Robbie Lawler is an American retired mixed martial artist who has a net worth of $4 million. Robbie Lawler, AKA "Ruthless," competed between 2001 and 2023 across the UFC, EliteXC, Strikeforce, PRIDE, and the IFL. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and EliteXC Middleweight Champion. Robbie was a fan favorite known for his aggressive fighting style.

Early Life

Robert Glenn Lawler was born on March 20, 1982, in San Diego, California. At the age of 10 he moved to Bettendorf, Iowa, to live with his father who served in the Marines. He started training in taekwondo and later picked up karate. Robbie earned All-State honors in wrestling and All-Conference honors in football at Bettendorf High School. At 16 years old, Pat Miletich took him under his wing after graduation in 2000 to begin training with Miletich Fighting Systems.

MMA Career

Robbie Lawler made his professional debut in 2001 and won his first four career fights by TKO/KO. He joined the UFC in 2002 defeating Aaron Riley to make his record 5-0. In 2004, Lawler moved up Middleweight. The next year he won the Superbrawl Middleweight Championship defeating Falaniko Vitale. In 2006, he won the Icon Sport Middleweight Championship by defeating Vitale again.

Lawler lost the title later in the year to Jason Miller. But he won the title again in 2007 defeating Frank Trigg. The same year, he defeated Murilo Rua to win the EliteXC Middleweight Championship. In 2010, Lawler returned to Middleweight, defeating Matt Lindland in under a minute. He returned to Welterweight in 2013 defeating Josh Koscheck. In March 2014, Lawler lost to Johny Hendricks for the UFC Welterweight Championship. As of March 2014, he was ranked No. 1 on the official UFC Welterweight rankings. In 2013, he was named Comeback Fighter of the Year by Sherdog, MMA Nuts.com, and MMAValor.com.

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Lawler's title bouts against Johny Hendricks at UFC 171 in 2014, Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 in 2015, and Carlos Condit at UFC 195 in 2016 all earned numerous awards for Fight of the Year in their respective years. In July 2016, Lawler faced Tyron Woodley in the main event of UFC 201 and lost the fight early in the first round via knockout, losing his title.

Needing recovery time from his last fight, Lawler took to the ring again in July 2017 against Donald Cerrone at UFC 214 and won via unanimous decision. In September 2021, Lawler faced returning veteran Nick Diaz in what would be a rematch of their bout from UFC 47 in which Robbie was handed the first of only four knockout losses in his entire career. This time around, Lawler knocked down Diaz in the third round, and Diaz didn't respond to the ref's instructions to get up on his feet. As a result, Lawler won by TKO. In April 2023, it was announced that Lawler and MacDonald would be inducted into the UFC Fight Wing Hall of Fame for their welterweight title bout from 2015. In Robbie Lawler's final fight, he knocked out Niko Price just 38 seconds into the bout at UFC 290.

Robbie Lawler's career mixed martial arts record stands at 30-16 with 22 of those wins coming via knockout and one by submission.

Personal Life

Robbie is married to Marcia Suzanne Lawler, and the couple has a son together. Lawler also has an older brother.

Read more: Robbie Lawler Net Worth

T.J. Dillashaw is a retired American professional mix martial artist who has a net worth of $4 million. TJ Dillashaw competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He was the UFC Bantamweight Champion twice, from 2014 to 2016 and again from 2017 to 2019.

Early Life

T.J. Dillashaw was born in Sonora, California on February 7, 1986. He began wrestling in high school, and was a two-time California state champion. He went on to wrestle for California State University, Fullerton, where he was a two-time All-American.

Thanks to his stellar high school wrestling career, TJ earned a full-ride to Cal State Fullerton where he went on to become a three-time NCAA Division I National Qualifier.

UFC Career

Dillashaw made his UFC debut in 2011, and quickly rose through the ranks. He won his first nine fights in the UFC, including a victory over Renan Barão to win the bantamweight championship in 2014. Dillashaw lost the title to Dominick Cruz in 2016, but regained it in 2017 with a victory over Cody Garbrandt. He lost the title again to Henry Cejudo in 2019, and was subsequently suspended for two years for testing positive for EPO.

Dillashaw's UFC career was marked by some of the biggest fights in the division's history. His victory over Renan Barão in 2014 was a major upset, as Barão was undefeated at the time. His two fights against Cody Garbrandt were also very exciting, and both fights were awarded Fight of the Night honors.

Dillashaw's wrestling skills were a major factor in his success in the UFC. He was a very strong wrestler, and was able to control his opponents on the ground. He was also a very good striker, and had a lot of power in his punches and kicks.

He is considered to be one of the best fighters in the UFC bantamweight division.

Doping Violation

In January 2019, Dillashaw tested positive for EPO prior to a flyweight title fight against Henry Cejudo. He was subsequently suspended for two years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Dillashaw has since apologized for his actions, and has said that he is committed to staying clean in the future.

Biggest Fights

Here is a more detailed look at some of Dillashaw's biggest fights in the UFC:

• Renan Barão (UFC 173, May 24, 2014): Dillashaw upset the undefeated Renan Barão to win the UFC bantamweight championship. Dillashaw used his wrestling to control Barão on the ground, and landed several big punches and kicks to the head. Barão was never able to get his offense going, and Dillashaw won by unanimous decision.
• Dominick Cruz (UFC Fight Night 81, January 17, 2016): Dillashaw lost the UFC bantamweight championship to Dominick Cruz in a close and controversial fight. Cruz was the better wrestler in the fight, and he was able to control Dillashaw on the ground for long stretches. Dillashaw landed some big punches in the later rounds, but it wasn't enough to win the fight. Cruz won by split decision.
• Cody Garbrandt (UFC 207, December 30, 2017): Dillashaw regained the UFC bantamweight championship with a victory over Cody Garbrandt. The fight was very exciting, and both fighters were knocked down multiple times. Dillashaw won by third-round knockout.
• Henry Cejudo (UFC Fight Night 143, January 19, 2019): Dillashaw lost the UFC bantamweight championship to Henry Cejudo in a flyweight title fight. Dillashaw was the bigger and stronger fighter, but Cejudo was the better wrestler. Cejudo won by third-round TKO.

Dillashaw retired from MMA in 2022. He is now a coach at Elevation Fight Team in Denver, Colorado.

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Personal Life

Dillashaw is married to Rebecca Dillashaw, and they have two children. He is a native of Sonora, California, and currently resides in Denver, Colorado.

Real Estate

In 2018, TJ paid $1.42 million for a 3,000 square foot home in Yorba Linda, California. He listed the home for sale in July 2023 for $2.25 million and had pending offer in under a week. Here is a video tour:

Read more: T.J. Dillashaw Net Worth

Frank Dux is a martial artist and fight choreographer who has a net worth of $2 million.

Frank Dux is a legendary figure in the martial arts world, often remembered as a martial arts instructor, fight choreographer, and author. He gained fame in the 1980s following claims about his underground fighting career, particularly about his time in the "Kumite," a supposed secret tournament in Asia. Dux's biography served as the basis for the 1988 film "Bloodsport," where Jean-Claude Van Damme portrayed Dux. Dux fought 329 matches from 1975 to 1980 and retired undefeated as the World Heavyweight Full Contact Kumite Champion. He holds world records for fastest knockout, fastest punch with a knockout, fastest kick with a knockout, and most consecutive knockouts in a single tournament. Frank Dux also received credit as a co-author of the movie "The Quest."

His career, however, has not been without controversy, with questions over the authenticity of his claims leading to heated debates among martial arts enthusiasts and historians.

His autobiography "The Secret Man: An American Warrior's Uncensored Story" was released in 1996.

Early Life and Introduction to Martial Arts

Frank William Dux was born on April 6, 1956, in Toronto, Canada. His interest in martial arts was sparked at a young age, and by the time he was 16, he claimed to have won a scholarship to study Ninjutsu in Japan under the legendary martial arts master Senzo Tanaka. Dux's study under Tanaka would form the backbone of his martial arts career, setting him on a path to becoming a martial arts instructor and ultimately founding his own school, Dux Ryu Ninjutsu.

The "Kumite" and Martial Arts Career

Dux's martial arts career took a turn for the extraordinary in the 1980s when he claimed to have participated in a secret full-contact martial arts tournament known as the "Kumite." He maintained that he won 329 matches, earning titles like "Fastest Knockout," "Fastest Punch," and "Fastest Kick." His stories, complete with a supposedly secret medal he received, made him a prominent figure in martial arts circles. Dux used this fame to establish his own school, teaching a style he called Dux Ryu Ninjutsu, a method that combines traditional Ninjutsu techniques with modern fight strategies.

(Photo by Maury Phillips/WireImage)

Bloodsport and Hollywood Career

Dux's account of his time in the Kumite served as the basis for the 1988 film "Bloodsport," in which Jean-Claude Van Damme played Dux. The movie, though not a critical success, became a cult classic, sparking a series of similar martial arts films. After "Bloodsport," Dux continued his career in Hollywood as a fight choreographer, consultant, and writer, working on films like "The Quest" and "Only the Strong."

Controversies and Criticisms

While Dux's career is certainly impressive, it has not been without controversy. Many skeptics have questioned the authenticity of his Kumite story, pointing to inconsistencies in his account and the lack of corroborating evidence. His claimed mentor, Senzo Tanaka, is believed by some to be a fictional character. Despite this, Dux has maintained the veracity of his claims. These controversies have somewhat tarnished his reputation but have also led to increased scrutiny and discussion of his career.

Later Life and Legacy

In the later years of his life, Dux has maintained a lower profile but continues to defend his past and contribute to the martial arts community. He has written books, including "The Secret Man: An American Warrior's Uncensored Story," which presents his version of events and his views on martial arts. His influence on the martial arts genre in film remains, with "Bloodsport" still widely recognized among martial arts movie fans.

Frank Dux is an enigma, a man shrouded in mystery and controversy, a legendary figure whose story has been as much debated as it has been celebrated. His life and career have undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the martial arts world, whether through his teachings, his influence on martial arts cinema, or the ongoing debates about his past.

Read more: Frank Dux Net Worth

Lyoto Machida is a professional mixed martial artist and karateka who has a net worth of $4 million. Lyoto Machida competes in the light heavyweight division. Previously, he competed in the UFC, where he was a UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in 2009. Machida has also competed in the middleweight division of both the UFC and Bellator MMA.

Early Life

Lyoto Machida was born on May 30, 1978 in Salvador, Brazil as the third son of Shotokan karate master Yoshizo Machida, head of the Brazilian branch of the Japan Karate Association, and his wife, Ana Claudia. His brothers are Chinzô, Kenzo, and Take. Raised in Belém, Lyoto started training in karate when he was only three, and by the age of 13 had earned his black belt. He also trained in sumo wrestling, BJJ, and boxing. In 2001, Lyoto won the Pan American Karate tournament, one of many amateur karate tournaments he won as a young adult.

Start in MMA and K-1

Machida started his mixed martial arts career in Japan under the management of professional wrestler and MMA pioneer Antonio Inoki. In his professional debut in 2003, he defeated Kengo Watanabe by decision. Machida subsequently defeated Stephan Bonnar in the future UFC Hall of Famer's first career loss. On New Year's Eve in 2003, he beat Rich Franklin via TKO in a catchweight bout at Kobe Wing Stadium; it was Franklin's first career loss. Machida went on to make his debut in K-1, beating Michael McDonald, Sam Greco, and B.J. Penn.

UFC, Light Heavyweight

In early 2007, Machida made his UFC debut at UFC 67. On the preliminary card, he beat Sam Hoger by unanimous decision. Subsequently, he beat the undefeated David Heath by unanimous decision at UFC 70. Machida won by unanimous decision again at UFC 76 against Pride veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura. At UFC 79, he beat Sokoudjou. In his next fight, at UFC 84, Machida defeated former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision. He continued his incredible run at UFC 89 with his first career knockout victory, against Thiago Silva. Machida went on to face Rashad Evans at UFC 98 for the Light Heavyweight Championship; both came in undefeated. Ultimately, Machida won the fight to claim the title. He made his first defense of the title against Maurício Rua at UFC 104, winning by a controversial unanimous decision. Due to the controversy, Machida and Rua fought a rematch at UFC 113 in 2010; this time, Machida was defeated, receiving his first MMA career loss in the process.

After losing the Light Heavyweight Champion title, Machida suffered another loss at UFC 123, this time to Quinton Jackson. He bounced back at UFC 129 with his knockout of Randy Couture. Later in the year, Machida fought Jon Jones at UFC 140 in a failed attempt to regain the Light Heavyweight title. However, he was expected to earn another title shot after defeating Ryan Bader in 2012 on "UFC on Fox 4." This did not materialize, as Machida was taken out of contention after turning down his rematch with Jon Jones at UFC 152. In early 2013, he faced Dan Henderson at UFC 157, winning by split decision. That summer, Machida returned to his native Brazil to fight Phil Davis at UFC 163, and won by a controversial unanimous decision.

UFC, Middleweight

In late 2013, Machida dropped down to the middleweight division. He went on to fight Mark Muñoz at UFC Fight Night 30, winning via knockout. For his second fight at middleweight, Machida returned to Brazil to take on Gegard Mousasi, whom he beat via unanimous decision. After a number of delays due to injuries sustained by his prospective opponents, Machida fought Chris Weidman for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 175 in the summer of 2014. He ultimately lost by unanimous decision. Closing out the year, Machida beat C.B. Dollaway via TKO at UFC Fight Night 58.

In 2015, Machida suffered losses to Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero. The following year, he was suspended for 18 months by USADA after he said he had used a banned substance. Returning in late 2017, Machida was knocked out by Derek Brunson at UFC Fight Night 119. At UFC Fight Night 125 in early 2018, he beat Eryk Anders via split decision. Machida went on to defeat Vitor Belfort via knockout at UFC 224 in May.

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Bellator MMA

Machida signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA in the summer of 2018. He made his promotional debut against Rafael Carvalho, whom he defeated by split decision. In the spring of 2019, Machida beat Chael Sonnen at Bellator 222. Later that year, he lost to his former UFC opponent Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 228. Machida faced another former UFC opponent, Phil Davis, at Bellator 245 in 2020; he lost via split decision.

In April of 2021, Machida fought Ryan Bader in the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix. Although he began the match well, he was quickly dominated by Bader and lost via unanimous decision. After that, Machida returned to middleweight and faced Fabian Edwards at Bellator 281 in 2022, losing via knockout in the first round.

Personal Life

In 2004, Machida married his longtime girlfriend Fabyola Vale. The couple has two sons, Taiyo and Kaito.

Real Estate

In July 2012, Lyoto paid $1.475 million for a home in Redondo Beach, California. He sold this home in July 2020 for $2.15 million.

Read more: Lyoto Machida Net Worth

Frank Shamrock is a retired mixed martial arts fighter who has a net worth of $3 million.

Frank Shamrock was the first person to hold the UFC Middleweight Championship, for which he went undefeated. He also won titles in other martial arts organizations, including the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship and the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. Beyond his career as a fighter, Shamrock has done coaching, color commentary, and brand promotion.

Early Life

Frank Shamrock was born as Frank Juarez III on December 8, 1972 in Santa Monica, California to a Native-American Mexican family. Starting at the age of 12, he grew up in various foster homes and crisis centers. After having numerous run-ins with the law, he was taken in by Bob Shamrock and his wife Dede, who were known for adopting troubled boys. Legally adopted by the pair, Juarez changed his name to Shamrock.

Pancrase

Following a three-and-a-half-year prison term for burglary in the early 1990s, Shamrock began mixed martial arts training with his adoptive brother Ken Shamrock (who would also go on to become a UFC star). He soon became a member of his brother's training school, the Lion's Den, and made his mixed martial arts debut in the Pancrase organization in late 1994. In the King of Pancrase Tournament, Shamrock upset favorite Bas Rutten in a close decision. He would go on to face Rutten again in 1995, this time losing by decision.

In early 1996, after an injury prevented Rutten from defending his King of Pancrase title, Shamrock faced Minoru Suzuki for the interim championship. In the epic match, Shamrock submitted his opponent with a kneebar to claim the King of Pancrase interim title. After that, he scored victories over Ryushu Yanagisawa and Osami Shibuya, and then squared off against Rutten for the third time. Ultimately, Rutten won via TKO. Not long after that, Shamrock was fired from Pancrase after his brother got into a dispute with the management.

Post-Pancrase

Following his dismissal from Pancrase, Shamrock suffered a loss to John Lober in Hawaii's Superbrawl. He subsequently bounced back by beating Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in RINGS. Shamrock also turned to training fledgling stars in the Lion's Den, including Pete Williams and Jerry Bohlander. However, he got into a conflict with management and left to create his own team with Maurice Smith called the Alliance.

UFC

After defeating Enson Inoue in Vale Tudo Japan '97, Shamrock joined the UFC and faced Kevin Jackson for the inaugural UFC Middleweight Championship. Despite being a major underdog against the undefeated Jackson, Shamrock came out on top in just 16 seconds to claim the championship title. He made his first defense of the title at UFC 16 against another previously undefeated champion, Russian kickboxer Igor Zinoviev. Shamrock ultimately emerged victorious, knocking his opponent unconscious and forcing him to be carried out on a stretcher due to broken bones. This incident prompted Zinoviev to retire from mixed martial arts for good. Shamrock went on to make another successful defense of his title at UFC 17 against Jeremy Horn. After that, he avenged his earlier loss to John Lober by defeating him at UFC Brazil.

In 1999, Shamrock once again defended his UFC Middleweight Championship title, this time by beating Tito Ortiz at UFC 22. The fight, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest in UFC history, saw Shamrock land a series of brutal punches and elbows on his opponent. Having gone 5-0 in title fights, he was declared the best fighter in the history of the UFC by owner Bob Meyrowitz and announcer Jeff Blatnick. Following his decisive victory over Ortiz, Shamrock relinquished his UFC Middleweight Championship title and retired from the UFC.

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Further Fighting Career

Shamrock came out of retirement at the turn of the 21^st century and joined K-1, the world's premiere kickboxing promotion. He went on to beat Elvis Sinosic via unanimous decision. On August 11, 2001, he faced off against his former student Shannon Ritch, and won the match after breaking Ritch's arm with a roundhouse kick. Later, in March of 2003, Shamrock returned to MMA and won the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Bryan Pardoe. He went on to fight in the Strikeforce promotion, and in 2006 knocked out Cesar Gracie in the first MMA event ever sanctioned by the state of California. The year after that, Shamrock fought Phil Baroni on pay-per-view; winning the match, he became the Strikeforce Middleweight Champion. In early 2008, he lost the title in a brutal bought against Cung Le. Two years later, Shamrock announced his retirement from fighting. He made a brief return in 2017 to fight Pride veteran Kazushi Sakuraba in a grappling exhibition match at the Rizin World Grand Prix in Japan. The match ended in a draw.

Color Commentary and Brand Promotion

As a color commentator, Shamrock has contributed to Showtime Networks, Bellator MMA, Combate Americas, and Glory. He also served as a coach on the Spike TV mixed martial arts reality television series "Fight Master: Bellator MMA," which aired in 2013. Meanwhile, Shamrock has been a brand spokesperson for Strikeforce, UFC, and K-1.

Personal Life

With his ex-wife Amy Warren, Shamrock has a daughter named Nicolette. He also has a son named Frankie from another ex.

In late 2005, Shamrock opened the Shamrock Martial Arts Academy in San Jose, California. This eventually evolved into a franchise of schools. Shamrock also runs a merchandising company.

Animal Cruelty Charges

In March 2019, Frank abandoned one of his mother's dogs at a Dallas airport after not being able to find a home for the dog. The dog was reportedly tied to a truck for five days before someone called animal services.

Read more: Frank Shamrock Net Worth

Alistair Overeem is a professional heavyweight mixed martial artist and kickboxer who has a net worth of $10 million. Alistair Overeem competes in the heavyweight division of Glory. Previously, he was a Heavyweight Champion in the MMA promotions Strikeforce and Dream, and a World Grand Prix champion in K-1. Among his many achievements, Overeem became the first fighter to simultaneously hold world titles in MMA and K-1.

Early Life

Alistair Overeem was born on May 17, 1980 in London, England to a Dutch mother and a Jamaican father. After his parents divorced when he was six, he moved with his mother and older brother Valentijn to the Netherlands. There, Overeem began martial arts training to defend himself from bullying. Following his brother, he decided to pursue an athletic career, starting out in judo before getting involved in track and field and basketball. When he was 15, Overeem joined the martial arts gym of Chris Dolman to become a professional fighter.

Mixed Martial Arts

Overeem had his first professional MMA fight when he was 19, beating Ricardo Fyeet by submission in the inaugural event of "It's Showtime." He continued on in the promotions Fighting Network Rings, M-1, and 2 Hot 2 Handle, amassing a 10-3 record. In the summer of 2002, Overeem made his debut in the Pride Fighting Championships and defeated Yusuke Imamura via TKO. He won two more fights in Pride before losing to Chuck Liddell in the quarterfinal match of the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix. Later that year, Overeem beat Tomohiko Hashimoto in 36 seconds at the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye. On Halloween in 2004, he defeated Hiromitsu Kanehara via TKO at Pride 28. The following year, Overeem beat Vitor Belfort and Igor Vovchanchyn in the Pride Middleweight Grand Prix, but fell in the semifinals to Maurício Rua. In early 2006, he beat Sergei Kharitonov to secure a spot in the Pride Openweight Grand Prix, where he lost in the second round to Fabrício Werdum. That summer, Overeem made his debut in Strikeforce. Returning to Pride, he lost to Antônio Rogério Nogueira and Ricardo Arona. Overeem fared better starting in mid-2007, when he beat Michael Knaap via submission at the K-1 Grand Prix. In November, he beat Paul Buentello for the vacant Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship.

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In mid-2008, Overeem defeated Lee Tae-Hyun via KO at Dream 4. He followed that by defeating Mark Hunt via submission at Dream 5. At Dream 6 in September, Overeem took on Mirko Cro Cop in a no-contest bout. After several delays, he made his first defense of his Strikeforce Heavyweight title against Brett Rogers in 2010, winning via TKO. On New Year's Eve that year, Overeem won the interim Dream Heavyweight Championship by knocking out Todd Duffee. In 2011, he was removed from Strikeforce, causing him to sign a contract with the UFC. Following some controversy regarding his drug test, Overeem made his UFC debut at UFC 141 against Brock Lesnar, and won. However, he failed a later drug test prior to UFC 146. Overeem returned in early 2013 to face Antônio Silva at UFC 156, and lost. He went on to lose to Travis Browne and win over Frank Mir. In 2014, Overeem lost to Ben Rothwell before beating Stefan Struve. The next year, he defeated Roy Nelson and Junior dos Santos. Overeem faced Stipe Miocic for the UFC Heavyweight Championship in 2016, but lost in the first round. He continued to fight in the UFC until March of 2021, whereupon he was released from his contract.

Kickboxing Career

Overeem had his first professional kickboxing fight in late 1997, which he won. He eventually moved on to K-1, but after being knocked out by Errol Parris and Glaube Feitosa, decided to take a break and focus on his MMA career. Overeem returned to K-1 four years later. Overeem had one of his most memorable K-1 successes at the World Grand Prix in 2009, where he delivered a massive upset by beating three-time champion Peter Aerts by unanimous decision in the Final 16. He went even further the next year, beating Aerts in the finals to win the 2010 World Grand Prix title.

After more than a decade away from kickboxing, Overeem returned in late 2021 to fight with the Glory promotion. He was scheduled to challenge the reigning Glory Heavyweight Champion Rico Verhoeven that October, but had to withdraw due to an injury. A year later, Overeem faced Badr Hari, whom he defeated by unanimous decision. However, the month after that, it was revealed that Overeem had tested positive for a banned substance, turning the decision from his previous fight into a no-contest ruling.

Personal Life

With his fiancée, Overeem has two daughters; he also has a daughter from a prior relationship.

Read more: Alistair Overeem Net Worth

Tristan Tate is a television and social media personality, entrepreneur, and former kickboxer who has a net worth of $10 million. Tristan Tate first came to widespread recognition in 2011 as a contestant on the British reality series "Shipwrecked: The Island," and after that became a fight analyst for Eurosport and Boxnation televised events and the Romanian Xtreme Fighting promotion. In December of 2022, Tristan, his brother Andrew Tate, and two women were arrested in Romania for allegedly human trafficking and creating an organized crime ring.

Early Life

Tristan Tate was born on July 15, 1988 in Chicago, Illinois to an English mother and an African-American father. His father, Emory, was a military veteran and an International Master in chess. Tate has an older brother named Andrew and a younger sister named Janie. Following the divorce of their parents, the siblings moved to their ancestral home of England with their mother.

Kickboxing Career

Tate began his career as a kickboxer in Luton, England, where he was raised from the age of eight. Under coach Amir Subasic, he learned the sport at Storm Gym. His brother also became a kickboxer, winning multiple ISKA championships. Tate started out in the cruiserweight division before competing as a super cruiserweight. He won two ISKA kickboxing titles during his career and compiled a record of 43-9.

Television Career

Tate came to widespread attention in 2011 when he competed on the British reality show "Shipwrecked: The Island," the second revival of the "Shipwrecked" series. Other contestants included Anna Watts, Stephen Bear, Kate Davies, Ashlie Robinson, Danni Mannix, and Flora Bradley-Watson. Later, Tate became a fight analyst for Eurosport and Boxnation televised events. He has contributed color commentary for the promotions Romanian Xtreme Fighting and Superkombat.

In 2022, Tate began starring with his brother in the series "Kings of the Internet," which follows the lives and careers of various online personalities. Others featured in the series include Jake Paul, Jay Shetty, Tai Lopez, Grant Cardone, and Branden Condy.

(Photo by DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP via Getty Images)

Social Media Career

Tate became well-known on social media for posting pictures of his luxury jet-setting lifestyle, including his sports cars and private planes. On Instagram, he amassed over two million followers.

Other Ventures

With his brother, Tate ran a fraudulent webcam business that involved numerous webcam models selling "fake sob stories" to male callers. The brothers claimed to have made millions of dollars through the scam. Additionally, the Tates own casinos in Romania.

Arrest and Detainment

In late 2022, Tate, his brother Andrew, and two women were arrested in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking and forming an organized crime ring. Earlier in the year, an investigation had been launched into their activities after women were found captive in the Tate brothers' home and webcam studio. Romanian police later claimed that the brothers and their accomplices had coerced victims into producing paid pornography for social media. Consequently, the Tates were detained and 29 assets were seized, including 15 cars, more than ten properties, and large sums of money.

The detention of the Tates was prolonged a number of times by Romanian courts throughout early 2023. Eventually, on the last day of March, the brothers were placed on house arrest, effective until the end of April. Prosecutors announced that they had until the end of June to send the case to trial. If convicted, the Tate brothers will have their millions-of-dollars worth of assets forfeited to the state and used to pay civil and moral damages to their victims.

On June 20, 2023, Andrew and Tristan were indicted on charges of rape and human trafficking. In a statement released by Romania's Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, the brothers and several co-defendants formed a criminal organization in 2021 to "commit the crime of human trafficking on the territory of Romania, but also in other countries, such as the United States of America and Great Britain…." and that they misled seven alleged victims with "the intention to establish a marriage/cohabitation relationship and the existence of real feelings of love."

The indictment further alleges that these women were forced through acts of violence and mental coercion to perform pornographic acts which were recorded and posted online.

The brothers deny all charges. On the day of their indictment they issued the following statement:

"While this news is undoubtedly predictable, we embrace the opportunity it presents to demonstrate their innocence and vindicate their reputation… The indictment now allows us to present a comprehensive body of evidence, diligently collected and prepared over time, which will undoubtedly substantiate the brothers' claims of innocence."

Personal Life

Tate was previously in a relationship with Romanian model and television presenter Bianca Dragusanu, who began dating him while she was still married to her husband Victor Slav. Eventually, Dragusanu got divorced so she could continue dating Tate. However, the pair ultimately ended their affair in 2018.

Read more: Tristan Tate Net Worth

Fabricio Werdum is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who has a net worth of $1 million. Fabricio Werdum was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil in July 1977. Werdum was at one point the UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is also a two-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion as well as a two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Heavyweight Champion. Werdum has also been a European jiu-jitsu champion and has black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and Judo.

As an MMA fighter he has competed in UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce, and Jungle Fight. Werdum made his debut in June 2002 defeating Tengiz Tedoradze. In November 2014 he defeated Mark Hunt to win the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. Werdum defeated Cain Velasquez in June 2015 to win and unify the UFC Heavyweight Championship and bring his professional record to 20 – 5 – 1. As of that fight, Werdum is ranked #6 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings and is listed as the #1 heavyweight and #8 pound-for-pound fighter in the world by Sherdog.com. He has also won several gold, silver, and bronze metals competing for Brazil at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships, IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championships, and Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships.

Early Life

Werdum was born on July 30, 1977 in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. His mother is of Spanish descent. He started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu after having the negative experience of being choked unconscious by the ex-boyfriend of his girlfriend. He started training with Marcio Corleta at the Porto Alegre Academy. After succeeding in competitive Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as well as submission grappling, he started training in MMA fighting. He moved to Spain to join his mother, who was living in Madrid.

Career

While in Madrid, Werdum began teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a purple belt. Though he only was training with white and blue belts, he became a BJJ World Champion and was promoted to the rank of black belt by Master Sylvio Behring three years later. He had also begun training in MMA fighting.  He moved to Zagreb Croatia from 2004 to 2006 where he trained with Mirko Filipovic.

Werdum's early MMA fights were with the promotions Jungle Fight, Millennium Brawl, and World Absolute Fight. In 2005, he made his PRIDE debut, a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion company, against Tom Erikson, winning by submission. He later faced Roman Zentsov in PRIDE Final Conflict 2005 and defeated him by a triangle choke during the first round. He experienced his first loss against Sergei Kharitonov via split decision. In early 2006, he defeated Jon Olav Einemo by unanimous decision in PRIDE 31. Later that year, he entered the PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix, where he won a match and then lost a match against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Werdum debuted in the UFC in April of 2007 at UFC 70: Nations Collide. He faced former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski and lost via unanimous decision. He began to train at Chute Boxe Academy and became a more aggressive fighter, particularly showing signs of improvement in his striking and Muay Thai attacks. At UFC 80 in January of 2008, Werdum met Gabriel Gonzaga and won the match by knockout. He later fought Brandon Vera and defeated him in the first round. At UFC 90, Werdum was heavily favored to win but was knocked out in under two minutes by the debuting fighter, Junior dos Santos. After the loss, Werdum's contract was terminated by the UFC. He had no idea he was cut from the organization as he was not contacted directly. He initially denied the news that he was cut, claiming it was just a rumor, before it was confirmed to him.

After leaving the UFC, Werdum signed with Strikeforce. He made he debut at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg in August of 2009 against fellow UFC veteran Mike "MAK" Kyle. He won be submission in under 90 seconds of the first round. He followed up the win with another victory by unanimous decision over Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers.

At Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum in June of 2010, Werdum faced former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko. In an enormous upset victory, Werdum forced Fedor to tap out via triangle/armbar just over a minute into the first round. Werdum's victory ended Emelianenko's 28-fight unbeaten streak and also propelled Werdum's status up the Heavyweight rankings, as he was ranked the third-best in the Heavyweight category of MMA. The following year, in June of 2001, Werdum was defeated at Strikeforce: Dallas by Alistair Overeem.

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In November of 2011, Werdum made his return to the UFC via contract-signing. His return match was against Roy Nelson in February of 2012. He won the fight via unanimous decision and the bout won the "Fight of the Night" honors due to the exciting back and forth sparring between Werdum and Nelson. He next faced Mike Russow in June of 2012 and won by total knockout.

Werdum appeared on the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil" as a coach alongside Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. At the conclusion of the season, the two coaches fought each other and Werdum won by verbal submission due to an armbar in the second round. He later fought Travis Browne at UFC on Fox 11 in a Heavyweight title eliminator bout. Though he was the underdog, Werdum dominated the fight for nearly all five rounds and won via unanimous decision.

In June of 2015, Werdum fought Cain Valesquez for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. He won the match, becoming the undisputed champion, and also signed a new eight-fight contract with the UFC. He held on to the title until May of 2016. In the years that followed, Werdum suffered from a number of injuries, often having to pull out of scheduled fights.

In September of 2018, he was suspended from competition for two years due to a doping violation. His suspension was later reduced to 10 months. He returned to competition in 2020, winning a fight against Alexander Gustafsson. He chose not to re-sign with UFC following the fight. He subsequently signed a multi-fight deal with the Professional Fighters League in late 2020.

Personal Life

Werdum is married to his wife, Karine Groff Werdum. The couple married in 2003. His wife is Brazilian and works as a public relations officer and also founded a photography company. Together they have two daughters together – Juana and Julia. Werdum is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. Werdum and his family live in Los Angeles, California. In 2019, Werdum made the news for reasons other than his fighting career when he and a lifeguard rescued some drowning teenagers at a beach near his home in Torrance, California.

Read more: Fabrício Werdum Net Worth

John McCarthy is a former American MMA referee who has a net worth of $1 million. Big John McCarthy is best known as the first head referee for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is currently a broadcaster for Bellator MMA and co-hosts the MMA and combat sports podcast "Weighing In" with Josh Thomson.

Early Life

John Michael McCarthy was born on October 12, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. McCarthy spent time at the Los Angeles Police Academy as a Tactical Self-Defense Instructor and retired around 2008 after spending some thirty years in that post.

John had been training with Rorion Gracie at the family's L.A. facility when he got involved with the newly created Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993. He was the referee for UFC 2 in 1994 launching his career as a UFC ref.

Career

John McCarthy would go on to referee hundreds of bouts in major MMA promotions and events. The UFC started out with very few rules, but with suggestions and feedback given by John, the sport became safer under these new adopted guidelines. McCarthy would often start matches by saying, "Let's get it on," and it became an iconic catchphrase associated with John and his refereeing.

He got the nickname "Big John" because of his imposing size and stature. At 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 260 pounds, McCarthy towered over the majority of the fighters he stood with in the ring. Reportedly, the nickname was first given to him by UFC co-founder and promoter Art Davie. McCarthy remembers being addressed as such after lifting Davie off of the ground and holding him in the air.

John McCarthy retired from UFC refereeing in 2018 for good after briefly retiring back in 2007 and moved on to rival organization Bellator where he serves as a commentator.

Earnings

How much did Big John McCarthy earn in the ring as a ref? John discussed this very question at length in a 2015 podcast. On the podcast, McCarthy revealed that he could earn as little as $400 for a lower level fight. For a high profile fight, such as the bout between Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo in December 2015, he earned a surprisingly-scant $1,900.

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Awards & Pop Culture

McCarthy won Referee of the Year three times in 2015, 2016, and 2017 at the World MMA Awards. He was also named part of the MMA Freak Hall of Fame Class of 2013 at the Wayback Machine.

McCathy appeared in an episode of Friends called "The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion." He served as the ref on the MTV 2 series "Bully Beatdown" and was featured in the award-winning mixed martial arts documentary "Fight Life." John also appeared in Season three, episode five of "Entourage" and at the end of the movie "Never Back Down 2: The Beat Down."

Personal Life

John McCarthy currently resides in Tennessee. He has two sons and a daughter, one of whom has been an MMA judge since 2013.

McCathy's autobiography "Let's Get It On – The Making of MMA and its Ultimate Referee " was published on September 1, 2011.

Read more: John McCarthy Net Worth

Rashad Evans is an American Mixed Martial Artist who has a net worth of $4 million. Rashad Evans competed in the UFC and EFC. He rose to national prominence in 2005 as the heavyweight winner of the second season of the reality television series "The Ultimate Fighter." Evans went on to become a UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and in 2019 was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Wrestling

Rashad Evans was born on September 25, 1979 in Niagara Falls, New York. As a teenager, he went to Niagara-Wheatfield High School in Sanborn, where he was a star wrestler. Evans twice made it to the state finals tournament, and came in fourth place in both 1997 and 1998. Closing out the decade, he competed in the 165-pound weight class in the National Junior College Athletic Association National Championships, where he also came in fourth place. Evans went on to win his weight class the next year.

Evans moved on to NCAA Division I wrestling as a college student at Michigan State University. In 2002, he came in fourth place in the Big Ten Conference Championships, and in 2003 came in third. Evans finished his collegiate career at MSU with a 48-34 record.

The Ultimate Fighter 2

After winning five out of five professional mixed martial arts fights in 2004, Evans was chosen to compete on "The Ultimate Fighter 2," the second season of the Spike TV reality series "The Ultimate Fighter." He competed as a heavyweight alongside such fighters as Keith Jardine, Brad Imes, and Seth Petruzelli. Evans ultimately won the season by defeating Imes in the finale via split decision. His reward was a three-year, six-figure contract with the UFC, as well as a new car.

UFC, 2006-2018

Following "The Ultimate Fighter 2," Evans dropped down to the light heavyweight class. He went on to have his first UFC fight under his new contract in April of 2006, defeating Sam Hoger via submission. Evans next won decisive victories over Stephan Bonnar, Jason Lambert, and Sean Salmon. At UFC 73, he faced Tito Ortiz, who gave him a challenge; the fight ultimately ended in a draw. Unable to secure a rematch right away, Evans made his headliner debut at UFC 78, where he beat "Ultimate Fighter 3" winner Michael Bisping by split decision. A year later, he had one of his most incredible career achievements when he surprised everyone by knocking out UFC legend Chuck Liddell at UFC 88. This set the stage for Evans's appearance at UFC 92, where he faced Forrest Griffin for the UFC Light Heavyweight belt. After struggling in the first two rounds, Evans came back strong in the third to win the match and become the new Light Heavyweight Champion. However, he soon lost the title to Lyoto Machida, who handed him the first loss of his career.

At UFC 108 in early 2010, Evans went up against Thiago Silva, defeating him by unanimous decision. He subsequently faced Quinton Jackson at UFC 114, and again won by a unanimous decision. After defeating Tito Ortiz in a rematch at UFC 133, Evans secured a title shot against Jon Jones to reclaim the Light Heavyweight belt. However, a lingering thumb injury kept him from fighting, and he was replaced by Lyoto Machida. Ultimately, Jones retained the title. Evans finally faced Jones at UFC 145 in 2012, but lost via unanimous decision. He performed better in subsequent matches, including wins over Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen, before being sidelined for much of 2014 and 2015 due to injuries. Evans made his return at UFC 192, where he lost to Ryan Bader. For most of 2016, he was once again sidelined for health and medical reasons. Returning to the ring in 2017, Evans fell to such fighters as Dan Kelly and Sam Alvey. At UFC 225 in 2018, he lost to Anthony Smith via knockout in the first round. Evans subsequently announced his retirement from MMA.

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Eagle Fighting Championship

In 2019, it was reported that Evans had been released by the UFC so he could make a return from retirement for another organization. A couple years later, he announced that he would be competing in Khabib Nurmagomedov's Eagle Fighting Championship promotion. Evans went on to have his comeback fight at Eagle FC 44 in early 2022, where he defeated Gabriel Checco via unanimous decision.

Entrepreneur

Beyond MMA, Evans is an entrepreneur in the health and wellness space. With former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer and educator Del Jolly, he co-founded the company Umbo, which offers health and food products using functional mushrooms.

Personal Life

Evans married his college sweetheart LaToya Brown in 2007. They resided in Lansing, Michigan, and had a son named Rashad Jr. and a daughter named Nia before divorcing in 2013. Evans also has a daughter named Tahja from a prior relationship. He later married his second wife, Celiana, with whom he has a son named Solaris.

Read more: Rashad Evans Net Worth