Sean Sherk

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Sean Sherk
Statistics
Nickname The Muscle Shark
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight 155 lb (70 kg/11.1 st)
Nationality American
Born August 5, 1973 (1973-08-05) (age 34)
Fighting out of Anoka, Minnesota
Town of birth St. Francis, Minnesota
Team/Association Minnesota Martial Arts Academy
Fighting style Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Mixed martial arts record
Wins 32
  By knockout 8
  By submission 13
Losses 3
Draws 1

Sean Sherk (born August 5, 1973) is an American mixed martial artist. As of May 24, 2008, he holds a professional mixed martial arts record of 32-3-1. He has fought in both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and PRIDE Fighting Championships. He holds notable wins over Manvel Gamburyan, Karo Parisyan (twice), Hermes Franca, Kenny Florian and Nick Diaz.

Sherk became the UFC lightweight champion on October 14, 2006 at UFC 64. He was the second UFC lightweight champion, and was the first champion since the division's reinstatement in 2006. In December 2007, Sherk was officially stripped of the title after testing positive for steroids.

Contents

[edit] Martial arts background

Sherk began wrestling at age seven. After searching for something to fulfill his athletic and competitive desires, he found Greg Nelson's Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. He first trained in Muay Thai, boxing, and Shooto.[1] His coach, Greg Nelson, is closely affiliated with Erik Paulson, founder of Combat Submission Wrestling.

[edit] Mixed martial arts career

Sherk began his mixed martial arts career in 1999 at the Dangerzone MMA Event in Bonville, Minnesota. He opened his career with a twelve-fight win streak, including two notable victories over rising Judo star Karo Parisyan, and was picked up by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2001.

[edit] UFC contender

He made his UFC debut at UFC 30 where he defeated Tiki Ghosn. After going 5-0-1 outside of the UFC he was brought back to fight Jutaro Nakao at UFC 36, a fight in which Sherk won via unanimous decision. His next fight was on September 27, 2002 against Benji Radach at UFC 39. Sherk won the fight when it was stopped due to a cut Radach received.

Sherk was then chosen to fight Matt Hughes for the UFC welterweight championship on April 25, 2003. Sherk lost his title bid in a five round fight where he won two rounds, becoming the first person ever to go five rounds with the then-champion Hughes.

[edit] PRIDE FC

Following the fight with Hughes, Sherk fought three more times in 2003, winning all three bouts. In 2004 he signed with PRIDE and made his debut with the Japanese-based organization at PRIDE Bushido 2, facing Ryuki Ueyama. Sherk won the fight via unanimous decision.

It was in Japan where he adopted his nickname, "The Muscle Shark". The Japanese katakana for Sherk is the same for shark. Sherk's win in PRIDE would be his only outing in the company.

[edit] Layoff

Sherk then won seven straight fights, all by submission or TKO, but still was not signed to the UFC or PRIDE. He often faced trouble getting enough fights to support his family. After the birth of his first child, he retired from the sport of mixed martial arts and got a job in the flooring business.[2]

[edit] Return to the UFC

The UFC had experienced a growth in popularity after the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. After his coach suggested that he start teaching classes and speaking with his old manager, Monte Cox, Sherk began training for a return to professional mixed martial arts. He defeated Joel Blanton, and then was invited back to the UFC for a fight with welterweight contender, Georges St. Pierre. Sherk lost by TKO, but was given another fight in the UFC at UFC 59, where he defeated Nick Diaz by unanimous decision, earning his first victory in the organization since 2002. During the post-fight interview, Sean Sherk stated his intention to drop down in weight to the lightweight division.

[edit] Lightweight championship

In October 2006, Sherk won the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 64, defeating The Ultimate Fighter 1 finalist Kenny Florian by unanimous decision. With his win he became the second champion in the UFC's lightweight division since Jens Pulver vacated the title in 2002. However, before the title bout Sherk tore his rotator cuff and had to take a break to rehabilitate.

[edit] Suspension for Steroid Use

- After successfully defending his title against Hermes Franca at UFC 73 on July 7, 2007, the California State Athletic Commission announced that Sherk and Franca had both tested positive for banned steroids in post-fight drug tests. After testing positive for Nandrolone, Sherk was fined $2,500 and suspended from competing in California until July 6, 2008. He has since filed an extension for his appeal hearing.[3] His appeal was December 4, 2007, which saw Sherk's suspension reduced to 6 months, making him eligible to fight in early January 2008.[4] Like imprisoned track star Marion Jones Sherk states he has passed three separate lie detector tests confirming that he did not knowingly take steroids, but refuses to address whether he has ever failed a related lie detector test.[5] Sherk also claimed errors were made in lab testing procedures, because three people tested immediately prior to him tested positive for steroids. However the lab has not confirmed or admitted these errors.[6]. Sherk claims that the failure of the lab to properly test the vials used in the earlier, positive tests for any remaining steroid content may have resulted in his sample becoming contaminated with nandrolone.[6]

Following the CSAC's decision to uphold the results of the positive steroid test (although simultaneously reducing his suspension to six months), the UFC officially stripped Sherk of the lightweight title.[7] The match between B. J. Penn and Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 was then changed to be for the official lightweight title instead of an interim title.[7] Penn defeated Stevenson, and the UFC announced that Penn's first title defense would be against Sherk, who was reinstated by UFC in April 2008.[8] Sherk and Penn fought at UFC 84 on May 24, 2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Penn defeated Sherk by TKO after Sherk was unable to continue at the end of the 3rd round.

[edit] Personal life

[edit] Mixed martial arts record

Result Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Notes
Loss B.J. Penn TKO (Ref Stoppage) UFC 84: Ill Will 05/24/2008 3 5:00 For UFC lightweight title
Win Hermes Franca Decision (Unanimous) UFC 73: Stacked 07/07/2007 5 5:00 Defended UFC lightweight title; tests positive for banned substance after fight; later stripped of the lightweight title
Win Kenny Florian Decision (Unanimous) UFC 64: Unstoppable 10/14/2006 5 5:00 Won UFC lightweight title
Win Nick Diaz Decision (Unanimous) UFC 59: Reality Check 4/15/2006 3 5:00
Loss Georges St. Pierre TKO (Strikes) UFC 56: Full Force 11/19/2005 2 2:53
Win Joel Blanton Submission (Rear Naked Choke) BP: Pride and Glory 9/17/2005 1 N/A
Win Lee King Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) Extreme Challenge 60 11/12/2004 1 2:20
Win Brodie Farber Submission (Choke) SF 6: Battleground in Reno 9/23/2004 1 0:55
Win Darin Brudigan Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) Cage Fighting Xtreme 2 9/4/2004 N/A N/A
Win Gerald Strebendt TKO Extreme Challenge 58 6/11/2004 1 3:52
Win Eric Heinz Submission (Neck Crank) Pride and Fury 6/3/2004 1 0:58
Win Jake Short Submission (Rear Naked Choke) ICC: Trials 2 4/30/2004 1 N/A
Win Kaleo Padilla Submission (Neck Crank) You Think You're Tough 4/17/2004 2 1:17
Win Ryuki Ueyama Decision (Unanimous) PRIDE: Bushido 2 2/15/2004 2 5:00
Win Charles Taylor Submission (Keylock) EP: XXXtreme Impact 12/28/2003 2 0:58
Win Mark Long Submission (Strikes) Extreme Combat 12/12/2003 1 N/A
Win John Alexander TKO Extreme Combat 8/2/2003 1 N/A
Loss Matt Hughes Decision (Unanimous) UFC 42: Sudden Impact 4/25/2003 5 5:00 For UFC welterweight title
Win John Alexander Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Extreme Combat 2 12/7/2002 1 N/A
Win Benji Radach TKO (Cut) UFC 39: The Warriors Return 9/27/2002 1 4:16
Win Jutaro Nakao Decision (Unanimous) UFC 36: Worlds Collide 3/22/2002 3 5:00
Win Claudionor Fontinelle Submission (Rear Naked Choke) UCC 6: Redemption 10/19/2001 2 1:04
Draw Kiuma Kunioku Draw Pancrase: 2001 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 2 7/29/2001 3 5:00
Win Curtis Brigham TKO (Towel) UW: St. Paul 7/15/2001 3 1:15
Win Jason Purcell TKO UW: Ultimate Fight Minnesota 6/2/2001 1 1:42
Win Marty Armendarez TKO (Punches) KOTC 8: Bombs Away 4/29/2001 3 2:07
Win Manvel Gamburyan Decision Reality Submission Fighting 3 3/30/2001 1 18:00
Win Tiki Ghosn Submission (Shoulder Dislocated) UFC 30: Battle on the Boardwalk 2/23/2001 2 4:47
Win Karo Parisyan TKO (Towel) Reality Submission Fighting 2 1/5/2001 1 16:20
Win Ken Parham Decision Submission Fighting Championships 11/3/2000 2 N/A
Win Karo Parisyan Decision Reality Submission Fighting 1 10/10/2000 1 18:00
Win Steve Gomm Decision Extreme Challenge 28 10/9/1999 1 10:00
Win Scott Bills Decision Extreme Challenge 28 10/9/1999 1 10:00
Win Kurtis Jensen TKO Extreme Challenge: Trials 10/4/1999 1 N/A
Win Johnnie Holland Submission (Keylock) Ultimate Wrestling 8/13/1999 2 2:10
Win Roscoe Ostyn Decision Dangerzone - Mahnomen 6/19/1999 N/A N/A

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bio.
  2. ^ The Ballad of the Muscle Shark (May 16, 2007).
  3. ^ UFC's Sherk, Franca get one-year suspensions for failing drug tests (July 19, 2007).
  4. ^ UFC Champ, Sean Sherk's Suspension Reduced (December 4, 2007).
  5. ^ Perkins, Jason (October 9, 2007). Sean Sherk Passes Lie Detector, Details. MMA Fightline.
  6. ^ a b Zeidler, Ben (December 20, ]2007). One-on-one with Sean Sherk. MMA Madness.
  7. ^ a b Sherk Stripped of UFC Belt. Sherdog.com (December 9, 2007). Retrieved on 2008-01-20.
  8. ^ Wilkins, Matt (January 20, 2008). Dana White Confirms Penn vs. Sherk and More. MMA Weekly. Retrieved on 2008-01-20.
  9. ^ a b c Biography, SeanSherk.com.
  10. ^ Minnesota Martial Arts Academy Staff.
  11. ^ Minnesota Martial Arts Academy Fighters.


Previous champion
Jens Pulver		 2nd UFC Lightweight Champion

October 14, 2006 – December 8, 2007

 Next champion
B. J. Penn
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