Raphael Butler

Raphael Butler (born January 4, 1984 in Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American Heavyweight boxer and mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator MMA.

Boxing career

Amateur career

Butler had a stellar amateur career, winning the 2004 National Golden Gloves Super Heavyweight Championship. Butler represented the 4th Street Gym in his hometown of Rochester, Minnesota.

Professional career

Butler turned professional in 2004. He was seen as a future star in the sport early on, but suffered two TKO losses against journeyman fighters in 2005. In 2006 he took on ESPN house fighter Jason Gavern, and lost a decision. After the loss, Butler ran off a string of victories against marginal opposition before taking on Art Binkowski in a nationally televised showcase bout on ShoBox. Despite dropping Binkowski three times in the first round, Butler tired as the fight went on, and the referee stopped the fight with just 30 seconds left before the final bell, awarding Binkowski a TKO. After six more wins against lesser competition, Butler was knocked out in 6 rounds by contender "Fast" Eddie Chambers on June 20 in the Cayman Islands.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Butler made his professional MMA debut in 2010 and compiled an undefeated record of 5-0 before being signed by Bellator MMA.

Bellator MMA

Butler made his promotional debut on June 19, 2013 at Bellator 96 against Jeremiah O'Neal and won via first-round knockout.

Butler then won his next two fights under the Bellator banner before fighting Nick Rossborough to a draw at Bellator 119 on May 9, 2014.

Butler then faced Javy Ayala at Bellator 125 on September 19, 2014. Butler was handed his first professional loss via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.

Butler next fought Josh Diekmann at Bellator 134 on February 27, 2015, and rebounded with a first-round standing guillotine choke submission.

Mixed martial arts record

Professional boxing record

35 Wins (28 knockouts, 7 decisions), 12 Losses (7 knockouts, 5 decisions) 2 No Contest
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	35-12 (2)	Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola	TKO	3	05/11/2011	Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico	Referee stopped the bout at 0:55 of the third round.
Loss	35-11 (2)	Tye "Big Sky" Fields	TKO	6	07/10/2011	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada	Referee stopped the bout at 2:37 of the sixth round.
Loss	35-10 (2)	David Price	TKO	1	27/04/2011	Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom	Referee stopped the bout at 1:47 of the first round after Butler had been knocked down twice.
Loss	35-9 (2)	Neven "No Surrender" Pajkic	UD	10	04/09/2010	Toronto, Ontario, Canada	93-97, 91-99, 93-97.
No Contest	35-8 (2)	Joey "Minnesota Ice" Abell	NC	1	04/12/2009	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States	Minnesota Heavyweight Title. Referee failed to hear the bell and called the fighters together to continue fighting and Butler was knocked out by a punch from Abell prompting Butler's and Abell's corners to enter into a brawl which negated the bout.
Win	35-8 (1)	Marcus "Big Tuna" Rhode	TKO	2	12/09/2009	Rochester, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 1:30 of the second round.
Loss	34-8 (1)	Malik Scott	UD	8	13/12/2008	Cabazon, California, United States	72-80, 72-80, 73-79.
Loss	34-7 (1)	Homero "El Oso" Fonseca	MD	6	20/11/2008	Houston, Texas, United States	55-59, 55-59, 57-57.
Win	34-6 (1)	"Marvelous" Marvin Hunt	KO	1	01/11/2008	West Memphis, Arkansas, United States	Hunt knocked out at 1:35 of the first round.
Win	33-6 (1)	Travis "Ironman" Fulton	TKO	2	04/10/2008	Rochester, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 2:04 of the second round.
Win	32-6 (1)	Lyle "Iceman" McDowell	TKO	1	20/09/2008	Red Wing, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 0:52 of the first round.
Loss	31-6 (1)	Homero "El Oso" Fonseca	SD	4	04/09/2008	Houston, Texas, United States	37-39, 37-39, 39-37.
Loss	31-5 (1)	"Fast" Eddie Chambers	TKO	6	20/06/2008	Georgetown, Cayman Islands	USBA Heavyweight Title.
Win	31-4 (1)	Otis Tisdale	TKO	4	26/04/2008	Rochester, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 1:48 of the fourth round.
Win	30-4 (1)	Kerry Biles	KO	1	08/03/2008	St Louis, Missouri, United States	Biles knocked out at 0:45 of the first round.
Win	29-4 (1)	Sam Comming	UD	4	18/10/2007	Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, United States	39-37, 40-36, 39-37.
Win	28-4 (1)	Sedreck "Big Buck" Fields	UD	4	20/09/2007	Houston, Texas, United States	40-36, 40-36, 40-36.
Win	27-4 (1)	Clarence Goins	KO	1	24/08/2007	Hinckley, Minnesota, United States	Goins knocked out at 0:39 of the first round.
Win	26-4 (1)	Travis "Ironman" Fulton	TKO	2	29/06/2007	Comstock Park, Michigan, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 1:25 of the second round.
Loss	25-4 (1)	Art "The Polish Warrior" Binkowski	TKO	8	06/04/2007	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 2:23 of the eighth round after Butler got back up after a knockdown but was too exhausted to continue. Binkowski had been knocked down thrice in the first round.
Win	25-3 (1)	Brad Bowers	TKO	1	24/02/2007	Superior, Wisconsin, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 0:29 of the second round.
Win	24-3 (1)	Louis "The Facelifter" Monaco	DQ	6	12/01/2007	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States	align=left
Win	23-3 (1)	Cornelius Ellis	TKO	2	01/12/2006	Rochester, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 1:35 of the second round.
Win	22-3 (1)	Matt Green	KO	3	04/11/2006	Kinder, Louisiana, United States	Green knocked out at 1:35 of the third round.
Win	21-3 (1)	"Pastor" Dan Ward	KO	1	23/09/2006	Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States	Ward knocked out at 1:30 of the first round.
Win	20-3 (1)	Eric "Hollywood" Starr	TKO	1	14/09/2006	Altoona, Iowa, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 2:04 of the first round.
Win	19-3 (1)	Troy "Basher" Beets	TKO	3	20/07/2006	Lemoore, California, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 2:19 of the third round.
Win	18-3 (1)	Wallace McDaniel	TKO	1	11/07/2006	Memphis, Tennessee, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 1:28 of the first round.
Loss	17-3 (1)	Jason "The Sensation" Gavern	UD	6	14/04/2006	Rancho Mirage, California, United States	55-59, 54-60, 54-60.
Win	17-2 (1)	Forrest "Cisco" Neal	KO	1	17/03/2006	Denver, Colorado, United States	Neal knocked out at 0:52 of the first round.
Win	16-2 (1)	Ronnie "The Bear" Smith	KO	2	11/02/2006	Pueblo, Colorado, United States	Smith knocked out at 1:16 of the second round.
Loss	15-2 (1)	John Clark	TKO	2	17/11/2005	San Jose, California, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 1:41 of the second round after Butler had been down thrice in the fight.
Win	15-1 (1)	Andrew Jackson	KO	1	21/10/2005	Temecula, California, United States	align=left
Win	14-1 (1)	Innocent Otukwu	TKO	3	16/09/2005	Lemoore, California, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 0:39 of the third round.
Win	13-1 (1)	John Dixon	TKO	1	27/08/2005	Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the bout at the end of the first round.
Win	12-1 (1)	Kerry Biles	UD	5	17/07/2005	Denver, Colorado, United States	50-44, 50-44, 50-44.
Win	11-1 (1)	Kerry Biles	UD	4	09/06/2005	Temecula, California, United States	39-36, 39-36, 39-36.
Loss	10-1 (1)	Darrell Provo	TKO	1	15/04/2005	Denver, Colorado, United States	Referee stopped the fight at 1:10 of the first round.
Win	10-0 (1)	Brian Sargent	KO	1	29/01/2005	Black Hawk, Colorado, United States	Sargent knocked out at 0:37 of the first round.
Win	9-0 (1)	Marcelo Aravena	UD	4	18/12/2004	Fridley, Minnesota, United States	40-35, 40-35, 40-35.
Win	8-0 (1)	Marcelo Aravena	TD	4	19/11/2004	Mandan, North Dakota, United States	Fight went to scorecards due to an accidental headbut.
Win	7-0 (1)	David Cleage	TKO	1	12/11/2004	St Paul, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 0:35 of the first round.
Win	6-0 (1)	Glen Morgan	KO	1	29/10/2004	Rochester, Minnesota, United States	Morgan knocked out at 2:40 of the first round.
Win	5-0 (1)	Ross "Da Boss" Brantley	KO	1	10/10/2004	Black Hawk, Colorado, United States	Brantley knocked out at 0:30 of the first round.
Win	4-0 (1)	Harold Johnson	TKO	1	02/10/2004	Hinckley, Minnesota, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 0:57 of the first round.
Win	3-0 (1)	Arthur Boyles	KO	1	11/09/2004	Fridley, Minnesota, United States	Boyles knocked out at 0:36 of the first round.
No Decision	2-0 (1)	Eric Lindsey	ND	1	19/08/2004	Houston, Texas, United States	Lindsey suffered an accidental foul at 1:44 of the first round and the bout was negated.
Win	2-0	Victor Ortiz	TKO	1	18/07/2004	Temecula, California, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 1:51 of the first round after Ortiz was knocked down twice.
Win	1-0	Royphy Solieau	TKO	3	19/06/2004	Reno, Nevada, United States	Referee stopped the bout at 1:02 of the first round.

References

External links

• Professional boxing record for Raphael Butler from BoxRec
• Professional MMA record for Raphael Butler from Sherdog