| Jeff Monson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jeffrey William Monson [1] January 18, 1971 Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Other names | The Snowman |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 238.1 lb (108.0 kg; 17.0 st) |
| Division | Heavyweight (265 lb) Light Heavyweight (205 lb) |
| Reach | 74 in (188 cm) |
| Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Submission Grappling, Wrestling |
| Fighting out of | Coconut Creek, Florida, U.S. |
| Team | American Top Team |
| Rank | Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Wrestling | NCAA Division I Wrestling |
| Years active | 1997-present |
| Professional boxing record | |
| Total | 3 |
| Wins | 2 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 56 |
| Wins | 43 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 27 |
| By decision | 14 |
| Losses | 13 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 9 |
| Other information | |
| University | Oregon State University |
| Website | http://jeffmonson.com/ |
| Boxing record from Boxrec | |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for United States | ||
| Men's Submission Wrestling | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 1999 Abu Dhabi | Under 99KG |
| Silver | 2000 Abu Dhabi | Under 99KG |
| Silver | 2001 Abu Dhabi | Over 99KG |
| Gold | 2005 California | Over 99KG |
| Bronze | 2009 Barcelona | Over 99KG |
Jeffrey William Monson[1] (born January 18, 1971) is an American mixed martial artist from Olympia, Washington. He is a 2 time winner of the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, and a No Gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion. He currently holds the Heavyweight titles in the International Sport Karate Association and the Strength & Honor Championship. He is currently affiliated with American Top Team which is based in Coconut Creek, Florida.
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Monson was a Division I wrestler at Oregon State University and at the University of Illinois, and was a Pac-10 champion.[2] He also competed at senior level at USA Wrestling events for a number of years.
Monson is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Champion. He is a mixed martial arts fighter and has had three professional boxing bouts. His professional boxing record is two wins and one draw.
Monson is considered to be one of the world's top submission grapplers. He is a multiple event winner at NAGA, Grapplers Quest and FILA, among other submission tournaments. He is nicknamed "The Snowman" for his performance at the 1999 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship. The Brazilian fighters at the tournament gave him the nickname because he came in as an unknown, but beat four Brazilians in a row to win the 88-98 kilogram weight class. As he went along in the tournament and continued to beat his opponents, they said he was like a snowball (white, compact, rolling and getting bigger and stronger as the tournament went on).[3]
Monson is known for his anarchist views and affiliations. In an interview, he explained, "I am an anarchist, someone who would like to do away with all class hierarchy in society and the institutions that promote this inequality." [4] He correspondingly receives sponsorship from AK Press and has several anarchist symbols tattooed on his body. In solidarity, Monson is a member of the Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies).[5]
Monson has a Bachelor's degree and a Master's Degree in psychology. For a few years he worked as a mental health professional, both in a crisis evaluation role as well as a child/family counselor. He has had such major success in Abu Dhabi and other MMA shows that he left the mental health profession to devote himself full time to mixed martial arts.
After 14 straight victories Monson turned to the UFC. At UFC 57 Monson submitted Branden Lee Hinkle by North-South Choke in the first round. At UFC 59 Monson fought BJJ black belt Marcio Cruz (his long time rival and ADCC veteran). Monson won by decision after 3 rounds. At UFC 61 Monson fought BJJ black belt Anthony Perosh, against whom Monson won by TKO in the first round.
On November 18, 2006 at UFC 65, Monson fought Tim Sylvia for the UFC heavyweight championship. Monson lost a five round decision and would later ask to be released from his UFC contract in the hopes of facing then PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko at a BodogFIGHT scheduled for March 2007. However, negotiations fell through and the match never happened.
At PRIDE 34, on April 8, 2007, Monson defeated Kazuyuki Fujita by rear naked choke at 6:37 of the opening round.
His next fight was scheduled to be against Chris Guillen on August 17, 2007 for the Global Fighting Championships' heavyweight title, but the event was canceled after four of the eight scheduled bouts were removed from the card.[6] He lost the fight against Pedro Rizzo at Art of War 3 which was held on September 1, 2007. During the bout, Monson displayed a much improved level of striking, and kept the fight standing virtually the entire time.
On September 7, 2007, Monson won a total of two matches in the FILA World Championship in Turkey, defeating France's Zoro Piere and Great Britain's Tom Blackledge with submissions. Monson was awarded the 275-pound gold medal when his final opponent Ramon Diaz suffered an injury and was forced to bow out.
Jeff Monson defeated Ricco Rodriguez in the main event of Mixed Fighting Alliance "There Will Be Blood" event on December 13, 2008. He avenged a loss to Rodriguez from almost 7 years prior.
On March 21, 2009, Jeff won a controversial decision against "Big Country" Roy Nelson on Roy Jones Jr.'s hybrid boxing/MMA card "March Badness". He then beat Sergej Maslobojev on a Cage Wars card on On March 29, 2009. Jeff immediately went to Japan and beat top Russian Heavyweight Sergei Kharitonov on April 5, 2009 at Dream 8, giving him 3 wins within two weeks.
On September 12, 2009 at Bitetti Combat MMA 4, Monson had his seven fight win streak snapped, losing to Pedro Rizzo by unanimous decision.
At 5150 Combat League / Xtreme Fighting League - New Years Revolution, Monson defeated John Brown by Split Decision on January 16, 2010.
On March 13, 2010 Monson fights in France at 100% Fight II and defeated Francisco Nonato by Submission (Guillotine Choke) in the 1st Round. Monson losing to Travis Wiuff by Split Decision at XKL Evolution 2 on April 24, 2010. On May 14, 2010 Monson losing in Abu Dhabi to Shamil Abdurahimov by Majority Decision at Abu Dhabi Fighting Championship in the Quarter Finals of the 2010 Openweight Grand Prix.
Jeff Monson defeated Bira Lima at Impact FC 1 - The Uprising: Brisbane in Australia on July 10, 2010 by Unanimous Decision.
Monson faced Jason Guida on August 21, 2010 at the event called "Fight Time 1".[7] Monson defeated Jason Guida at 3:04 of the second round with a guillotine choke.
His next fight was scheduled to be against Neil Wain at "KnuckleUp - Kings of the North", but Neil Wain has had to pull out his fight, due to injuries occurred from his last fight. Stepping in to replace Neil Wain, is the very man who took Wain out of the fight, Dave Keeley.[8] Monson defeated Keeley via Submission (North-South Choke) in the 1st Round.
Monson defeated Sergey Shemetov at the inaugural Israel Fighting Championship event on Nov. 9. After the fight, he said he wanted to drop down to 205 pounds for his next fight and his friend, Ricco Rodriguez, who later won his fight in the main event, said he wanted to fight Monson for the IFC at light heavyweight.[9]
In 2011, Monson defeated Lee Mein on January 7,[10] and Tony Lopez on April 1 by five round decision. Jeff Monson's next fight was against Maro Perak where he won a three round decision.[11]
Monson says that after he fights in April and May, he hopes the UFC wants him back, but this time he would like to fight in the light heavyweight division.[12]
Monson stepped in for injured Shane del Rosario to face prospect Daniel Cormier on the June 18 Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum card in Dallas, and lost the fight via unanimous decision.[13]
Monson defeated Paul 'The Terror' Taylor in Tower Ballroom, Birmingham (UK) at the Sprawl n Brawl promotion on October 9th 2011. [14]
Monson fought Fedor Emelianenko at M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Monson on November 20, 2011 in Moscow, Russia and lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Monson and his ex-wife have two children, Joshua and Michaela.[15][16] Monson married his second wife, Danielle Dughan, on April 10, 2010. On June 9, 2010 their daughter Willow was born.[1]
On January 14, 2009, Monson was charged with First Degree Malicious Mischief, for vandalizing the Washington State Capitol by spray-painting "an anarchy symbol, a peace symbol and the words 'no poverty' and 'no war'"[17] on the large columns at the front of the building. A warrant was issued by a Thurston County Superior Court Judge [18] after pictures of Monson committing the crime were printed in ESPN magazine.[19]
On July 29, 2009 Monson plead guilty to malicious mischief and entered an Alford plea for graffiti.[20] In October 2009, he was sentenced to 90 days of work release and ordered to pay $21,894 in restitution. The price of the fine has since accrued interest, with the current amount being $24,749.80. [21].[22] As of January 2011, he had only paid $421 of his court-ordered restitution.[23]
ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships:
ADCC 2009 Over 99+kg: 3rd Place
ADCC 2005 Over 99+kg: 1st Place
ADCC 2003 99+kg: Quarter Finals
ADCC 2001 Over 99+kg: 2nd place
ADCC 2000 88–98 kg: 2nd place Openweight: Quarter Finals, but unable to continue.
ADCC 1999 Under 99KG: 1st Place
CBJJ No-Gi World Championships:
2007 Black Belt SuperSuperHeavy: 2nd Place
2007 Black Belt Open Weight: 1st Place
Misc.
2007 World Grappling Championships 125 kg: gold medal (1st place)
2008 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials - 275+ Division 1st place.
2007 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials - 275+ Division 1st place.
2007 Budweiser World Jiu-Jitsu Championships - Pro no-gi 1st place.
2006 Budweiser World Jiu-Jitsu Championships - Pro no-gi 1st place.
2004 Budweiser World Jiu-Jitsu Championships - Pro no-gi 1st place.
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 56 matches | 43 wins | 13 losses |
| By knockout | 2 | 2 |
| By submission | 27 | 2 |
| By decision | 14 | 9 |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 43-13 | Fedor Emelianenko | Decision (unanimous) | M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Monson | November 20, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Moscow, Russia | Battle of the Legends |
| Win | 43-12 | Paul Taylor | Submission (rear naked choke) | Sprawl n Brawl 8: Return of the Cyborg | October 9, 2011 | 1 | 4:20 | Edgbaston, Birmingham, England | Won Intercontinental Heavyweight Title |
| Loss | 42-12 | Daniel Cormier | Decision (unanimous) | Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum | June 18, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Dallas, Texas, United States | Strikeforce Grand Prix Alternate Bout |
| Win | 42-11 | Maro Perak | Decision (unanimous) | Strength & Honor Championship 4: Monson vs. Perak | April 30, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Geneva, Switzerland | Won SHC Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | 41-11 | Tony Lopez | Decision (unanimous) | Fight Time 4: MMA Heavyweight Explosion | April 1, 2011 | 5 | 5:00 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | Won ISKA heavyweight world title |
| Win | 40-11 | Lee Mein | Submission (guillotine choke) | Cage Fighting Manitoba 1 | January 7, 2011 | 1 | 3:31 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |
| Win | 39-11 | Sergey Shemetov | Submission (keylock) | Israel FC: Genesis | November 9, 2010 | 1 | 4:09 | Tel Aviv, Israel | |
| Win | 38-11 | Travis Fulton | Submission (keylock) | Elite Promotions/Fight Time Promotions: Fight Time 2 | October 23, 2010 | 1 | 4:40 | Pompano Beach, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 37-11 | Dave Keeley | Submission (north-south choke) | KUMMA: Kings of the North | September 4, 2010 | 1 | 1:41 | Lancashire, England | |
| Win | 36-11 | Jason Guida | Submission (rear naked choke) | Elite Promotions/Fight Time Promotions: Fight Time 1 | August 21, 2010 | 2 | 3:04 | Pompano Beach, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 35-11 | Ubiratan Marinho Lima | Decision (unanimous) | Impact FC 1 | July 10, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Brisbane, Australia | |
| Loss | 34-11 | Shamil Abdurahimov | Decision (majority) | Abu Dhabi Fighting Championship | May 14, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 34-10 | Travis Wiuff | Decision (split) | XKL Evolution 2 | April 24, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | |
| Win | 34-9 | Francisco Nonato | Submission (guillotine choke) | 100% Fight II | March 13, 2010 | 1 | 2:27 | Paris, France | |
| Win | 33-9 | John Brown | Decision (split) | 5150 Combat League / Xtreme Fighting League: New Year's Revolution | January 16, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Loss | 32-9 | Pedro Rizzo | Decision (unanimous) | Bitetti Combat MMA 4 | September 12, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 32-8 | Jimmy Ambriz | Submission (rear naked choke) | Total Combat 33: Bad Intentions | July 11, 2009 | 1 | 1:09 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Win | 31-8 | Sergei Kharitonov | Submission (north-south choke) | Dream 8 | April 5, 2009 | 1 | 1:42 | Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
| Win | 30-8 | Sergej Maslobojev | Submission (north-south choke) | Cage Wars Championship: Decade | March 29, 2009 | 2 | 2:30 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Win | 29-8 | Roy Nelson | Decision (unanimous) | March Badness | March 21, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Pensacola, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 28-8 | Ricco Rodriguez | Decision (unanimous) | MFA: There Will Be Blood | December 13, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 27-8 | Jimmy Ambriz | Submission (north-south choke) | Beatdown: 4 Bears Casino | October 11, 2008 | 1 | 1:50 | New Town, North Dakota, United States | |
| Win | 26-8 | Mark Kerr | Submission (rear naked choke) | Vengeance FC | September 27, 2008 | 1 | 3:15 | Concord, North Carolina, United States | |
| Loss | 25-8 | Josh Barnett | Decision (unanimous) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 2 | May 18, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 25-7 | Hakim Gouram | Decision (unanimous) | Platinum Fighting Productions: Ring of Fire | December 9, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Quezon City, Philippines | |
| Loss | 24-7 | Pedro Rizzo | TKO (punches) | Art of War 3 | September 1, 2007 | 3 | 2:40 | Dallas, Texas, United States | For UAFC heavyweight title |
| Win | 24-6 | Kazuyuki Fujita | Submission (rear naked choke) | Pride 34 | April 8, 2007 | 1 | 6:37 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
| Loss | 23-6 | Tim Sylvia | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 65 | November 18, 2006 | 5 | 5:00 | Sacramento, United States | For UFC Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | 23-5 | Anthony Perosh | TKO (punches) | UFC 61 | July 8, 2006 | 1 | 2:43 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won Knock out of the Night Honors |
| Win | 22-5 | Marcio Cruz | Decision (split) | UFC 59 | April 15, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Anaheim, California, United States | |
| Win | 21-5 | Branden Lee Hinkle | Technical submission (north-south choke) | UFC 57 | February 4, 2006 | 1 | 4:35 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won Submission of the Night Honors |
| Win | 20-5 | Marc Emmanuel | Submission (rear naked choke) | Cage Warriors Strike Force 4: Night of Champions 2005 | November 26, 2005 | 1 | 0:58 | Coventry, England | |
| Win | 19-5 | Devin Cole | Decision (unanimous) | X Fighting Championships: Dome of Destruction 3 | October 15, 2005 | 3 | 5:00 | Tacoma, Washington, United States | |
| Win | 18-5 | Jay White | Submission (rear naked choke) | SportFight 12: Breakout | September 16, 2005 | 1 | 1:21 | Portland, Oregon, United States | |
| Win | 17-5 | Rich Wilson | Submission (armbar) | Extreme Wars | July 2, 2005 | 1 | 1:56 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| Win | 16-5 | Tengiz Tedoradze | Submission (rear naked choke) | Cage Warriors Fighting Championships: Ultimate Force | April 30, 2005 | 1 | 1:59 | Sheffield, England | Won Cage Warriors heavyweight world title |
| Win | 15-5 | Jay White | Submission (injury) | Euphoria MFC: USA vs. the World | February 26, 2005 | 1 | 4:07 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 14-5 | Brian Stromberg | Submission (rear naked choke) | SportFight 8: Justice | January 7, 2005 | 1 | N/A | Gresham, Oregon, United States | |
| Win | 13-5 | Tengiz Tedoradze | Submission (rear naked choke) | Cage Warriors 9 | December 18, 2004 | 1 | 3:51 | Sheffield, England | |
| Win | 12-5 | Pat Stano | TKO (knee to the body) | Euphoria MFC: Road to the Titles | October 15, 2004 | 2 | 3:11 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 11-5 | Carlos Clayton | Decision | Absolute Fighting Championships: Brazil 1 | August 28, 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 10-5 | Don Richards | Submission (north-south choke) | Iron Heart Crown 7: The Crucible | June 5, 2004 | 2 | 2:25 | Hammond, Indiana, United States | |
| Win | 9-5 | Joe Nye | Submission (rear naked choke) | Mass Destruction 12 | August 16, 2003 | 1 | 3:02 | Taunton, Massachusetts, United States | |
| Win | 8-5 | Mike Delaney | Submission (choke) | AFC 4: Absolute Fighting Championships 4 | July 19, 2003 | 1 | 4:27 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |
| Loss | 7-5 | Forrest Griffin | Decision (unanimous) | WEFC 1: Bring it On | June 29, 2002 | 4 | 4:20 | Marietta, Georgia, United States | |
| Loss | 7-4 | Ricco Rodriguez | TKO (punches) | UFC 35 | January 11, 2002 | 3 | 3:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Win | 7-3 | Roman Roytberg | Submission (north-south choke) | AMC Pankration: Revenge of the Warriors | July 21, 2001 | 1 | N/A | Rochester, Washington, United States | |
| Loss | 6-3 | Chuck Liddell | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 29 | December 16, 2000 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 6-2 | Tim Lajcik | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 27 | September 22, 2000 | 2 | 5:00 | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | |
| Win | 5-2 | Bob Gilstrap | Decision (unanimous) | AMC Pankration: Return of the Gladiators 1 | July 29, 2000 | 3 | 5:00 | Rochester, Washington, United States | |
| Loss | 4-2 | David Dodd | Submission (armbar) | Extreme Challenge 23 | April 2, 1999 | 1 | 0:46 | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States | |
| Win | 4-1 | Roger Neff | Decision | Ultimate Ring Challenge | March 1, 1999 | 3 | 5:00 | Wenatchee, Washington, United States | |
| Loss | 3-1 | Tom Sauer | Submission (rear naked choke) | Extreme Challenge 20 | August 22, 1998 | 1 | 3:47 | Davenport, Iowa, United States | |
| Win | 3-0 | John Renfroe | Submission (punches) | Ultimate Warrior Challenge | August 2, 1998 | 1 | 2:45 | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |
| Win | 2-0 | Cy Cross | Submission (choke) | United Full Contact Federation: Night of Champions | March 14, 1998 | 1 | 3:47 | Lynnwood, Washington, United States | |
| Win | 1-0 | Luther Norberg | Decision (unanimous) | United Full Contact Federation: Gladiators | November 21, 1997 | 1 | N/A | No location reported |