George Sotiropoulos
George Sotiropoulos (born 9 July 1977) is an Australian former professional mixed martial artist who most notably fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in their Lightweight division. He is well known for appearing as a fighter on the TV show The Ultimate Fighter: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra, fighting on Team Serra and as the coach for Team Australia on The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes.[1]
| George Sotiropoulos | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 July 1977 Geelong, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) |
| Division | Lightweight Welterweight |
| Reach | 71.0 in (180 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Vancouver, Washington, United States |
| Team | American Top Team |
| Rank | Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu |
| Years active | 2004–2014 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 21 |
| Wins | 14 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By submission | 8 |
| By decision | 5 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By decision | 4 |
| By disqualification | 1 |
| Website | www.georgesotiropoulos.com |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Mixed martial arts career
Background
Sotiropoulos began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1997 at the age of 19, and was promoted to black belt in 2004.[2] In 2003 and 2007, he represented Australia in the Submission Wrestling World Championships. Sotiropoulos has also competed in amateur boxing, and in 2004, won a Victorian State Amateur Boxing Championship.[3] Prior to his MMA career in the UFC, Sotiropoulos trained with veteran UFC and PRIDE fighter Enson Inoue. The two met during a winning bout Sotiropoulos had with Sergio Lourenço in Guam. He has remained affiliated with Enson Inoue's Purebred gyms throughout his career since then.[4][5][6]
Following his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra, Sotiropoulos moved to Long Island, NY to train at with Matt Serra[4][7] Sotiropoulos then relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, and trained at Xtreme Couture. During this time period he also trained at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu with Eddie Bravo.[8]
Early career
Sotiropoulos made his professional debut in 2004 against fellow Australian Gavin Murie, in which Sotiropoulos was able to win via armbar submission in the first round. He went on to win two more fights until his first career loss via split decision to Kyle Noke in 2005, one year later he was able to avenge his first loss by defeating Noke by unanimous decision. Sotiropoulos went on to have a 7–2 record in small MMA organizations, until he was invited to participate in The Ultimate Fighter in 2007.
The Ultimate Fighter
Sotiropoulos defeated Jared Rollins in the first round of the competition by KO. He went on to defeat Richie Hightower in the quarterfinals via submission due to a kimura. Sotiropoulos was then defeated by Tom Speer in the semi-finals by knockout, shortly after an accidental thumb to the eye.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Sotiropoulos defeated Billy Miles at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Hughes vs Team Serra Finale via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:36 of the first round.
Sotiropoulos defeated Roman Mitichyan at UFC Fight Night 13 on 2 April 2008 by TKO in the second round.
He was scheduled to fight judoka Karo Parisyan at UFC 87, however Sotiropoulos was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Sotiropoulos was then expected to face Matt Grice at UFC Fight Night 17, but was forced to withdraw due to another injury.[9]
After an 18-month break in his career, Sotiropoulos switched weight classes, winning his Lightweight debut at UFC 101 on 8 August 2009 against George Roop. During the bout, he showcased his high level grappling skills, passing Roop's guard with ease. Sotiropoulos eventually forced the tap out with a kimura lock in the second round.[10]
Sotiropoulos defeated Ultimate Fighter 9 alumni Jason Dent in the second round via armbar submission on 21 November 2009, at UFC 106.[11] In a post-fight interview following the win, Sotiropoulos stated his desire to compete at the UFC 110 card, in Sydney, Australia.[12] Sotiropoulos' wish was granted and faced Joe Stevenson on 21 February 2010 at UFC 110.[13] Making his first appearance on the main card of a UFC pay-per-view event, Sotiropoulos improved to 5–0 in the UFC as he defeated Stevenson via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) in a dominant performance, prompting Dana White to say that Sotiropoulos was "in the mix" for a title shot.[14] The fight earned Sotiropoulos his first Fight of the Night award in the UFC.
Sotiropoulos fought Kurt Pellegrino at UFC 116 on 3 July 2010, and won by a commanding unanimous decision.
Sotiropoulos then faced Joe Lauzon on 20 November 2010 at UFC 123. Sotiropoulos survived a fast start by his opponent, thus gassing Lauzon in one round, and allowing Sotiropoulos to dominate the next round, winning by kimura in the second round in a bout that won Fight of the Night honors.[15] The win pushed Sotiropoulos to a perfect 7–0 record in the UFC and established him as one of the top contenders in the UFC's lightweight division.
Sotiropoulos suffered his first UFC loss to Dennis Siver via unanimous decision at UFC 127.[16] Sotiropoulos was unable to take the fight to the ground and was forced to strike with the German Kickboxing Champion Siver.[17] The loss setback Sotiropoulos' chances of a title shot.[18]
Sotiropoulos was expected to face Evan Dunham on 2 July 2011 at UFC 132.[19] However, Dunham was forced out of the bout with an injury, and replaced by Rafael dos Anjos.[20] Sotiropoulos was knocked out just 59 seconds into the first round.
Sotiropoulos was expected to face former PRIDE Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi on 26 February 2012 at UFC 144.[21] However, Sotiropoulos was forced out of the bout with an injury and replaced by Eiji Mitsuoka.[22]
In July 2012 Sotiropoulos was confirmed as the Australian coach for The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes, and faced Ross Pearson on 15 December 2012 at the finale - UFC on FX 6.[23] Pearson dominated him throughout the fight, and although he narrowly avoiding being knocked out several times, Sotiropoulos was visibly rocked in all three rounds; being knocked down in two of them. He eventually lost the fight via third-round TKO from Pearson.
Sotiropoulos faced Hawaiian K. J. Noons on 19 October 2013 at UFC 166.[24] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
After losing four in a row, Sotiropoulos was released from his UFC contract on 18 December 2013.[25]
Titan Fighting Championship
On 22 January 2014 it was announced that Sotiropoulos had signed a four-fight contract with Titan Fighting Championship and was expected to debut on 25 April at Titan FC 28[26] against Mike Ricci however Ricci withdrew from the bout due to injury.[27] The bout was rescheduled and took place at Titan FC 29 on 22 August 2014.[28] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Other media
Sotiropoulous is featured in UFC Undisputed 3 as a Lightweight fighter alongside the likes of Clay Guida, Dennis Siver, Joe Lauzon and Frankie Edgar.[29]
Personal life
Sotiropoulos has a Bachelor of Business in Banking and Finance, Associate Diploma of Business in International Trade from Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia.[30] Prior to competing in mixed martial arts, he worked in the finance industry.[31] After years of living in Washington state and New York City,[32][33] Sotiropoulos moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2016 and currently manages his own MMA gym, Omega Jiu-Jitsu & MMA there.[34]
Championships and accomplishments
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Joe Stevenson, Joe Lauzon
Mixed martial arts record
| 21 matches | 14 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 2 |
| By submission | 8 | 0 |
| By decision | 5 | 4 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 14–7 | Mike Ricci | Decision (unanimous) | Titan FC 29: Ricci vs. Sotiropoulos | 22 August 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States | |
| Loss | 14–6 | K. J. Noons | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 166 | 19 October 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Loss | 14–5 | Ross Pearson | TKO (punches) | UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson | 15 December 2012 | 3 | 0:41 | Gold Coast, Australia | |
| Loss | 14–4 | Rafael dos Anjos | KO (punch) | UFC 132 | 2 July 2011 | 1 | 0:59 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 14–3 | Dennis Siver | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 127 | 27 February 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Sydney, Australia | |
| Win | 14–2 | Joe Lauzon | Submission (kimura) | UFC 123 | 20 November 2010 | 2 | 2:43 | Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States | Fight of the Night |
| Win | 13–2 | Kurt Pellegrino | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 116 | 3 July 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 12–2 | Joe Stevenson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 110 | 21 February 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Sydney, Australia | Fight of the Night |
| Win | 11–2 | Jason Dent | Submission (armbar) | UFC 106 | 21 November 2009 | 2 | 4:35 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 10–2 | George Roop | Submission (kimura) | UFC 101 | 8 August 2009 | 2 | 1:59 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Lightweight Debut |
| Win | 9–2 | Roman Mitichyan | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Lauzon | 2 April 2008 | 2 | 2:24 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | |
| Win | 8–2 | Billy Miles | Submission (rear-naked choke) | The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale | 8 December 2007 | 1 | 1:36 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 7–2 | Jung Hwan Cha | Submission (armbar) | Spirit MC 11: Invasion | 22 April 2007 | 2 | 3:27 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Loss | 6–2 | Shinya Aoki | DQ (groin strike) | Shooto: Champion Carnival | 14 October 2006 | 2 | 0:05 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Win | 6–1 | Shigetoshi Iwase | Decision (unanimous) | Kokoro: Kill Or Be Killed | 15 August 2006 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 5–1 | Kyle Noke | Decision (unanimous) | Warriors Realm 5 | 25 February 2006 | 5 | 5:00 | Sydney, Australia | |
| Win | 4–1 | Sergio Lourenco | Decision (unanimous) | FFCF 5: Unleashed | 27 January 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Mangilao, Guam | |
| Loss | 3–1 | Kyle Noke | Decision (split) | Warriors Realm 4 | 2 July 2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Sydney, Australia | |
| Win | 3–0 | Marcio Bittencourt | Submission (rear-naked choke) | K-1 Challenge 2004 Oceania vs World | 18 December 2004 | 1 | 3:30 | Gold Coast, Australia | |
| Win | 2–0 | Kelly Jacobs | Submission (armbar) | Warriors Realm 2 | 10 December 2004 | 1 | 4:12 | Sunshine Coast, Australia | |
| Win | 1–0 | Gavin Murie | Submission (armbar) | XFC 6: Ultimate Fighting Returns | 20 November 2004 | 1 | 1:28 | Gold Coast, Australia |
References
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (27 August 2007). . Los Angeles Times.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 28 February 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- ^ a b . total-mma.com. 5 May 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ . total-mma.com. 2 May 2008. Archived from the original on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ "Purebred". Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 15 November 2009.
- ^ "George Sotiropoulos Interview w/ 10th Planet Watch". 10thplanetwatch.com. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
- ^ . mmajunkie.com. 28 January 2009. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ . aroundtheoctagon.com. 22 July 2009. Archived from the original on 28 July 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ . Profighting-fans.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
- ^ . mmafighting.com. 22 November 2009. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ "Joe Stevenson vs. George Sotiropoulos Planned for UFC 110 in Australia". mmaweekly.com. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
- ^ "Dana White says title talk premature, but UFC 110's George Sotiropoulos "in the mix"". Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- ^ . mmajunkie.com. 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 11 September 2010.
- ^ "George Sotiropoulos Gets His Wish, Faces Dennis Siver on the main card at UFC 127 in Sydney". MMAWeekly.com. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
- ^ "Siver Pulls off an Upset". 27 February 2011.
- ^ "Noke collects $790 a second by choking rival into submission". 27 February 2011.
- ^ "UFC 132: Evan Dunham vs George Sotiropoulos booked for Fourth of July weekend event". MMAmania.com. 17 March 2010.
- ^ "George Sotiropoulos to fight Brazilian star Rafael dos Anjos". heraldsun.com.au. 3 May 2011.
- ^ "Takanori Gomi vs George Sotiropoulos announced for Feb. 26 in Japan". mmamania.com. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ "UFC 144: George Sotiropoulos Out, Eiji Mitsuoka In Against Takanori Gomi". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ^ "UFC on FX 6 Will Also Feature vs. Pearons and 'The Smashes' Finals". mmaweekly.com. 7 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Daniel Sankey (25 July 2013). "George Sotiropoulos to fight K. J. Noons at UFC 166". smh.com.au. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- ^ "Three fighters removed from UFC rosters". bloodyelbow.com. 19 December 2013.
- ^ "G-Sots Signs Four-Fight Deal with Titan FC". 22 January 2014.
- ^ "Titan FC 28: Mike Ricci Withdrawing from Bout with George Sotiropoulus".
- ^ "Video: Titan FC 29 highlights featuring Mike Ricci win over George Sotiropoulos". 24 August 2014.
- ^ Derr, Garrett. "UFC Undisputed 3 Releases Full Roster". Bleacher Report.
- ^ http://www.myspace.com/george_sotiropoulos[dead link]
- ^ . ufc.com. Archived from the original on 30 July 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- ^ "George Sotiropoulos gets married in New York City". BLOODYELBOW.com. 16 August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
- ^ "Vancouver fighter set for ultimate challenge". Columbian.com. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
- ^ Chuck Mindenhall (11 August 2018). "Always a teacher at heart, UFC vet George Sotiropoulos opens his own gym in Melbourne". mmafighting.com.
External links
- Official website
- Professional MMA record for George Sotiropoulos from Sherdog