2013, Blake entered an eight-man tournament. This was part of the "Road to Glory" series. These tournaments help fighters qualify for the Glory promotion. He was expected to win, but he lost in the quarter-finals to Dustin Jacoby. Jacoby was a mixed martial artist who joined the tournament late. In the third round, Blake was hit by a punch that hurt him. This allowed Jacoby to win by technical knockout (TKO).

Even though he lost in the "Road to Glory" tournament, Blake still got a chance to fight in Glory. His first Glory fight was at Glory 9: New York on June 22, 2013. He trained in the Netherlands for six weeks before this fight. He won against his Japanese opponent, Koichi, by unanimous decision. In his next Glory fight, Blake lost to Brian Collette by unanimous decision. This was at Glory 10: Los Angeles on September 28, 2013.

After these Glory fights, Blake returned to the XFL. He won three fights in a row. He beat Roy Boughton, Wayman Carter, and Joe Yager. In his return to Glory, Blake stepped in for an injured fighter. He faced Mourad Bouzidi at Glory 15: Istanbul on April 12, 2014. He trained with other top fighters in Florida for this match. Blake lost to Bouzidi by a clear unanimous decision. He also lost two points in the fight for holding his opponent too much.

Blake won his next Glory fight against Warren Thompson. This was by unanimous decision at Glory 18: Oklahoma on November 7, 2014.

Later Career (2015–Present)

Randy Blake has continued to defend his XFL title many times. He has successfully defended it against fighters like Lucas Overcast, Brian McVea, Tony Lopez, Aundre Groce, Zach Gerullis, Demoreo Dennis, and Evan Nedd.

Personal Life

Randy Blake and his partner have a daughter named Rogue Marcella. She was born in 2021.

Championships and Awards

Kickboxing Titles

• International Sport Karate Association
  • ISKA World Heavyweight (-96.4 kg/212 lb) Muay Thai Championship
• Xtreme Fighting League
  • XFL Heavyweight Kickboxing Championship
  • XFL Light Heavyweight (-93 kg/205 lb) Kickboxing Championship

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