Joe Vedepo

Joe Vedepo
Born January 1, 1983
Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Other names The Doctor
Residence Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Nationality American
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
Division Middleweight
Light Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Reach 74.0 in (188 cm)
Fighting out of Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Team Alliance MMA
Team Lloyd Irvin
American Top Team
Years active 2005–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total 26
Wins 17
By knockout 7
By submission 7
By decision 2
Unknown 1
Losses 9
By knockout 5
By submission 2
By decision 2
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Joe Vedepo is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator's Middleweight division. A professional competitor since 2005, he has also formerly competed for the UFC.

Background

Born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, Vedepo was a standout wrestler at Iowa City High School, but was troubled, later getting expelled from school. Vedepo later began training in mixed martial arts.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Vedepo made his professional MMA debut in November 2005. He went undefeated at 6–0 in the first two and a half years of his career.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Vedepo was invited to compete on The Ultimate Fighter 7 but declined for unknown reasons.[1]

Vedepo made his debut for the UFC on September 17, 2008 against Alessio Sakara at UFC Fight Night 15. He lost the fight via KO in the first round.

For his second fight, Vedepo faced Rob Kimmons at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1, 2009. He lost the fight via submission in the first round.

Vedepo was expected to face Gerald Harris on August 28, 2010 at UFC 118, replacing an injured Alessio Sakara.[2] On August 18, it was announced that the Vedepo/Harris bout had been scrapped from the card.[3]

Independent promotions

Following his release from the UFC, Vedepo fought at ZT Fight Night: Heavyweights Collide, where he fought two weight classes higher at Heavyweight and on only a few days notice. He faced Oli Thompson, winning via TKO (punches) in the second round. He was expected to fight Rob Broughton to crown the tournament winner but Vedepo broke his hand in his semifinals bout against Thompson, which forced him out of the finals.

Bellator MMA

Vedepo is notable for inventing the modified shin choke, also known as the Vedepo Choke, he used this submission to win his debut bout in Bellator, at the event Bellator 80. After losing three straight (two being in Bellator) bouts, he has since hit a resurgence.

Vedepo faced Ben Crowder at Bellator 117 on April 18, 2014. He defeated Crowder via a verbal submission, as Crowder sustained a leg injury.[4]

Vedepo then faced Cortez Coleman at Bellator 121 on June 6, 2014 and won via decision in a closely contested battle.[5]

Vedepo faced Davin Clark at Bellator 129 on October 17, 2014.[6] He won via TKO in the third round.

Vedepo will make a quick return to the Bellator cage as he steps in as a replacement for an injured Tom DeBlass against Muhammed Lawal on November 15, 2014 at Bellator 131. He lost the fight via TKO in the third round.

Personal life

On November 28, 2014 Vedepo taken into custody after he head-butted an officer in the chest and was Tasered during a struggle outside Sports Column a bar in Iowa City, Iowa. Police say they were called after Vedepo refused to leave. Vedepo told officers he “knew his rights” and resisted them as he tried to re-enter the bar, according to the report. It took several officers to subdue him, and he kicked at officers after being transferred from one police car to another. A Taser reportedly was ineffective. The report said the officer Vedepo head-butted was taken to a local hospital with back injuries. A test showed Vedepo had a blood-alcohol level of .241. He remains at the Johnson County Iowa Jail, according to online records, and has been charged with assault causing injury to a peace officer, an aggravated misdemeanor; two counts of assault on peace officers, a serious misdemeanor; intoxication, a simple misdemeanor; and interfering with official acts (bodily injury), an aggravated misdemeanor. His bail is set as a $10,000 cash-only bond.

According to the report, The incident was not Vedepo’s first run-in with police; he was convicted on drug and theft charges and multiple counts of public intoxication. He sued the Sports Column in 2006 and withdrew his complaint in 2008.

Bellator President Scott Coker said “If everything is exactly what it says, we will be cutting him,” in a text message to MMAjunkie.[7][8]

Mixed martial arts record

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 17–9 Muhammed Lawal TKO (punches) Bellator 131 November 15, 2014 3 0:39 San Diego, California, United States Light Heavyweight bout
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 17–8 Davin Clark TKO (punches) Bellator 129 October 17, 2014 3 2:27 Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 16–8 Cortez Coleman Decision (majority) Bellator 121 June 6, 2014 3 5:00 Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 15–8 Ben Crowder Verbal Submission (leg injury) Bellator 117 April 18, 2014 1 0:48 Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 14–8 Kendall Grove Decision (unanimous) Bellator 104 October 18, 2013 3 5:00 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States Middleweight bout.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 14–7 Eddie Larrea TKO (punches) Triple A MMA 2 August 10, 2013 1 0:45 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 14–6 Louis Taylor KO (punches) Bellator 84 December 14, 2012 1 4:12 Hammond, Indiana, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 14–5 Mike Bernhard Submission (shin choke) Bellator 80 November 9, 2012 1 3:26 Hollywood, Florida, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 13–5 Jason Buck Submission (rear-naked choke) Pinnacle Combat MMA 10 April 27, 2012 1 0:43 Dubuque, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 13–4 Kenneth Allen Submission (rear-naked choke) Extreme Challenge 202 January 28, 2012 1 2:17 Bettendorf, Iowa, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 12–4 Dmitry Samoilov Decision (unanimous) League S-70: Russia vs. Brazil August 5, 2011 2 5:00 Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 12–3 Dennis Reed Submission (armbar) Revolution Combat Championships 11: Cocked and Loaded June 19, 2010 1 1:31 Columbus Junction, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 11–3 Oli Thompson TKO (punches) ZT Fight Night: Heavyweights Collide January 30, 2010 2 1:24 Hove, East Sussex, England
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 10–3 Miguel Bernard Submission (armbar) ZT Fight Night: Heavyweights Collide January 30, 2010 1 0:33 Hove, East Sussex, England
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 9–3 Webster Farris KO (punch) Adrenaline MMA IV September 18, 2009 1 0:14 Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 8–3 Rob Kimmons Technical submission (guillotine choke) UFC Fight Night 18 April 1, 2009 1 1:54 Nashville, Tennessee, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 8–2 Alessio Sakara KO (head kick) UFC Fight Night 15 September 17, 2008 1 1:27 Omaha, Nebraska, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 8–1 Brian Green Submission (verbal) MCC 14: Pride or Fate June 14, 2008 3 4:25 Urbandale, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 7–1 Karl Kelly Submission (keylock) Pinnacle Combat: MMA April 26, 2008 1 1:44 Dubuque, Iowa, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 6–1 Mario Miranda TKO (punches) Carnage at the Creek 2 April 5, 2008 3 2:38 Shelton, Washington, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 6–0 Rob Smith TKO (knees) XFO 22: Xtreme Fighting Organization February 23, 2008 2 1:17 Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 5–0 Chris Powers Submission (kimura) Mainstream MMA: Vengeance October 20, 2007 1 2:55 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 4–0 Todd Carney TKO (strikes) Extreme Challenge 83 September 1, 2007 1 4:34 Riverside, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 3–0 Jeremy Norwood KO (punch) Rwevolution Combat Championships Vol. 1: The Doctor is Out August 17, 2007 1 1:35 West Liberty, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 2–0 Joe Winterfeldt N/A Title Fighting Championships 1 April 21, 2006 1 N/A Des Moines, Iowa, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 1–0 Jesse Lennox Decision (unanimous) Mainstream MMA 1: Inception November 18, 2005 3 5:00 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States

See also

References

  1. Bellator 84 Recap: Volkov Is New Heavyweight Champion, Lightweight Tournament Postponed. cagepotato.com. December 15, 2012
  2. "Joe Vedepo replaces Alessio Sakara, faces Gerald Harris at UFC 118". mmajunkie.com. August 5, 2010.
  3. "UFC 118 fight card complete with 10 bous; Harris vs. Vedepo off preliminary card". mmajunkie.com. August 18, 2010.
  4. "Joe Vedepo vs. Ben Crowder". tapology.com. April 18, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  5. "Joe Vedepo vs. Cortez Coleman". tapology.com. June 6, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  6. MMAjunkie Staff (September 25, 2014). "Bellator 129 lineup set with eight prelims, including women's bout, in Iowa". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  7. Steven Marrocco (2014-12-01). "Bellator fighter Joe Vedepo allegedly head-butts, hospitalizes police officer". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  8. Sherdog.com Staff (2014-12-01). "Joe Vedepo Arrested for Assaulting Police Officer, Public Intoxication in Iowa". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2014-12-01.

External links