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Quick Facts
Biography
Dean Richard Lister (February 13, 1976) is an American mixed martial artist and a former King of the Cage Middleweight Champion. He currently fights in the middleweight division after moving down from light heavyweight. Lister's sparring partner and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Tito Ortiz, invited him to be his assistant grappling coach on the third season of the Spike TV reality show, The Ultimate Fighter.
Biography
Lister grew up in a military family and lived in several South American countries, including Venezuela and Panama. Lister speaks several languages. He lived in Panama during the U.S. invasion in 1989, and, according to Lister, he was "right in the middle of a serious combat zone". After living in several different cities in the United States, Lister's family settled in San Diego for Lister's high school years.
Career
Lister often fought as a kid, mostly due to a combination of being the "new kid", a foreigner, and being small for his age. The need to protect himself led Lister to wrestling and martial arts. He started wrestling in high school, and became the high school division wrestling champion and a U.S. National Sambo Champion. Shortly after graduating from high school, Lister visited the Fábio Santos Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in San Diego with his wrestling teammates, and became very interested in the sport. He started competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 1996, six months after he started training.
Since 1997, Lister has been working as an instructor for Santos. Lister teaches both beginner and advanced students at Victory MMA in San Diego. The classes typically begin with Dean teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques, followed by Jiu Jitsu sparring.
In 2000, Lister traveled to Brazil to train at Brazilian Top Team for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro.
Lister currently holds the rank of black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, given to him by Jeffrey Higgs, who holds a black belt under Fábio Santos. He maintains that it is "the biggest and most challenging sport that exists". Lister does not favor any particular technique, although he is mostly known for his leg attacks (foot locks and knee locks). Lister is a two-time U.S. National Sambo champion, a four-time U.S. Machado National Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion (weight class and open classes), and a National Gracie Jiu Jitsu champion.
Lister was invited three times (2000, 2003, and 2005) to the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) championship, a prestigious grappling tournament consisting only of the top 16 grapplers in the world of each weight class. Lister won the Abu Dhabi Absolute Division championship in 2003, as well as two Superfights in 2003 and 2005; in addition, he set a tournament record by defeating 4 of his opponents consecutively (3 by submission) in 2003.
It is worth noting that one of Lister's MMA losses is against Nathan Marquardt, despite previously submitting him in the 2003 ADCC tournament.
Lister was a King of the Cage Middleweight Champion, and defended his title several times before losing to Jeremy Horn in a Light Heavyweight fight. KOTC stripped Dean of his title after the loss, even though it was at a higher weight class. Years later, Lister avenged this loss by submitting Jeremy Horn with a guillotine choke in the TUF 7 finale.
Lister lost a three-round unanimous decision to Yushin Okami at UFC 92 on December 27, 2008, dropping his UFC record to 4–2. He subsequently requested to be released from his UFC contract, and has since signed with the Maximum Fighting Championship.
Dean Lister and Renato Sobral fought to a draw at Metamoris 3 a submission-only jiu-jitsu match.
ADCC
Lister won the 2003 ADCC Absolute World championship and was the 2005 Superfight champion, defeating Jean Jacques Machado. He claimed the gold medal again in 2011 in the under 99 kg division by submitting João Assis in the final by a heel hook. He also submitted jiu-jitsu world champion Rodolfo Vieira, in his weight division, also with a heel hook. At the 2013 ADCC in Beijing, China, Lister defeated Cristiano Lazzarini in the semi-finals of the under 99 kg dvision by heel hook but would go on to lose on points in the finals to João Assis; In the absolute division Lister submitted both Hideki Sekine and João Gabriel Rocha by heel hook before losing to Marcus Almeida in the semi-finals. Lister also lost to Keenan Cornelius in the bronze medal match both on points.
Personal life
Lister was formerly married to model Flavia Mazoni.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Dean_Lister..jpg/220px-Dean_Lister..jpg)
Mixed martial arts record
Professional record breakdown | ||
20 matches | 13 wins | 7 losses |
By submission | 11 | 0 |
By decision | 2 | 7 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 13–7 | Michael Knaap | Submission (heel hook) | Fightor 1 | 000000002015-01-17-0000January 17, 2015 | 1 | Charleroi, Belgium | ||
Win | 12–7 | Rodney Moore | Submission (inverted heel hook) | Cage Contender 13 | 000000002012-03-28-0000March 28, 2012 | 3 | 2:44 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
Loss | 11–7 | Thales Leites | Decision (unanimous) | MFC 23 | 000000002009-12-04-0000December 4, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | |
Loss | 11–6 | Yushin Okami | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 92 | 000000002008-12-27-0000December 27, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 11–5 | Jeremy Horn | Submission (guillotine choke) | TUF 7 Finale | 000000002008-06-21-0000June 21, 2008 | 1 | 3:53 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 10–5 | Jordan Radev | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 79 | 000000002007-12-29-0000December 29, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Loss | 9–5 | Nate Marquardt | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night 8 | 000000002007-01-25-0000January 25, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | |
Win | 9–4 | Yuki Sasaki | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night 6 | 000000002006-08-17-0000August 17, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 8–4 | Alessio Sakara | Submission (triangle choke) | UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie | 000000002006-05-27-0000May 27, 2006 | 1 | 2:20 | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
Loss | 7–4 | Ricardo Arona | Decision (unanimous) | Pride Total Elimination 2005 | 000000002005-04-23-0000April 23, 2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Osaka, Japan | 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Opening round. |
Win | 7–3 | Akira Shoji | Submission (triangle choke) | Pride Bushido 6 | 000000002005-04-03-0000April 3, 2005 | 1 | 3:13 | Yokohama, Japan | |
Loss | 6–3 | Amar Suloev | Decision (split) | Pride Bushido 4 | 000000002004-07-19-0000July 19, 2004 | 2 | 5:00 | Nagoya, Japan | |
Loss | 6–2 | Jeremy Horn | Decision (majority) | KOTC 31: King of the Cage 31 | 000000002003-12-06-0000December 6, 2003 | 4 | 5:00 | San Jacinto, California, United States | For KOTC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
Win | 6–1 | James Lee | Submission (armbar) | KOTC 29: Renegades | 000000002003-09-05-0000September 5, 2003 | 1 | N/A | San Jacinto, California, United States | Defended KOTC Middleweight Championship. |
Win | 5–1 | Brian Sleeman | Submission (double armbar) | KOTC 25: Flaming Fury | 000000002003-06-29-0000June 29, 2003 | 1 | 1:14 | San Jacinto, California, United States | Defended KOTC Middleweight Championship. |
Win | 4–1 | Brendan Seguin | Submission (triangle choke) | KOTC 16 - Double Cross | 000000002002-08-02-0000August 2, 2002 | 3 | 4:37 | San Jacinto, California, United States | Won KOTC Middleweight Championship. |
Win | 3–1 | Jacen Flynn | Submission (kimura) | KOTC 12 - Cold Blood | 000000002002-02-09-0000February 9, 2002 | 2 | 4:28 | San Jacinto, California, United States | |
Win | 2–1 | Jerry Jenkins | Submission (heel hook) | KOTC 11 - Domination | 000000002001-09-29-0000September 29, 2001 | 1 | 4:24 | San Jacinto, California, United States | |
Loss | 1–1 | Jacen Flynn | Decision (split) | KOTC 7 - Wet and Wild | 000000002001-02-24-0000February 24, 2001 | 3 | 5:00 | San Jacinto, California, United States | |
Win | 1–0 | John Jensen | Submission (kneebar) | KOTC 5 - Cage Wars | 000000002000-09-16-0000September 16, 2000 | 1 | 1:50 | San Jacinto, California, United States |
Grappling record
Professional record breakdown | ||
39 matches | 24 wins | 13 losses |
By submission | 19 | 3 |
By decision | 5 | 10 |
Draws | 2 |
Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Division | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | ![]() | Submission (shoulder lock) | Berkut | Superfight | 2015 |
Loss | ![]() | Points (3-5) | ADCC 2015 | Absolute | 2015 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2015 | Absolute | 2015 |
Loss | ![]() | Referee Decision | ADCC 2015 | +99 | 2015 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (armlock) | ADCC 2015 | +99 | 2015 |
Loss | ![]() | Submission (reverse triangle choke) | Polaris Professional Jiu Jitsu Invitational | Superfight | 2015 |
Loss | ![]() | Submission (scarf hold chest compression) | Metamoris IV | Superfight | 2014 |
Draw | ![]() | Draw | Metamoris III | Superfight | 2014 |
Win | ![]() | Referee Decision | Macaco Branco Primates | Superfight | 2014 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | World Jiu-Jitsu Expo | Superfight | 2013 |
Loss | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2013 | Absolute | 2013 |
Loss | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2013 | Absolute | 2013 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2013 | Absolute | 2013 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2013 | Absolute | 2013 |
Loss | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2013 | -99 kg | 2013 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2013 | -99 kg | 2013 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2013 | -99 kg | 2013 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2013 | -99 kg | 2013 |
Loss | ![]() | Referee Decision | Grapplers Quest: UFC Fan Expo | Absolute | 2013 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (toe hold) | Grapplers Quest: UFC Fan Expo | Absolute | 2013 |
Draw | ![]() | Draw | Metamoris I | Superfight | 2012 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | Grapplers Quest: UFC Fan Expo | Superfight | 2012 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2011 | -99 kg | 2011 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2011 | -99 kg | 2011 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2011 | -99 kg | 2011 |
Win | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2011 | -99 kg | 2011 |
Loss | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2009 | Absolute | 2009 |
Loss | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2009 | -99 kg | 2009 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (triangle choke) | ADCC 2009 | -99 kg | 2009 |
Win | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2005 | Superfight | 2005 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (heel hook) | ADCC 2003 | Absolute | 2003 |
Win | ![]() | Points (3-0) | ADCC 2003 | Absolute | 2003 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (kneebar) | ADCC 2003 | Absolute | 2003 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (kimura) | ADCC 2003 | Absolute | 2003 |
Loss | ![]() | Points | ADCC 2003 | -99 kg | 2003 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (guillotine choke) | ADCC 2003 | -99 kg | 2003 |
Loss | ![]() | Points (2-4) | Grapplers Quest West | Absolute | 2000 |
Win | ![]() | Points (4-2) | Grapplers Quest West | Absolute | 2000 |
Win | ![]() | Submission (neck crank) | Grapplers Quest West | Absolute | 2000 |
Grappling credentials
ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships
ADCC 2013 –99 kg: 2nd Place
ADCC 2011 –99 kg: 1st Place
ADCC 2005 Superfight championship: Defeated Jean Jacques Machado.
ADCC 2003 –98 kg: Quarter finals Openweight: 1st Place
ADCC 2002 North American Trials -99 kg: 1st Place
Record of opponents:
- Won: Jean Jacques Machado (pts 9-0), Iiir Latifi (sub-guillotine), Nathan Marquardt (sub-kimura), Saulo Ribeiro (sub-kneelock), Marcio 'Pe De Pano' Cruz (pts 3-0), Alexandre Ferreira 'Cacareco' (sub-heelhook), Masutatsu Yano (sub-rear naked choke), Augusto Ferrari (pts 2-0), Radek Turek (sub-heelhook), Rodolfo Vieira (sub-heelhook), Joao Assis (sub-heelhook), Ricardo "Demente" Abreu (sub-heelhook)
- Lost: Xande Ribeiro (pts), Ricardo Almeida (pts), Vinny Magalhaes (pts)
- Draw: Xande Ribeiro (Metamoris Pro 2012)
Misc.
Two-time national (US) sambo champion.
Four-time Machado National (US) BJJ champion
National (US) Gracie BJJ champion.
Three-time ADCC World champion