Shonie Carter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shonie Carter |
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| Born | May 3, 1972 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Other names | Mr. International |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg) |
| Division | Welterweight Middleweight Light Heavyweight |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Fighting out of | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Team | Iron Academy |
| Rank | Black belt in Judo Black belt in Jujutsu Black belt in Shidokan Karate |
| Years active | 1997–2017 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 62 |
| Wins | 57 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 0 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 91 |
| Wins | 51 |
| By knockout | 12 |
| By submission | 15 |
| By decision | 24 |
| Losses | 32 |
| By knockout | 11 |
| By submission | 3 |
| By decision | 18 |
| Draws | 7 |
| No contests | 1 |
| Other information | |
| University | Triton Community College Carson–Newman College |
Shonie Carter (born May 3, 1972) is a retired American mixed martial artist, also known by his nickname "Mr. International." Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a sport that combines techniques from different fighting styles. Carter was famous for his flashy outfits, fun personality, and a special move called the spinning backfist.
During his long career, he became a WEC Welterweight Champion and fought in many big organizations like the UFC. He was also a contestant on the reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter 4.
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Early Life and Training
Shonie Carter was born in Chicago, Illinois. Before becoming a professional fighter, he served for six years in the United States Marine Corps.
His journey in martial arts began with Wrestling at Triton College. He later went to Carson-Newman College in Tennessee, where he started learning Judo and Jujutsu. He was a very talented wrestler and even competed in the Olympic trials.
Carter was a quick learner in Judo. After only one semester, he entered a state championship and won titles in two divisions. He also placed second in the Black Belt division, which was a huge achievement. His instructor was so impressed that he awarded Carter his Brown Belt. Later, Carter added Boxing, Kung Fu, and Karate to his skills.
Besides MMA, he was also a professional kickboxer with a record of 57 wins and only five losses.
Fighting Career
Carter started his professional MMA career in 1997. He fought in many different shows and won over ten championship belts. Although he lost his very first fight, he quickly improved and built an impressive record.
He fought in famous organizations like Pancrase in Japan and made his UFC debut at UFC 24, where he won. He had big wins against well-known fighters like Chris Lytle and Matt Serra.
In 2003, Carter became the WEC Welterweight Champion by defeating JT Taylor. He also had important fights against future UFC stars like Jon Fitch and Jess Liaudin.
The Ultimate Fighter 4
In 2006, Carter joined the cast of The Ultimate Fighter 4. This season of the show was called "The Comeback" and featured experienced fighters looking for another chance in the UFC.
On the show, Carter was known for his unique style and personality. He won his first fight against Rich Clementi. In his next fight, he faced Matt Serra in a rematch. In their first fight, Carter had famously won with a spinning backfist. This time, however, Serra won the fight by decision.
Career After the Show
After the show, Carter fought one more time in the UFC, losing to Marcus Davis. He then continued to compete in other MMA promotions around the world. He won the Throwdown Middleweight Championship in 2009.
Carter first announced his retirement in 2013 after a long and busy career. He briefly came out of retirement for a fight in 2014 before retiring for good.
Life Outside of Fighting
After his time on The Ultimate Fighter, Carter appeared on another TV show called The Iron Ring. He was a coach for a team of fighters led by the rapper Lil Jon.
Carter also once acted as a referee for a fight that had a very unusual ending. Just eight seconds into the match, both fighters knocked each other out at the same time! A video of the double-knockout became very popular online.
In 2017, Carter tried "bare-knuckle" boxing in England. In this sport, fighters wear only hand wraps instead of large gloves. He fought against an undefeated champion named Jimmy Sweeney. Although Carter lost, he was the first person to last all five rounds against Sweeney.
Personal Life
Carter has three children and lives in Chicago. He teaches at a martial arts school and has also worked as a bartender and personal trainer.
Championships and Awards
Shonie Carter won many titles and awards during his career. Here are some of his biggest accomplishments.
Mixed martial arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Knockout of the Night (One time) vs. Matt Serra
- World Extreme Cagefighting
- WEC Welterweight Championship
- Extreme Challenge
- EC Lightweight Championship
- King of the Cage
- KOTC Welterweight Superfight Championship
- Iron Heart Crown
- IHC Shooto North American Welterweight Championship
Amateur wrestling
- National Junior College Athletic Association
- NJCAA All-American
Judo
- Tennessee State Judo Championships
- Tennessee Middleweight Judo Championship (Two times)
Karate
- Ireland Super Cup
- Ireland Super Cup Welterweight Championship
- Shidōkan German Cup
- Shidōkan German Cup Championship
Kickboxing
- Illinois State Kickboxing
- Illinois Light Heavyweight Championship
- North Carolina State Kickboxing
- North Carolina Middleweight Championship
Halls of Fame
- U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame (2008)
- Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame (2010)
- Master's Hall of Fame (2011)
