Will Brooks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Will Brooks |
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|---|---|
| Born | Willie Love Brooks October 8, 1986 (age 38) Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Other names | Ill Will |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg) |
| Division | Lightweight |
| Reach | 72 in (183 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Coconut Creek, Florida, United States |
| Team | Midwest Training Center (2009–2013) American Top Team (2012–present) |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 32 |
| Wins | 26 |
| By knockout | 7 |
| By submission | 6 |
| By decision | 13 |
| Losses | 5 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 3 |
| Draws | 1 |
Willie Love Brooks (born October 8, 1986) is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the Lightweight division. Will Brooks has been a professional fighter since 2011. He is a former Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion. He has also fought in other big organizations like DREAM, the Professional Fighters League, and the UFC.
Contents
Early Life and Sports Journey
Will Brooks grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He started wrestling when he was in high school at Warren Township High School. His main sport was football, where he was very good.
He went to Harper College to play football. In his first year, he was named an All-American. This means he was one of the best college players in the country. However, a knee injury changed his plans for playing in the NFL. Later, he met a friend who introduced him to mixed martial arts (MMA). This meeting changed his life's direction.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Will Brooks began his professional MMA career in January 2011. He fought only in Illinois at first. In his first two years, he won all seven of his fights. This gave him a perfect record.
Fighting in DREAM
In late 2012, Brooks got a big chance. He was invited to fight in Japan for the DREAM organization. He faced an experienced fighter named Satoru Kitaoka at Dream 18. This fight happened on December 31, 2012. Many people thought Brooks would lose, but he won by TKO in the second round.
Time in Bellator MMA
After his impressive win in Japan, Bellator MMA quickly signed Brooks in January 2013.
Bellator Lightweight Tournaments
Brooks joined the Bellator Lightweight Tournament for his first fights. He won his first match against Ricardo Tirloni at Bellator 87. He won by a unanimous decision.
In the semi-finals, he fought Saad Awad at Bellator 91. Brooks lost this fight by knockout in the first round. This was his first loss as a professional fighter.
After this loss, Brooks bounced back with a win over Cris Leyva at Bellator 97.
In the fall of 2013, Brooks entered another Bellator Lightweight tournament. He beat John Alessio in the quarterfinals at Bellator 101. He won this fight easily by unanimous decision.
Brooks then had a rematch with Saad Awad in the semi-finals at Bellator 105. This time, Brooks controlled the fight for all three rounds. He won by unanimous decision.
In the finals, Brooks faced Alexander Sarnavskiy at Bellator 109. Brooks won this fight by a clear unanimous decision. This win earned him a chance to fight for the Lightweight title.
Becoming a Champion
On May 17, 2014, Brooks fought Michael Chandler at Bellator 120. He was filling in for the injured champion, Eddie Alvarez. Brooks won this fight by a split decision. This made him the Interim Bellator Lightweight Champion.
When Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez left the company, Brooks fought Michael Chandler again. This rematch was at Bellator 131 on November 15, 2014. They fought for the official Bellator Lightweight Championship. Brooks won the fight by TKO in the fourth round. He became the undisputed Bellator Lightweight Champion.
Brooks defended his title for the first time against Dave Jansen at Bellator 136 on April 10, 2015. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
His second title defense was against Marcin Held at Bellator 145 on November 6, 2015. Even though Held hurt Brooks's knee early in the fight, Brooks kept going. He won the fight by unanimous decision and kept his Bellator Lightweight Championship.
On May 14, 2016, Bellator MMA decided not to renew Brooks's contract, and he left the organization.
Fighting in the UFC
On June 15, 2016, Will Brooks signed a six-fight deal with the UFC. He made his first appearance against Ross Pearson on July 8, 2016, at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale. Brooks won this fight by unanimous decision.
Brooks then faced Alex Oliveira on October 1, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 96. Brooks lost this fight by knockout in the third round.
Brooks fought Charles Oliveira on April 8, 2017, at UFC 210. He lost this fight by submission in the first round.
Brooks was supposed to fight Nik Lentz on October 7, 2017, at UFC 216. However, the fight was canceled because Lentz had health issues. The fight with Lentz was rescheduled for November 19, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 121. Brooks lost this fight by submission in the second round.
On February 14, 2018, Brooks announced that he was no longer with the UFC.
Professional Fighters League (PFL) Career
After leaving the UFC, Brooks signed with the Professional Fighters League. He joined their one-million-dollar tournament.
PFL 2018 Season
In his first PFL fight, Brooks faced Luiz Firmino at PFL 2 on June 21, 2018. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
His second fight in the Lightweight tournament was against Robert Watley on August 2, 2018, at PFL 5. Brooks won by unanimous decision and moved on to the playoffs.
In the quarterfinal round, Brooks fought Rashid Magomedov at PFL 9 on October 13, 2018. The fight ended in a unanimous draw. Brooks was eliminated from the tournament because of a tiebreaker rule.
In January 2019, Brooks announced that he was a free agent after the first PFL season.
Recent Fights
Brooks was set to fight Abel Trujillo at Battlefield FC 2 on July 27, 2019. However, Trujillo was replaced by Brooks's teammate Gleison Tibau. Brooks lost this fight by submission in the first round.
On March 30, 2020, it was announced that Brooks had signed with ARES FC.
Brooks fought Steven Siler on July 30, 2021, at XMMA 2. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Brooks faced Jose Filho at Art of Scrap 3 on October 30, 2021. He won this fight by submission in the third round.
Brooks fought Rafael Bastos on April 15, 2022, at Art of Scrap 4. He won the fight by TKO in the first round after Bastos broke his leg.
Brooks faced Luis Peña at XMMA 5 on July 23, 2022. He won the fight by split decision.
Brooks fought Jhonasky Sojo at Titan FC 81 on April 14, 2023. He won by submission in the third round.
Brooks faced Predrag Bogdanović at Titan FC 82/SBC 47: Revenge on June 2, 2023. He fought for the Titan FC Welterweight Championship and SBC Welterweight Championship. He won the fight by technical knockout in the fifth round.
Global Fight League
On December 11, 2024, it was announced that Brooks could be chosen in the Global Fight League draft. However, he was not picked for the 2025 season. In April 2025, all GFL events were canceled.
Personal Life
Will Brooks is married and has a daughter.
Achievements and Championships
- Bellator MMA
- Bellator Lightweight Championship (One time; former)
- He successfully defended his title two times.
- Interim Bellator Lightweight Championship (One time; former)
- Bellator Season Nine Lightweight Tournament winner
- Bellator Lightweight Championship (One time; former)
- Titan Fighting Championship
- Titan FC Welterweight Championship (One time, current)
- Serbian Battle Championship
- SBC Welterweight Championship (One time, current)
Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 32 matches | 26 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 7 | 2 |
| By submission | 6 | 3 |
| By decision | 13 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 26–5–1 | Predrag Bogdanović | TKO (elbows and punches) | Titan FC 82 / SBC 47 | June 2, 2023 | 5 | 3:24 | Novi Sad, Serbia | Won the vacant SBC and Titan FC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 25–5–1 | Jhonasky Sojo | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Titan FC 81 | April 14, 2023 | 3 | 3:17 | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | |
| Win | 24–5–1 | Luis Peña | Decision (split) | XMMA 5 | July 23, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Columbia, South Carolina, United States | Catchweight (160 lb) bout. |
| Win | 23–5–1 | Rafael Bastos | TKO (leg injury) | Art of Scrap 4 | April 15, 2022 | 1 | 0:19 | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States | Catchweight (160 lb) bout. |
| Win | 22–5–1 | Jose Filho | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Art of Scrap 3 | October 30, 2021 | 3 | 4:54 | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States | Catchweight (160 lb) bout. |
| Win | 21–5–1 | Steven Siler | Decision (unanimous) | XMMA 2: Saunders vs. Nijem | July 30, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Greenville, South Carolina, United States | |
| Loss | 20–5–1 | Gleison Tibau | Technical Submission (guillotine choke) | Battlefield FC 2 | July 27, 2019 | 1 | 3:34 | Macau, SAR, China | |
| Draw | 20–4–1 | Rashid Magomedov | Draw (unanimous) | PFL 9 | October 13, 2018 | 2 | 5:00 | Long Beach, California, United States | 2018 PFL Lightweight Quarterfinal bout. Eliminated via first round tiebreaker. |
| Win | 20–4 | Robert Watley | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 5 | August 2, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Uniondale, New York, United States | |
| Win | 19–4 | Luiz Firmino | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 2 | June 21, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | |
| Loss | 18–4 | Nik Lentz | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Tybura | November 19, 2017 | 2 | 2:05 | Sydney, Australia | |
| Loss | 18–3 | Charles Oliveira | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 210 | April 8, 2017 | 1 | 2:30 | Buffalo, New York, United States | |
| Loss | 18–2 | Alex Oliveira | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs. Dodson | October 1, 2016 | 3 | 3:30 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Catchweight (161.5 lbs) bout; Oliveira missed weight. |
| Win | 18–1 | Ross Pearson | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia Finale | July 8, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 17–1 | Marcin Held | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 145 | November 6, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | Defended the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. Brooks vacated the title on May 14, 2016. |
| Win | 16–1 | Dave Jansen | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 136 | April 10, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | Irvine, California, United States | Defended the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. |
| Win | 15–1 | Michael Chandler | TKO (punches) | Bellator 131 | November 15, 2014 | 4 | 3:48 | San Diego, California, United States | Won the vacant Bellator Lightweight World Championship. |
| Win | 14–1 | Michael Chandler | Decision (split) | Bellator 120 | May 17, 2014 | 5 | 5:00 | Southaven, Mississippi, United States | Won the interim Bellator Lightweight World Championship. |
| Win | 13–1 | Alexander Sarnavskiy | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 109 | November 22, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States | Won the Bellator Season 9 Lightweight Tournament. |
| Win | 12–1 | Saad Awad | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 105 | October 25, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States | Bellator Season 9 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 11–1 | John Alessio | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 101 | September 27, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Bellator Season 9 Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 10–1 | Cris Leyva | TKO (punches) | Bellator 97 | July 31, 2013 | 3 | 2:20 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States | |
| Loss | 9–1 | Saad Awad | KO (punches) | Bellator 91 | February 28, 2013 | 1 | 0:43 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States | Bellator Season 8 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 9–0 | Ricardo Tirloni | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 87 | January 31, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States | Bellator Season 8 Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 8–0 | Satoru Kitaoka | TKO (punches) | DREAM 18 | December 31, 2012 | 2 | 3:46 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Win | 7–0 | Drew Dober | Decision (unanimous) | Disorderly Conduct: The Yin & The Yang | August 10, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Tory Bogguess | TKO (punches) | XFO 44 | June 16, 2012 | 1 | 4:20 | Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 5–0 | Ryan Bixler | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Chicago Cagefighting Championship IV | October 15, 2011 | 2 | 1:00 | Villa Park, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | Joseph Richardson | Submission (armbar) | XFO 41 | September 3, 2011 | 1 | 3:49 | Island Lake, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Bobby Reardanz | Submission (armbar) | XFO 39 | May 13, 2011 | 3 | 3:22 | Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Guillermo Serment | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Chicago Cagefighting Championship III | March 5, 2011 | 2 | 0:45 | Villa Park, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | J.R. Hines | TKO (punches) | XFO 38 | January 22, 2011 | 1 | 2:09 | Woodstock, Illinois, United States |
See also
In Spanish: Will Brooks para niños
- List of Bellator MMA alumni
- List of current mixed martial arts champions
- List of male mixed martial artists
