Mike Rowbotham
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Mike Rowbotham is a Canadian amateur wrestler and professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was the 2007 Canadian juvenile Greco-Roman wrestling champion in the 84kg weight class.
[edit] Biography
Michael Dylan Rowbotham was born in Mississauga, Ontario, on July 15, 1989. At age 3 he moved to Alcona, Ontario where he spent most of his childhood. Self described as a "fat kid who got picked last in gym class," . Rowbotham was born in an athletic family, with both his brothers excelling in many sports including hockey. Reportedly, he never did well in sports until the 6th grade after relocating to Barrie, Ontario.
Achieving regional success in volleyball, basketball, hockey and track and field, he went on to play football for Barrie Central Collegiate Institute under Coach Ed Leech. It was here that Rowbotham met gym teacher and former CIS Wrestling Champion Brad Chestnut, and Nicholas Cryer who would play key roles in his life for the next four years. Rowbotham then began his high-school wrestling career, finishing with an outstanding 78-8 record.
Move to MMA
In his last year of High School, Rowbotham began training with acclaimed MMA superstar Gary Goodridge.
After graduating high school, he moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario and began training with the Leading Edge Gym.
He later made his professional MMA debut in the middleweight (185lbs) division, losing his premier match by a split decision to Tim Smith at Hardcore Championship Fighting: Tital Wave on October 21, 2007. The fight was somewhat controversial, as the audience audibly booed the decision. Rowbotham had dominated Smith with takedowns in every round.
Future
Rowbotham is currently training with the Lakehead Thunderwolves wrestling team. It remains elusive as to whether or not he will continue to compete as an amateur wrestler or whether he will focus strictly on MMA.
Rowbotham was attentatively scheduled to fight Mauro Sergio on May 10, 2008 in the welterweight (170lbs) division. However, with the disintegration of Hardcore Championship Fighting, this failed to come to fruition.
Rowbotham has been asked to fight both on June 21 and July 5, 2008 with different organizations and no official announcements have been made.
[edit] Awards
- 2007 Freestyle OFSSA Gold Medalist (83kg)
- 2007 Canadian Greco-Roman Champion (84kg)
- 2x Ofssa medalist
- 3x GBSSA Champion
