Joe Schilling
| Joe Schilling | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Joseph Schilling January 13, 1984 Dayton, Ohio, United States |
| Other names | Stitch 'em Up |
| Nationality |
 American |
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Weight | 84.8 kg (187 lb; 13.35 st) |
| Division |
Super Middleweight Light Heavyweight |
| Reach | 75.0 in (191 cm) |
| Style | Muay Thai |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Team | The Yard |
| Trainer | Mark Komuro |
| Years active | 2005-present |
| Professional boxing record | |
| Total | 2 |
| Wins | 1 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 21 |
| Wins | 15 |
| By knockout | 10 |
| Losses | 6 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| Draws | 0 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 4 |
| Wins | 1 |
| By submission | 1 |
| Losses | 3 |
| By submission | 3 |
| Draws | 0 |
|
| |
Joseph "Joe" Schilling (born January 13, 1984) is an American Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. Known for his use of elbows to cut opponents and nicknamed "Stitch 'em Up",[1] Schilling began fighting professionally in 2006 and was a two-time national titlist before defeating Kaoklai Kaennorsing to become the WBC Muaythai Interim World Light Heavyweight Champion in 2011. His profile further increased the following year when he engaged in a controversial rivalry with Simon Marcus.
Early life
Joe Schilling was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1984. His father left the family when he was just a baby and so he was raised by his mother alongside his two siblings. A troublesome child, Schilling was expelled from four different schools and took up Muay Thai at fifteen years old, hoping that it would give him direction and focus. After being kicked out of the family home at seventeen, he worked odd jobs and began his fighting career in local Toughman Contests while living in a small property that his grandmother owned with his brother Kevin.[2]
After his grandmother passed away, Schilling moved to Los Angeles, California where he found work as a personal trainer at a YMCA. He met his future trainer and business partner Mark Komuro while training at the LA Boxing Club, which later shut down and inspired the pair to open their own gym, The Yard, a former jail in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of LA.[3]
Career
Early career (2006-2009)
After a short and unremarkable amateur career, Schilling turned professional on September 30, 2006, taking on Lawson Baker in an 84 kg/185 lb bout on ten days' notice in Inglewood, California. He recalls striking his opponent with all his might, only to watch him continue to advance unfazed. After being dropped multiple times and nearly throwing in the towel, Schilling finally found the one weapon that worked, elbows. Forty-seven landed elbows later, he won his first professional Muay Thai fight by way of split decision.[4]
Having amassed an undefeated record over the course of the next year, Schilling was given the opportunity to fight for the vacant IKKC United States Super Middleweight (-75 kg/165 lb) Muay Thai Championship against Russian import Denis Grachev in Highland, California on November 29, 2007. Grachev defeated Schilling with a 47-second knockout in the first round after Grachev delivered a spinning heel kick to the body, as Schilling was unable to beat the referee's ten count.[5]
Throughout 2008, he turned his focus towards mixed martial arts and amassed a 1-3 record in the sport with all of his bouts ending in a submission. Schilling also debuted as a professional boxer on December 20, 2008 and knocked out his opponent Orlando Brizzio in just five seconds, the fastest KO in American combat sports history.[6] He made his return to Muay Thai in early 2009 and took wins over Chidi Njokuani and Chris Spång before experiencing a devastating loss to Wang Hong Xiang on August 30, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fighting under sanshou rules for the first time, Schilling was repeatedly thrown and taken down throughout the bout and injured both of his knees. He was counted out by the referee in round two when he could not continue after a leg sweep.[7] He required surgery on his knees after the fight which resulted in a year-long layoff.[8]
United States champion (2010-2011)
Schilling made his return to the ring on September 26, 2010 in his adopted hometown of Los Angeles where he faced Ryan Roy in a bout for the MTAA United States Super Middleweight (-75 kg/165 lb) title. After dominating Roy in the first round utilizing his height advantage with knees from the Thai clinch, Schilling forced the referee to stop the contest in the second when he barraged his opponent with a series of unanswered elbows.[9][10] Less than a month later, he made his international debut as he defeated Argentine opponent Luciano Vazquez via fourth round technical knockout at the historic Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on October 24, 2010.[11][12]
On December 5, 2010 in Los Angeles, he beat Chaz Mulkey by third round TKO in a WBC Muaythai United States Super Middleweight (-76.204 kg/168 lb) title eliminator. He knocked Mulkey down four times throughout the bout, causing a referee stoppage.[13][14] Schilling was then scheduled to face Ky Hollenbeck for the WBC national super middleweight title on March 5, 2011 in Los Angeles but Hollenbeck withdrew from the bout to fight for a world title and was replaced by Chase Green, and so the interim belt was then put on the line instead.[15][16] After forcing a standing eight count on Green with a combination of a thip to the face and punches early in round one, he pounced on his hurt opponent and finished the fight with a flurry of strikes at the 2:13 mark of the opening stanza.[17]
Schilling was expected to fight at the Stand Up Promotions' World Class Championship Muay Thai event in Anaheim, California on August 13, 2011[18][19] but he dropped out to fight Brandon Banda for the vacant WBC United States Light Heavyweight (-79.379 kg/175 lb) strap at Lion Fight: Battle in the Desert 3 in Primm, Nevada a week later.[20][21][22] The bout was the pair's rubber match as they had gone 1-1 as amateurs, and Schilling took the lead in their rivalry as he knocked his foe unconscious with a knee strike inside the opening round to claim his second national title.[23]
Entry onto the world stage (2011-2012)
Having established himself as an elite fighter domestically, Joe Schilling was matched up with two-time Rajadamnern Stadium champion and K-1 star Kaoklai Kaennorsing in a WBC Interim World Light Heavyweight Championship bout at the M-One: Thailand vs. America event held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on October 21, 2011.[24][25][26] The fight was one-sided in favour of Schilling, as he floored the Thai in the opening seconds and again immediately after he beat the referee's eight count. After a period of clinching, he knocked Kaoklai down for the third time with a right hook towards the end of the round, ending the fight.[27]
In January 2012, Schilling and former foe Chaz Mulkey were brought in as sparring partners for MMA star Nick Diaz ahead of his Interim UFC Welterweight Championship match with Carlos Condit at UFC 143.[28]
Joe Schilling and Canada's Simon Marcus went head to head in a bout to determine North America's top light heavyweight at Lion Fight: Battle in the Desert 5 in Las Vegas on February 25, 2012.[29][30][31] Both men agreed to a "winner takes all" scenario, meaning that whoever came out victorious would take 100% of the fight purse,[32] and the fight ended as controversially as it began. In round one, Marcus tripped Schilling, sending his head slamming into the canvas. As Schilling returned to his feet, clearly hurt from the throw, Marcus stormed in and knocked him down with a left hook. He was able to beat the count but Marcus went on the attack again and knocked Schilling out with a right elbow soon after.[33] After the fight, Schilling's camp made the accusation that the sweep that Marcus used to daze him initially was illegal and appealed to the Nevada State Athletic Commission to have the bout result overturned to a no contest, which was rejected.[34][35]
Due to the controversy surrounding the ending of their first fight, Schilling and Simon Marcus rematched at Lion Fight 6 in Las Vegas on May 12, 2012 in a bout to determine the #1 contender for Artem Levin's WBC World Light Heavyweight title.[36][37][38] It was close this time, with both men exchanging menacing shots. Marcus' knees and throws from the clinch would be the deciding factor, however, as he was awarded the majority decision (47-47, 48-47, 49-46).[39]
Despite losing in the #1 contender's match, Schilling was to be given a shot at Artem Levin and his WBC World Light Heavyweight belt at the Battle for the Belts event in Bangkok on June 9, 2012 after Simon Marcus pulled out.[40] However, Levin himself then withdrew due to knee surgery[41] and, while Artem Vakhitov was originally tabbed as his replacement,[42] Karapet Karapetyan eventually stepped in as the final opponent and Schilling's interim title was put on the line.[43] Having dominated every round but the third, Schilling won on the judges' scorecards to make the first defence of his interim belt.[44]
In the main event of Lion Fight 7 in Las Vegas on October 13, 2012, he met Eddie Walker in an 82 kg/180 lb bout.[45][46][47] Schilling attacked Walker's lead leg from the start and scored knockdowns with elbows in rounds one and two. As Schilling got more aggressive towards the end of round two and began to look for the finish, Walker let his hands go and connected with a short right cross which sent Schilling crashing to the canvas in a state of unconsciousness.[48][49]
He was slated to fight Edwin Aguilar at Lion Fight 9 in Las Vegas on March 15, 2013[50][51] but was denied a license due to medical concerns by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.[52] It was also reported that he would face Steven Wakeling under Oriental kickboxing rules at Glory 5: London in London, England on March 23, 2013[53] but he was replaced by his old foe Simon Marcus in that bout after rejecting the contract from Glory.[54]
He was set to make his return against Charles Byrd at Lion Fight 10 in Las Vegas on July 26, 2013.[55][56][57][58] However, he was removed from the card and the Lion Fight roster when he refused to sign an exclusive contract with the promotion.[59][60]
Switch to kickboxing (2013-present)
Schilling finally made his Glory debut when he competed in and won the four man 85 kg/187 lb tournament at Glory 10: Los Angeles - Middleweight World Championship Tournament in Ontario, California on September 28, 2013.[61][62] He was scheduled to fight Steve Wakeling in the semi-finals[63] but the Englishman was unable to compete due to visa issues and was replaced by Kengo Shimizu.[64] Schilling took a dominant unanimous decision over Shimizu before meeting Artem Levin in the final. Levin had a strong first round but Schilling bounced back to floor the Russian with a right overhand followed by a knee in the second. The bout was ruled a draw after the regulation three rounds and so it went to an extension round to decide the winner in which Schilling scored a controversial knockdown and secured himself the unanimous decision.[65][66][67]
He fought up-and-comer Wayne Barrett in the main event of Glory 12: New York - Lightweight World Championship Tournament in New York City, New York on November 23, 2013, losing a unanimous decision.[68][69] Barrett dropped Schilling twice in round two but Schilling rallied back to score a knockdown of his own with a knee in the third. It was too little, too late, however, as he lost the fight on points.[70][71][72]
Championships and awards
Kickboxing
- Glory
- Glory Middleweight (-84.8 kg/187 lb) World Championship Tournament Championship
- Muay Thai Association of America
- MTAA United States Super Middleweight (-75 kg/165 lb) Championship
- World Boxing Council Muaythai
- WBC Muaythai Interim United States Super Middleweight (-76.204 kg/168 lb) Championship
- WBC Muaythai United States Light Heavyweight (-79.379 kg/175 lb) Championship
- WBC Muaythai Interim World Light Heavyweight (-79.379 kg/175 lb) Championship
Boxing record
| Boxing record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 win (1 KO), 0 losses, 1 draw
Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
