Maurice Smith (kickboxer)

Maurice Smith
Born	(1961-12-13) December 13, 1961 Seattle, Washington, United States
Other names	Mo
Nationality	American
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	92 kg (200 lb; 14.5 st)
Division	Heavyweight Light Heavyweight (2012)
Style	Kickboxing, Boxing
Stance	Orthodox
Team	The Alliance
Years active	1980–2008, 2012-present
Professional boxing record
Total	1
Losses	1
By knockout	1
Kickboxing record
Total	71
Wins	53
Losses	13
Draws	5
Mixed martial arts record
Total	26
Wins	13
By knockout	7
By submission	3
By decision	3
Losses	13
By submission	8
By decision	3
Unknown	2
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: March 16, 2011 (2011-03-16)

Maurice Smith (born December 13, 1961) is a former American boxer, kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and former 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 Stan Longinidis who, at the time, was tearing through the ranks and was regarded as a super up and coming fighter. Maurice won this 12 round match by split decision after coming back from a knock down in the first round by Stan and surviving an early onslaught.

In 1993, 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 semifinals 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 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 against the heavyweight champion Marcus "Conan" Silvira. Throughout the fight Maurice showed excellent use of the sprawl technique which negated the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter's attempts at takedowns. Smith then knocked Conan out in the third round with a kick to the head. In doing so, he became the Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Champion and 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 with a first round knockout. After the win, the company folded and Maurice joined the largest MMA promotion in the United States, the UFC.

Smith developed a close relationship with Frank Shamrock, who he met while training at the Lion's Den. Shamrock and Smith worked synergistically; Shamrock, a submission specialist, vastly improved Smith's ground game while Smith, in return, vastly improved Shamrock's striking. Smith and Shamrock eventually formed their own MMA team, called the Alliance.

At UFC 14 on July 27, 1997, Smith faced UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Coleman in a title fight. Smith was considered to be a massive underdog for the bout, but shocked the mixed martial arts world with a unanimous decision victory to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship. With this win, Smith became the first striker to survive the attack of a world class wrestler. He then successfully defended his belt against David "Tank" Abbott winning via strikes due to leg kicks, before losing his belt to MMA legend Randy Couture by majority decision, in a close fight.

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.

Smith returned to MMA on Friday March 30, 2012 at the second Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) card against Jorge Cordoba, his first career fight as a light heavyweight. After spending the first two rounds picking apart Cordoba with various strikes, Maurice finished the fight with a head kick knockout. He was scheduled to fight Ryan Lopez on June 30, 2012 at Resurrection Fighting Alliance's third event, RFA 3, but Lopez pulled out due to an unspecified illness. This would have been Smith's second career fight at light heavyweight.

Championships and accomplishments

Kickboxing

• K-1
  • 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix Preliminary USA winner
  • K-1 World Grand Prix '93 Tournament Semifinalist
• International Sport Karate Association
  • I.S.K.A. World Muay Thai Heavyweight Champion (1996)
• World Kickboxing Association
  • W.K.A. World Kickboxing Heavyweight Champion (1983)
• Other
  • W.K.C. Light-Heavyweight World Champion (1983)

Mixed martial arts

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • One successful title defense
• Extreme Fighting
  • Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Championship 3 Marcus "Conan" Silveira
  • Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Championship 4 Murakami Kazanari
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • 1997 Most Outstanding Fighter
  • 1997 Fight of the Year vs. Mark Coleman on July 27
• Black Belt Magazine
  • 2001 Full-Contact Fighter of the Year [1]

Kickboxing record

Kickboxing Record

53 Wins, 13 Losses, 5 Draws Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time Record 2005-11-07 Loss Chris Chrisopoulides No Respect 3 Melbourne, Australia Decision 3 3:00 2003-05-02 Loss Rick Roufus K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Las Vegas Semi Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2003-05-02 Win Giuseppe DeNatale K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Las Vegas Quarter Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2003-04-06 Win Tsuyoshi K-1 Beast 2003 Yamagata, Yamagata, Japan Decision (Majority) 3 3:00 2001-08-11 Loss Peter Aerts K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Las Vegas Semi Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Ext.R Decision (Unanimous) 4 3:00 2001-08-11 Win Jörgen Kruth K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Las Vegas Quarter Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 2001-05-05 Win Michael McDonald K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Final Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Ext.R Decision (Split) 4 3:00 Wins K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA and qualifies for K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Las Vegas. 2001-05-05 Win Gunter Singer K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Semi Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States KO (Right punch) 2 0:24 2001-05-05 Win Pedro Fernandez K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Quarter Finals Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 1999-08-22 Loss Andy Hug K-1 Spirits '99 Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 1999-06-06 Loss Peter Aerts K-1 Survival '99 Sapporo, Japan TKO (Corner stoppage) 3 2:44 1998-09-27 Loss Mike Bernardo K-1 World Grand Prix '98 Opening Round Osaka, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 Fails to qualify for K-1 Grand Prix '98 Final Round. 1998-08-07 Loss Ernesto Hoost K-1 USA Grand Prix '98 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 1998-05-24 Draw Jean-Claude Leuyer Draka V Los Angeles, California, United States Decision Draw Fight was for Draka World Super Heavyweight title. 1998-04-09 Draw Masaaki Satake K-1 Kings '98 Yokohama, Japan Decision Draw 5 3:00 1997-02-01 Loss Jérôme Le Banner Le Choc des Champions Paris, France Decision 5 3:00 Fight was for Le Banner's ISKA Full-contact World Super Heavyweight title. 1993-12-04 Win Alex Desir Las Vegas, Nevada, United States KO (Punch) 10 Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1993-04-30 Loss Ernesto Hoost K-1 Grand Prix '93 Semi Finals Tokyo, Japan KO (Left high kick) 3 1:18 1993-04-30 Win Toshiyuki Atokawa K-1 Grand Prix '93 Quarter Finals Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 1993-03-27 Win Marcus Fuckner All Japan Kickboxing Federation Tokyo, Japan KO 5 1993-03-07 Loss Peter Aerts The Night of the Shock Amsterdam, Netherlands KO (Right high kick) 4 2:07 1992-04-09 Loss Peter Aerts Paris, France Decision 9 2:00 1992-03-16 Win Steven Kruwell World Martial Arts Challenge Las Vegas, Nevada, United States TKO (Low kicks) 2 1:41 Fight was an elimination fight for the WMAC Heavyweight World title held by Dennis Alexio. Despite talks Smith and Alexio would never meet in the ring. 1991 Win Stan Longinidis Sydney, Australia Decision (Split) 12 2:00 Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1991-06-29 Win Andre Mannaart Thriller from Paris I Paris, France KO 2 1991-05-26 Win Peter Smit "Soar Into Space" Chapter III Tokyo, Japan KO 3 1991-03-30 Win Kees Bessems "Soar Into Space" Chapter II Tokyo, Japan KO 1 1990-11-23 Win Saitou Miyako "Inspiring Wars" Third Tokyo, Japan 1990-12-09 Win Kees Bessems Sammi Kebchi Promotion France, Paris KO 2 1990-09-09 Win Floyd Brown "Inspiring Wars Heat-928" Tokyo, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00 1990-01-20 Win Kevin Rosier "Inspiring Wars" 1 Tokyo, Japan KO 2 Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1987-09-05 Win Steve Tremblay All Japan Kickboxing Federation "Super Fight 2" Tokyo, Japan KO 5 Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1987 Win Dino Homsey Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1987 Win Bill Morrison Las Vegas, Nevada, United States TKO (Low kicks) 8 0:55 Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1986 Win Raymond Horsey Atlanta, Georgia, USA KO (Low Kicks) Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1984 Win Marcel Schwank Netherlands KO 1 1983 Win Dana Goodson Retains WKA Heavyweight World title. 1983 Win Travis Everett Mexico City, Mexixo KO (Low Kicks) 13-2 Wins WKA Heavyweight World title. 1983 Win 12-2 1983-05-21 Loss Don Wilson Tokyo, Japan Decision 11 2:00 11-2 Fight was for vacant WKA Cruiserweight World title. 1983-00-00 Win 11-1 1983-00-00 Win Tony Morelli Hawaii, United States KO (Kick) 7 10-1 Wins WKC Light Heavyweight World title. 1983-00-00 Win Don Nakaya Nielsen Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Decision 7 2:00 9-1 1983-00-00 Loss Tony Morelli Surrey, Canada Decision 7 2:00 8-1 Makes professional kickboxing debut. 1981-00-00 Win Marcus Ector Everett, WASHINGTON KO 7-0 1981-00-00 Win Pat Peters Surrey, Canada KO 6-0 1981-00-00 Win Scott Rohr Portland, OR KO 5-0 1981-00-00 Win Ken Orr Everett, WASHINGTON KO 4-0 1981-00-00 Win Milt Bennet Everett, WASHINGTON Decision 3-0 1981-01-17 Win Rich Mason Everett, WASHINGTON KO 2-0 1980-09-20 Win Kelly Worden Tacoma, WASHINGTON KO 1-0 Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
26 matches	13 wins	13 losses
By knockout	7	0
By submission	3	8
By decision	3	3
Unknown	0	2

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	13–13	Jorge Cordoba	KO (head kick)	RFA 2 - Yvel vs. Alexander	02012-03-30March 30, 2012	3	2:05	Kearney, Nebraska, United States	Drops to Light Heavyweight
Loss	12–13	Hidehiko Yoshida	Submission (cobra choke)	Sengoku 3	02008-06-08June 8, 2008	1	2:23	Saitama, Japan
Win	12–12	Rick Roufus	Submission (straight armbar)	Strikeforce: At The Dome	02008-02-23February 23, 2008	1	1:53	Tacoma, Washington, United States
Win	11–12	Marco Ruas	TKO (corner stoppage)	IFL: Chicago	02007-05-19May 19, 2007	4	3:43	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Loss	10–12	Renato Sobral	Decision (unanimous)	UFC 28	02000-11-17November 17, 2000	3	5:00	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	10–11	Bobby Hoffman	Decision (majority)	UFC 27	02000-09-22September 22, 2000	3	5:00	New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Loss	9–11	Renzo Gracie	Submission (straight armbar)	RINGS - King of Kings 1999 Block B	01999-12-22December 22, 1999	1	0:50	Tokyo, Japan
Win	9–10	Branden Lee Hinkle	Decision (majority)	RINGS - King of Kings 1999 Block B	01999-12-22December 22, 1999	2	5:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	8–10	Marcus Silveira	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	WEF 7 - Stomp in the Swamp	01999-10-09October 9, 1999	2	2:48	Kenner, Louisiana, United States
Win	8–9	Branko Cikatić	Submission (forearm choke)	Pride 7	01999-09-12September 12, 1999	1	7:33	Yokohama, Japan
Win	7–9	Marco Ruas	TKO (corner stoppage)	UFC 21	01999-07-16July 16, 1999	1	5:00	Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
Loss	6–9	Kevin Randleman	Decision (unanimous)	UFC 19	01999-03-05March 5, 1999	1	15:00	Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, United States
Loss	6–8	Randy Couture	Decision (majority)	UFC Japan	01997-12-21December 21, 1997	1	21:00	Yokohama, Japan	Lost UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Win	6–7	Tank Abbott	Submission (exhaustion)	UFC 15	01997-10-17October 17, 1997	1	8:08	Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, United States	Defended UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Win	5–7	Mark Coleman	Decision (unanimous)	UFC 14	01997-07-27July 27, 1997	1	21:00	Birmingham, Alabama, United States	Won UFC Heavyweight Championship. Fight of the Year (1997).
Win	4–7	Kazunari Murakami	KO (punch)	Extreme Fighting 4	01997-03-28March 28, 1997	1	4:23	Des Moines, Iowa, United States	Defended Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Championship
Loss	3–7	Akira Maeda	N/A	RINGS - Budokan Hall 1997	01997-01-22January 22, 1997	N/A	N/A	Tokyo, Japan
Win	3–6	Marcus Silveira	TKO (head kick)	Extreme Fighting 3	01996-10-18October 18, 1996	3	1:36	Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States	Won Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Championship
Loss	2–6	Kiyoshi Tamura	Submission (armbar)	RINGS - Maelstrom 6	01996-08-24August 24, 1996	1	10:58	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	2–5	Tsuyoshi Kohsaka	N/A	RINGS - Budokan Hall 1996	01996-01-24January 24, 1996	N/A	N/A	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	2–4	Bas Rutten	Submission (rear-naked choke)	Pancrase - Eyes of Beast 6	01995-11-04November 4, 1995	1	4:34	Yokohama, Japan
Loss	2–3	Bas Rutten	Submission (kneebar)	Pancrase - Eyes of Beast 4	01995-05-13May 13, 1995	1	2:10	Chiba, Japan
Loss	2–2	Ken Shamrock	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round	01994-12-16December 16, 1994	1	4:23	Tokyo, Japan
Win	2–1	Takaku Fuke	KO (knee)	Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round	01994-12-16December 16, 1994	1	2:48	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	1–1	Minoru Suzuki	Submission (armbar)	Pancrase - Road to the Championship 1	01994-05-31May 31, 1994	3	0:36	Tokyo, Japan
Win	1–0	Minoru Suzuki	KO (punch)	Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 3	01993-11-08November 8, 1993	3	0:52	Tokyo, Japan

External links

• Professional MMA record for Maurice Smith from Sherdog
• Professional boxing record for Maurice Smith from BoxRec
• Profile at K-1

Preceded by Mark Coleman

2nd UFC Heavyweight Champion July 27, 1997 - December 21, 1997

Succeeded by Randy Couture