Eric Esch
Eric "Butterbean" Esch | |
|---|---|
| Born | Eric Esch August 3, 1966 |
| Nationality |  American |
| Other names | Butterbean |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Super-Heavyweight |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 88 |
| Wins | 77 |
| Wins by KO | 58 |
| Losses | 7 |
| Draws | 4 |
| No contests | 2 |
Eric Scott "Butterbean" Esch (born August 3, 1966 in Bay City, Michigan) is a professional boxer and mixed martial artist, known for his bald head and excessive weight. Butterbean stands 5 ft 11 in (180cm) tall and weighs 350 pounds (159 kg).[1] He is the former IBA World Super-Heavyweight Champion and also held the WAA World Heavyweight title.[1] Esch's round body, bald head and vicious scowl, make him a menacing (yet highly entertaining) fight figure. His combined professional fight record currently stands at 87 wins with 62 knockouts, 10 losses and 5 draws. Butterbean currently resides in Jasper, Alabama where he owns a restaurant, Mr Bean BBQ.
Boxing career
Known as the "King of 4 rounders", Butterbean developed a cult following after he burst onto the Toughman Contest scene in the United States before entering the world of professional boxing in 1994. He was a five time World Toughman Heavyweight Champion with a record of 56-5 with 36 knockouts (not counted towards pro career).
While a majority of his opponents were technically limited, club level fighters early in his career, he did move up the ranks to win the IBA World Super-Heavyweight Championship on April 12, 1997 (which he never lost before relinquishing the title). Butterbean faced former WBC and IBF World Champion Larry Holmes in 2002, and while Holmes won a unanimous 10-round decision, Butterbean was credited with a knockdown in the final round. Esch's most recent title shot came on October 15, 2005 where he lost a split decision against George Linberger for the NABC Super-Heavyweight title (whom Esch had beaten in March 2000 in his final defense of the IBA title, taking Linberger's WAA World Heavyweight title).
Esch's professional boxing record is 77 wins with 58 knockouts, 7 losses and 4 draws. He won his last boxing match against Joe Siciliano, which occurred on March 9, 2007 at the Palladium.[2] That same night, Esch's son, Brandon "Babybean", lost in his professional debut against Matthew Eckerly.[3]
WWF appearances
Butterbean has appeared twice in WWF events competing in boxing matches. In 1997, at the In Your House 19: D-Generation X pay-per-view event, he defeated Marc Mero (former Golden Gloves champion) via disqualification in a worked match. Two years later, Butterbean defeated Bart Gunn in a legitimate shootfight at Wrestlemania XV, defeating the Brawl For All champion with ease, knocking him out in 27 seconds.
Mixed Martial Arts career
Butterbean's previous fighting experiences led him to venture into mixed martial arts. At K-1 Premium 2003 on December 31, 2003, Butterbean lost his first MMA bout to 155 lbs Japanese fighter Genki Sudo via tap out to a heel hook. Esch regrouped, going 6-0-1 in appearances in King of the Cage, Fightfest, and Rumble on the Rock including a TKO stoppage of Cabbage Correira. Esch returned to Japan with the PRIDE Fighting Championships on August 26, 2006 to compete at Bushido 12 against Ikuhisa Minowa, a 185 lbs fighter, to whom he lost via armbar at 4:25 of round one. Less than two months later, Butterbean was scheduled to fight K-1 legend Mark Hunt at Pride FC's first North American show on October 21, 2006. Due to an injury Hunt sustained in training, Esch was matched up against Irish-American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist Sean O'Haire, whom he defeated via knockout at 30 seconds in the first round.
Besides his two submission losses to much smaller opponents (Genki Sudo and Ikuhisa Minowa), Butterbean's only other loss came to then Cage Rage Championships World Heavyweight Champion, Rob Broughton. On February 10, Butterbean rebounded by knocking out James Thompson 43 seconds into the first round at Cage Rage 20. Butterbean then defeated Zuluzinho via submission at PRIDE 34 on April 8, 2007. Although he's been overweight throughout his career, at the time of the fight, Esch weighed an astonishing 185 Kg (407 pounds). He had to match his opponents weight, who also weighs 185 Kg but is 20 centimeters taller.[4]
Butterbean's MMA record is currently 10 wins (4 knockouts and 6 submissions), 3 losses and 1 draw. He is training with American Top Team to improve his ground game.[5] Sherdog has Esch ranked as the #5 Super-Heavyweight in the world across all MMA organizations after his victory over James Thompson.[6]
MMA record
| 10 Wins - 3 Losses - 1 Draw (4 KO's) | |||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Method | Round, Time | ||
| 04/08/2007 | Win | Zuluzinho | PRIDE 34 - Kamikaze | Submission (Keylock) | Round 1, 2:35 | ||
| 02/10/2007 | Win | James Thompson | Cage Rage 20 - Born 2 Fight | KO | Round 1, 0:43 | ||
| 01/18/2007 | Win | Charles Hodges | Palace Fighting Championships - King of the Ring | KO (Right Punch) | Round 1, 0:45 | ||
| 12/09/2006 | Loss | Rob Broughton | Cage Rage 19 - Fearless | Submission (Tap To Strikes) | Round 2, 3:43 | ||
| 10/21/2006 | Win | Sean O'Haire | PRIDE 32 - Real Deal | TKO (Punches) | Round 1, 0:29 | ||
| 08/26/2006 | Loss | Ikuhisa Minowa | PRIDE Bushido 12 | Submission (Armbar) | Round 1, 4:25 | ||
| 07/15/2006 | Win | Rich Weeks | Fightfest 5 - Korea vs USA | Submission | Round 1, 1:29 | ||
| 05/20/2006 | Win | Matt Eckerle | Fightfest 4 | Submission | Round 1, 0:56 | ||
| 04/21/2006 | Win | Aaron Aguilera | Rumble on the Rock 9 | Submission (Choke) | Round 2, 1:15 | ||
| 04/14/2006 | Win | Leo Sylvest | Fightfest 2 - Global Domination | Submission (Choke) | Round 1, ?:?? | ||
| 01/20/2006 | Win | Wesley Correira | Rumble on the Rock 8 | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | Round 2, 5:00 | ||
| 12/09/2005 | Win | Walley Keenboom | Fightfest 1 - Royce Gracie Fightfest | Submission | Round 1, 2:37 | ||
| 02/25/2005 | Draw | Michael Buchkovich | King of the Cage - Payback | Draw | Round 2, 5:00 | ||
| 12/31/2003 | Loss | Genki Sudo | K-1-Premium 2003 Dynamite | Submission (Heel Hook) | Round 2, 0:41 | ||
Media career
Butterbean appeared in the film Jackass: The Movie, where he fought Johnny Knoxville in a department store, where Knoxville was floored by Esch and received several stitches in his head after the encounter. However, it is obvious in the movie that Butterbean gives Knoxville several rabbit punches as Knoxville was going down. While being treated by on-scene medical personnel, a badly beaten Johnny Knoxville asks "Is Butterbean okay?" On the DVD commentary, Knoxville stated that Esch is actually quite friendly outside of the ring, despite his fearsome ringside demeanor.
Prior to the skit, Johnny asked Butterbean to go "all out on him." Butterbean stated, "I can't do that Johnny." When Knoxville repeated himself, Butterbean then replied, "You don't have to ask me twice." Knoxville then claimed he knew he was in trouble.
Butterbean also appeared in the film Chairman of the Board as the Museum Security Guard with the "chia hair", a fact that is pointed out on the DVD commentary by the movie's star Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson.
Butterbean was featured as the cover character as well as the final boss character in the EA Sports title "Toughman Contest" released in July 1995 for the Sega Genesis and Sega 32X.[7] He also appeared as a playable character in the EA Sports boxing video game Knockout Kings 2001.
References
- ^ Sherdog Fight Finder Record Accessed 08 April 2007