Travis Browne facts for kids

Travis Kuualiialoha Browne (born July 17, 1982) is a retired American mixed martial artist. He used to compete as a Heavyweight fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Early Life and Training

Travis Browne was born in Hawaii. His father has Native Hawaiian roots, and his mother is European American. Growing up, Travis was a talented basketball player. He even won the Coastal North League Player of the Year award in 2000 during high school in San Diego. He continued playing basketball at Palomar College.

Travis didn't start training in martial arts until he was 26 years old. He began learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu and later started boxing. Less than a year after starting his training, he had his first professional fight.

Mixed Martial Arts Career

Travis Browne started his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2009. He fought in smaller organizations like Bellator Fighting Championships and King of the Cage. He quickly became very successful, winning his first nine fights without any losses.

Joining the UFC

In March 2010, Travis Browne joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). This is one of the biggest MMA organizations in the world. He made his first appearance at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz Finale. He won his debut fight against James McSweeney by TKO in the first round.

Travis faced UFC veteran Cheick Kongo at UFC 120. The fight was very close and ended in a draw. Later, at UFC 130 in May 2011, Travis fought Stefan Struve. He won this fight with a powerful knockout in the first round. This earned him a "Knockout of the Night" bonus award.

Key Victories and Challenges

Travis continued his winning streak. He defeated Rob Broughton by decision at UFC 135 in September 2011. In April 2012, at UFC 145, he beat Chad Griggs by submission using an arm-triangle choke. This performance earned him the "Submission of the Night" award.

In October 2012, Travis faced Antônio Silva. During this fight, Travis injured his hamstring. Silva took advantage of this, and Travis suffered his first professional loss.

Travis bounced back with impressive wins. At The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen Finale in April 2013, he knocked out Gabriel Gonzaga with elbows. This earned him another "Knockout of the Night" bonus. He then faced Alistair Overeem at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. Travis won by knockout with a front kick and punches, earning his third "Knockout of the Night" award.

His success continued at UFC 168 in December 2013, where he knocked out Josh Barnett in just one minute. This was his third "Knockout of the Night" in a row!

Later Career and Retirement

In April 2014, Travis fought Fabrício Werdum at UFC on Fox 11. He lost this fight by decision. He later won against Brendan Schaub at UFC 181 in December 2014.

In May 2015, Travis faced Andrei Arlovski at UFC 187. He lost this exciting fight by TKO in the first round. This match was considered one of the best single-round fights in UFC history and earned both fighters a "Fight of the Night" bonus.

Travis continued to compete, winning against Matt Mitrione in January 2016. However, he then faced a series of losses. He lost to Cain Velasquez at UFC 200 in July 2016 and again to Fabrício Werdum in a rematch in September 2016.

His last fight was against Alexey Oleynik at UFC 213 in July 2017, which he lost by submission. After this fight, Travis Browne retired from professional MMA.

Personal Life and Family

Browne posing with a young fan in 2013

Travis Browne has two sons, Kaleo and Keawe, from his first marriage. He later married Jenna Renee Webb in January 2015, but they divorced in February 2016.

Since 2015, Travis has been in a relationship with former Women's Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. They got engaged in April 2017 when Travis proposed to Ronda under a waterfall in New Zealand. They were married on August 26, 2017, in Hawaii.

In April 2021, Travis and Ronda announced they were expecting their first child together. Their daughter, La'akea Makalapuaokalanipō Browne, was born on September 27, 2021. In July 2024, Ronda Rousey announced they were expecting their second child. Their second daughter, Liko’ula Pā’ūomahinakaipiha Browne, was born on January 9, 2025.

Travis's nickname, 'Hapa', comes from a Hawaiian word for someone who has mixed ancestry.

In 2019, Travis attended the WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony with his wife, Ronda Rousey, who was working with WWE. During the event, a fan rushed the stage and tackled Bret Hart. Travis was one of several people who quickly helped to stop the fan.

Achievements and Awards

Travis Browne earned several awards and championships during his fighting career:

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Fight of the Night (Two times)
  • Knockout of the Night (Four times)
  • Submission of the Night (One time)
  • He is tied for fourth place in the UFC Heavyweight division for the most Post-Fight bonuses (7).
• Gladiator Challenge
  • Interim Gladiator Challenge Heavyweight Championship (One time)
• Victory Fighting Championship
  • VFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
• World MMA Awards
  • 2013 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
  • 2013 Comeback of the Year (for his fight against Alistair Overeem)

Mixed Martial Arts Record

See also

In Spanish: Travis Browne para niños

• List of current UFC fighters
• List of male mixed martial artists