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Biography
Ross Pearson (born 26 September 1984) is an English mixed martial artist. He competed in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), holding a record of 12–13 (1 NC) with the organization.
Background
Pearson, born and raised in Sunderland, England, began training in Tae Kwon Do at the age of six, before adding judo and boxing to his repertoire in high-school. Pearson later began training in mixed martial arts at the age of 17. He also attended Carilion Craft Training in Sunderland. Pearson worked as a brick layer afterwards. Inspired by early UFC events, Pearson decided to become a professional MMA fighter.
MMA career
The Ultimate Fighter reality show
In 2009, Pearson competed on the reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom. He placed first in the lightweight division.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
2010
Pearson defeated kickboxer Dennis Siver by unanimous decision on 31 March at UFC Fight Night 21.
Pearson was submitted by Cole Miller via second-round rear-naked choke on 15 September 2010 at UFC Fight Night 22.
Pearson faced Spencer Fisher on 27 February 2011 at UFC 127. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
2011
Pearson lost to Edson Barboza via split decision at UFC 134 in a bout that earned Fight of the Night honours.
For his next fight, Pearson dropped to Featherweight and faced Junior Assunção on 30 December at UFC 141. Pearson won the fight by unanimous decision.
Pearson faced Cub Swanson on 22 June 2012 at UFC on FX 4. He lost the fight by TKO late into the second round.
2012
In July Pearson was confirmed as the Team UK coach for The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes.Pearson faced George Sotiropoulos in a Lightweight bout on 15 December 2012 at UFC on FX 6. He won the fight by an early third-round TKO.
2013
Pearson next faced Ryan Couture on 6 April 2013 at UFC on Fuel TV 9. He won the fight by TKO in the third round.
Pearson faced Melvin Guillard on 26 October 2013 at UFC Fight Night 30. The fight ended in a no contest when Pearson was deemed unable to continue after being cut on the forehead by an accidental illegal knee.
2014
A rematch with Guillard was expected to take place on 8 March 2014 at UFC Fight Night 37. However, Pearson pulled out of the bout citing a knee injury and was replaced by Michael Johnson.
Pearson faced Diego Sanchez on 7 June 2014 at UFC Fight Night 42. Despite seemingly controlling the action over the bout's duration, Pearson lost the fight via split decision. This included a knockdown for Pearson in round two. 13 of 14 media scorecards had the bout 30-27 Pearson, while the 14th had Pearson winning 29-28. As a result, Pearson filed an appeal with the New Mexico Athletic Commission, "in hopes the decision is overturned, at the very least to a no-contest." The official decision was ultimately upheld.Despite an official loss on the scorecards, UFC president Dana White indicated that the organisation had ruled out the possibility of an immediate rematch and said that they would informally treat it as a win for Pearson, and that he would be compensated that way. UFC paid Pearson $30,000 as an unofficial win bonus
Pearson was expected to face Abel Trujillo on 16 August 2014 at UFC Fight Night 47. However, on 4 August, Trujillo pulled out of the bout and was replaced by Gray Maynard. He won the fight by TKO in the second round. After a close first round, early in the second round Pearson landed a combination which knocked Maynard down, causing the referee, Keith Peterson, to step in to stop the fight as Maynard was deemed not to be intelligently defending himself.
Pearson faced Al Iaquinta on 8 November 2014 at UFC Fight Night 55. Despite being the odds-on-favorite, Pearson lost the fight via TKO in the second round.
2015
Pearson faced Sam Stout on 14 March 2015 at UFC 185. Pearson won the fight via knockout in the second round dropping Stout with a left hook and finishing him with a right hand on the ground.Subsequently, Pearson won a Performance of the Night bonus.
Pearson faced Evan Dunham on 18 July 2015 at UFC Fight Night 72. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Pearson faced Paul Felder on 5 September 2015 at UFC 191. He won the back-and-forth fight by split decision.
2016
Pearson faced Francisco Trinaldo on 17 January at UFC Fight Night 81. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Pearson was expected to face Abel Trujillo on 20 March at UFC Fight Night 85. However, Trujillo was removed from the card on 12 March due to alleged visa issues which restricted his entry to Australia. As a result, Pearson faced Chad Laprise on the card. He won the fight via split decision.
Pearson was expected to face James Krause on 8 July at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale. However, Krause was pulled from the fight on 13 June for undisclosed reasons and replaced by Will Brooks. Pearson lost the fight via unanimous decision.
After the loss, Ross Pearson moved to the Welterweight division. Pearson explained that cutting less weight gives him more energy and better sleep. He repeatedly had renal and digestive issues due to the weight cut.
Pearson came in as a short notice replacement to face Jorge Masvidal in a welterweight bout on 30 July at UFC 201, filling in for an ill Siyar Bahadurzada. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
A rescheduled bout with James Krause was scheduled for 19 November at UFC Fight Night 99. Subsequently, on 26 October, Krause pulled out of the fight citing a torn hamstring. He was replaced by Stevie Ray. Pearson lost the fight via split decision.
Despite the three-fight losing streak, Pearson did not want to retire. He wanted the UFC to host an event at Newcastle before retirement.
2017
Pearson faced Dan Hooker on 11 June 2017 at UFC Fight Night 110. He lost the fight via knockout in the second round.
2018
Pearson faced Mizuto Hirota on 11 February 2018 at UFC 221. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Pearson faced John Makdessi on 28 July 2018 at UFC on Fox 30. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.
Pearson was expected to face Joseph Duffy on 2 December 2018 at UFC Fight Night 142. However, Pearson announced on 7 November that he was out of the bout due to a broken nose and subsequent surgery to correct the injury.
2019
Pearson faced Desmond Green on 30 March 2019 at UFC on ESPN 2. He lost the fight via technical knockout in round one.
Pearson announced his retirement on April 8, 2019.
Pearson returned to MMA on November 16 to fight Davy Gallon at Probellum 1, losing the fight via KO.
Fighting style
Pearson is known for his powerful punches. His favourite grappling technique is the armbar.
Pearson has stated that his hero is Randy Couture.
Training
Pearson is a member of The Alliance MMA Gym. Nick Hands coaches Pearson's Muay Thai, Sean Casey coaches Pearson's boxing, and Barry Gibson serves as Pearson's strength and conditioning coach.
Personal life
Pearson has an Australian wife, Kristie Jane Pearson. Kristie used to work as a ring girl. The two met at UFC and got married. Ross Pearson moved to Australia to be with his wife. They had their first child, a girl, in 2016.
In his free time, Pearson does motocross.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- The Ultimate Fighter 9 Tournament Winner (Lightweight)
- Fight of the Night (Three times)
- Performance of the Night (One time)
- Ultimate Force
- UF Lightweight Champion (One time)
- One successful title defense
- Total Combat
- Lightweight Champion
- Strike and Submit
- Lightweight Champion
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 38 matches | 20 wins | 17 losses |
| By knockout | 7 | 6 |
| By submission | 5 | 2 |
| By decision | 8 | 9 |
| No contests | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 20–17 (1) | Davy Gallon | KO (rolling thunder kick) | Probellum 1 | 16 November 2019 | 3 | 4:26 | Brentwood, Essex, England | |
| Loss | 20–16 (1) | Desmond Green | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje | 30 March 2019 | 1 | 2:52 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Loss | 20–15 (1) | John Makdessi | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 | 28 July 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 20–14 (1) | Mizuto Hirota | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 221 | 11 February 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Perth, Australia | |
| Loss | 19–14 (1) | Dan Hooker | KO (knee) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt | 11 June 2017 | 2 | 3:02 | Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Loss | 19–13 (1) | Stevie Ray | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Mousasi vs. Hall 2 | 19 November 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Loss | 19–12 (1) | Jorge Masvidal | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 201 | 30 July 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Welterweight bout. |
| Loss | 19–11 (1) | Will Brooks | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia Finale | 8 July 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 19–10 (1) | Chad Laprise | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Mir | 20 March 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Brisbane, Australia | |
| Loss | 18–10 (1) | Francisco Trinaldo | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz | 17 January 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | |
| Win | 18–9 (1) | Paul Felder | Decision (split) | UFC 191 | 5 September 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 17–9 (1) | Evan Dunham | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites | 18 July 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Glasgow, Scotland, Scotland | |
| Win | 17–8 (1) | Sam Stout | KO (punches) | UFC 185 | 14 March 2015 | 2 | 1:33 | Dallas, Texas, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 16–8 (1) | Al Iaquinta | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Bisping | 8 November 2014 | 2 | 1:39 | Sydney, Australia | |
| Win | 16–7 (1) | Gray Maynard | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. St. Preux | 16 August 2014 | 2 | 1:35 | Bangor, Maine, United States | |
| Loss | 15–7 (1) | Diego Sanchez | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov | 7 June 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | |
| NC | 15–6 (1) | Melvin Guillard | NC (no contest) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Munoz | 26 October 2013 | 1 | 1:57 | Manchester, England | Pearson was unable to continue after being cut by an accidental illegal knee. |
| Win | 15–6 | Ryan Couture | TKO (punches) | UFC on Fuel TV: Mousasi vs. Latifi | 6 April 2013 | 2 | 3:45 | Stockholm, Sweden | |
| Win | 14–6 | George Sotiropoulos | TKO (punches) | UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson | 15 December 2012 | 3 | 0:41 | Gold Coast, Australia | Return to Lightweight. |
| Loss | 13–6 | Cub Swanson | TKO (punches) | UFC on FX: Maynard vs. Guida | 22 June 2012 | 2 | 4:14 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 13–5 | Junior Assunção | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 141 | 30 December 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Featherweight debut. |
| Loss | 12–5 | Edson Barboza | Decision (split) | UFC 134 | 27 August 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 12–4 | Spencer Fisher | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 127 | 27 February 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Sydney, Australia | |
| Loss | 11–4 | Cole Miller | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares | 15 September 2010 | 2 | 1:49 | Austin, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 11–3 | Dennis Siver | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi | 31 March 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 10–3 | Aaron Riley | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 105 | 14 November 2009 | 2 | 4:38 | Manchester, England | |
| Win | 9–3 | Andre Winner | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom Finale | 20 June 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won The Ultimate Fighter 9 Lightweight tournament. |
| Win | 8–3 | Ian Jones | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Ultimate Force: Nemesis | 1 November 2008 | 1 | 3:33 | Doncaster, England | Defended the UF Lightweight Championship. |
| Loss | 7–3 | Abdul Mohamed | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Gladiators 9: Beatdown | 4 October 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Liverpool, England | |
| Win | 7–2 | Cedric Celerier | Submission (punches) | MMA Total Combat 24 | 31 May 2008 | 1 | 2:35 | London, England | |
| Win | 6–2 | Aidan Marron | Submission (armbar) | Ultimate Force: Punishment | 3 May 2008 | 3 | 4:34 | Doncaster, England | Won the vacant UF Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 5–2 | Sami Berik | Submission (triangle choke) | Strike and Submit 6 | 13 April 2008 | 1 | 0:37 | Gateshead, England | |
| Win | 4–2 | Mark Spencer | TKO (punches) | MMA Total Combat 23 | 23 February 2008 | 1 | 3:44 | Cornwall, England | |
| Win | 3–2 | Steve Tetley | Submission (armbar) | CWFC: Enter The Rough House 5 | 8 December 2007 | 1 | 4:46 | Nottingham, England | |
| Win | 2–2 | Gavin Bradley | KO (punch) | MMA Total Combat 22 | 24 November 2007 | 1 | 2:05 | Cornwall, England | |
| Loss | 1–2 | Curt Warburton | TKO (doctor stoppage) | MMA Total Combat 21 | 22 September 2007 | 1 | 5:00 | Cornwall, England | |
| Win | 1–1 | Will Burke | Decision | MMA Total Combat 21 | 22 September 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Cornwall, England | |
| Loss | 0–1 | Chris Hughes | Submission (rear-naked choke) | HOP 1: Fight Night 1 | 12 December 2004 | 2 | 2:33 | Swansea, Wales |
Mixed martial arts exhibition record
| Exhibition record breakdown | ||
| 3 matches | 3 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 1 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 3–0 | Jason Dent | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom | 7 June 2009 (airdate) | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Semi-finals. |
| Win | 2–0 | Richie Whitson | Submission (armbar) | The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom | 13 May 2009 (airdate) | 1 | 3:40 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Quarter-finals. |
| Win | 1–0 | A.J. Wenn | TKO (punches) | The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom | 1 April 2009 (airdate) | 2 | 0:21 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Preliminary bout. |
Professional boxing record
| Professional record summary | ||
| 1 fight | 1 win | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Salar King | TKO | 2 (4), 2:21 | 15 May 2019 | Star City Casino, Sydney, Australia |
