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Maurice Smith (born December 13, 1961) is an American professional kickboxer, retired mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion.
Biography[]
Kickboxing career[]
Smith won his first professional kickboxing title in 1983 for the World Kickboxing Council by defeating light heavyweight champion Tony Morelli, by knockout in the seventh round. Later that year, he won the World Kickboxing Association heavyweight title from Travis Everett with a KO via low kicks. Smith then went ten straight years without a loss. He also had a notable win in 1991 over at the time, super up and comer Stan Longinidis who was tearing through the ranks. Maurice won this 12 round match by split decision, after coming back after being knocked down in the first round by Stan, and surviving an early onslaught. In 1993 Maurice Smith was invited to the K-1 Grand Prix '93 along with seven of the world's best light heavyweight and heavyweight kickboxers. Smith won his first match by defeating Japanese fighter Toshiyuki Atokawa in the quarter finals by unanimous decision. In the semi finals he met Dutch fighter and future K-1 legend, Ernesto Hoost, where after a hard fought battle Smith was knocked out by left highkick in the third and final round, ending his tournament.
Mixed martial arts career[]
After a stint in Japanese promotions Pancrase and RINGS, accumulating a 4-7 record, Smith joined Battlecade Extreme Fighting in 1996 to fight in their third event against the heavyweight champion Marcus "Conan" Silvira. Throughout the fight Maurice showed excellent use of the sprawl technique which negated the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu man's attempts at takedowns before knocking Conan out in the third round with a kick to the head. In doing so he became the first legitimate striker to win a top end MMA event. He then defended his title in the fourth show against judo exponent Kazunari Murakami, this time Maurice won with a first round knockout. After that the company went under and Maurice went to the UFC. At UFC 14 on July 27, 1997, he defeated Mark Coleman via unanimous decision to win the UFC heavyweight championship. He successfully defended his belt against David "Tank" Abbott winning via strikes, before losing his belt to Randy Couture due to a controversial decision.
Return to MMA[]
On May 19, 2007 Maurice Smith had his first MMA bout in almost seven years when he defeated Marco Ruas by TKO at an International Fight League show held in Chicago. On February 23, 2008 at a Strikeforce event entitled Strikeforce: At The Dome held at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, Smith defeated kickboxer Rick Roufus, who was making his MMA debut, by submission at 1:53 of the first round.
Maurice Smith was the coach of the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League from 2006 to 2007. He is currently associated with Team Alliance.
MMA record[]
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|-
| align="center" colspan=8|22 Fights 12 Wins (6 KOs, 3 Submissions, 3 Decisions), 13 Losses
|-
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Result
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Record
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Opponent
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Method
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Event
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Date
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Round, Time
| align="center" style="background: #f0f0f0"|Notes
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||12–13 ||
Hidehiko Yoshida ||Submission (Neck Crank) ||World Victory Road Sengoku 3 ||2008-06-08 ||1, 2:23
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||12–12 ||
Rick Roufus ||Submission (Armbar) ||Strikeforce: At The Dome ||2008-02-23 ||1, 1:53
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||11–12 ||
Marco Ruas ||TKO (Corner Stoppage) ||IFL – Chicago ||2007-05-19 ||4, 3:43
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||10–12 || Renato Sobral ||Decision (Unanimous) ||UFC 28-High Stakes ||2000-11-17 ||3, 5:00
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||10–11 || Bobby Hoffman ||Decision (Unanimous) ||UFC 27-Ultimate Bad Boyz ||2000-09-22 ||3, 5:00
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||9–11 || Renzo Gracie ||Submission (Armlock) ||RINGS-King of Kings 1999 Block B ||1999-12-22 ||1, 0:50
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||9–10 || Branden Lee Hinkle ||Decision (Majority) ||RINGS-King of Kings 1999 Block B ||1999-12-22 ||2, 5:00
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||8–10 || Marcus Silveira ||Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) ||WEF 7-Stomp in the Swamp ||1999-10-09 ||2, 2:48
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||8–9 ||
Branco Cikatic ||Submission (Forearm Choke) ||PRIDE 7-PRIDE 7 ||1999-09-12 ||1, 7:33
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||7–9 || Marco Ruas ||TKO (Corner Stoppage) ||UFC 21-Return of the Champions ||1999-07-16 ||1, 5:00
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||6–9 || Kevin Randleman ||Decision (Unanimous) ||UFC 19-Ultimate Young Guns ||1999-03-05 ||1 15:00
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||6–8 || Randy Couture ||Decision (Majority) ||UFC Japan-Ultimate Japan 1 ||1997-12-21 ||1 21:00|| Lost UFC Heavyweight Championship
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||6–7 || David L. Abbott ||Submission (Leg Kicks) ||UFC 15-Collision Course ||1997-10-17 ||1, 8:08 ||Defends UFC Heavyweight Championship
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||5–7 || Mark Coleman ||Decision (Unanimous)||UFC 14-Showdown ||1997-07-27 ||1 21:00 || Won UFC Heavyweight Championship
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||4–7 || Kazunari Murakami ||KO (Punch) ||EF 4-Extreme Fighting 4 ||1997-03-28 ||1, 4:23 ||
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||3–7 || Akira Maeda ||Submission (Front Choke) ||Rings – Budokan Hall 1997 ||1997-1-22 ||N/A N/A
|-
| style="background: #ddffdd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-yes2" |Win ||3–6 || Marcus Silveira ||TKO (Kick) ||EF 3-Extreme Fighting 3 ||1996-10-18 ||3, 1:36
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||2–6 || Kiyoshi Tamura ||Submission (Arm Bar) ||Rings – Maelstrom 6|| 1996-8-24 ||1 10:58
|-
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss ||2–5 || Tsuyoshi Kohsaka ||Submission (Heel Hook)||Rings – Budokan hall 1996 ||1996-1-24 ||N/A N/A
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Championships and accomplishments[]
- Professional kickboxing
- WKC Light-Heavyweight World Champion (1983)
- WKA World Kickboxing Heavyweight Champion (1983)
- ISKA World Muay Thai Heavyweight Champion (1996)
- 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix Preliminary USA winner
- Professional Mixed Martial Arts
- Battlecades Extreme Fighting 3 winner (1996)
- Battlecades Extreme Fighting 4 winner (1996)
- UFC Heavyweight Champion 14 (1997) winner
- UFC Heavyweight Champion 15 (1997) winner
External links[]
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fr:Maurice Smith (kickboxeur) ja:モーリス・スミス pl:Maurice Smith (kick-boxer)