Ricco Rodriguez
Ricco Rodriguez was born in San Jose, California, United States on August 19th, 1977 and is the MMA Fighter. At the age of 46, Ricco Rodriguez biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 46 years old, Ricco Rodriguez has this physical status:
Ricco Rodriguez (born August 19, 1977) is an American semi-retired mixed martial artist currently competing in the Heavyweight division.
A professional competitor since 1999, he has competed for the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championships, EliteXC, International Fight League, BAMMA, World Extreme Cagefighting, and Bellator.
Ricco is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Mundials World Champion and also an ADCC World Champion.
He is also the former King of the Cage World Heavyweight Champion.
Early life
Rodriguez was born in San Jose, CA and grew up in the projects in Paterson, New Jersey. Rodriguez wrestled at Tottenville High School while living in Staten Island, New York. He later moved to California and began training in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Rigan and Jean Jacques Machado. He competed and won many Jiu-Jitsu tournaments before moving on to mixed martial arts.
Personal life
Rodriguez is Mexican. He has a daughter and one son.
Mixed martial arts career
Ricco Rodriguez was one of the very few Americans to win a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in 1997, winning the title of Blue Belt Absolute. In the first ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in 1998, he finished bronze in the Absolute (open weight) division in 1999 and Silver in the +99 kg category in 2000. Rodriguez started his MMA career with a win over Rocky Battini in the same year. He won several of his first matches before losing to Bobby Hoffman at the Superbrawl 13 event in Hawaii. He then competed in the PRIDE Fighting Championship before progressing to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Rodriguez's first UFC match was at UFC 32 against future UFC Heavyweight Champion and Top ranked pound for pound fighter in the world, Andrei Arlovski, who was crowned by TKO. He was supposed to face Lion's Den founder and owner of one of the most brutal knockouts of the time Pete Williams at UFC 33, but the match was postponed until UFC 34 due to an injury sustained by Williams during preparation.
Rodriguez went on to defeat Williams, Jeff Monson (UFC 35) and Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (UFC 37) to earn a shot at the vacant heavyweight championship against future UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture at UFC 39, becoming the first Puerto Rican descent to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship. In the first rounds, Rodriguez was losing on the scorecard. With a halt, Rodriguez was able to win by a verbal tapout in the fifth round. Tim Sylvia, a new striker in his first title defense, was disqualified by 6'8 up and away in the first round, effectively ending the game.
Rodriguez competed for a number of local and national promotions after the end of his UFC contract. He also gained a considerable amount of weight, at one time weighing 350 pounds (160 kg). In a rematch of their August 2005 defeat in the WEC, he venge a defeat to Ron Waterman at King of the Streets on July 22, 2006. He battled as a superheavyweight, weighing in at 300 pounds (140 kg), and was quoted as saying, "I'm fat but I still have skills."
Rodriguez was suspended indefinite suspension by the California State Athletic Commission following his victory over Imani Lee on November 17, 2006. Rodriguez had tested positive for both marijuana and cocaine, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and he was banned from receiving a six-month suspension for failing drug tests.
Ricco Rodriguez, who had been suspended in his first fight after his suspension, defeated Lloyd Marshbanks by first-round TKO at MMA Xtreme 13, which was held in Puebla, Mexico, on July 27, 2007. He lost by unanimous vote in the IFL championship finals to "Big" Ben Rothwell.
Rodriguez was a late replacement in the YAMMA Pit Fighting one-night heavyweight tournament. In the first round, he defeated George Bush III by a unanimous decision, but Travis Wiuff, the current champion, was defeated in the semi-finals by unanimous decision.
Ricco Rodriguez was supposed to replace an injured Kevin Randleman in a rematch of their UFC 35 fight against Jeff Monson at the inaugural Godz of War exhibition. That case was cancelled, but the match was postponed for the inaugural Mixed Combat Alliance (MFA) championship, which Rodriguez lost by a unanimous decision.
Rodriguez weighed in at a svelte 218 lb, down more than 100 lb from his high in the mid-2000s. Rodriguez credited his weight loss to a renewed interest and collaboration with Richard Sicola-Stone, a longtime friend and longtime friend.
At the inaugural Israel Fighting Championship show on Nov. 9, Rodriguez lost weight for his first attempt at fighting at 205 pounds. He fought and won his fight over Daniel Tabera, but he then challenged Jeff Monson, a 205-pound man, for a rubber match.
Ricco Rodriguez made his BAMMA debut against The Ultimate Fighter 10 alumni and UFC veteran James McSweeney, who was also making his debut for the club. Dana White has announced that if Rodriguez wins this fight, he would consider resigning him to the UFC. Rodriguez lost weight for the fight, weighing in a full 2 pounds over the original 215-pound catchweight.
Ricco made his Bellator debut against the man who stunned internet sensation Kimbo Slice, Seth Petruzelli, at Bellator 48. In the first round, he lost by KO (punches) after being tagged with an overhand right and snapping his 12-fight winning streak.
Ricco has agreed to a three-fight deal for the Final Fight Championship, which was announced on April 15, 2013. This was his first fight for the promotion, the FFC05: Rodriguez vs. Simoni match on May 24. When he defeated Slovenian Toma Simoni in 2013, he lost. He won the fight by a first-round armbar.
Denis Stojni was disqualified by TKO after a prompt referee stoppage on November 9, 2013. Rodriguez erupted and protested the cessation and continued the confrontation by pointing the middle finger at the referee. It was announced that they would meet again in 2014, also in Sarajevo, but the referee said he was not up to the challenge, and the fight result was changed to NC.
On December 13, 2013, Rodriguez faced Nestoras Batzelas in his next match. He was able to win via TKO. At Final Fight Championship 17 on December 20, 2014, he met Dion Staring for the Fight Championship Championships. Despite being out of action in the first round and later defeated by ground and pound, Rodriguez would be knocked out of the first round and then suspended by ground and pound, and ultimately lost the match by retirement TKO after failing to answer the call. After a string of losses, including one match with former PRIDE star Gilbert Yvel, Rodriguez claimed the CFS Heavyweight title in Graz, defeating Nandor Guelmino.
Boxing career
Rodriguez made his professional boxing debut on October 12, 2006, defeating 19-year-old Cruiserweight Brandon Baker by a landslide. Rodriguez lost his second professional boxing match on July 8, 2008, defeating Chad Davies, who came in with a 0-1 record.