Jeff Monson

From CageWiki

1 Profile
2 Early MMA and UFC Career
3 The Middle Years
4 Return to the UFC
5 Post-UFC Career
6 Mixed martial arts record
7 Gallery
8 External links

Profile

Jeff "The Snowman" Monson (born January 18, 1971) is an American professional mixed martial artist training out of American Top Team.

He stands 5 ft. 9 in. (175 cm) tall and fights in the heavyweight division at approximately 247 lbs..

Monson is a UFC and PRIDE veteran and a former two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Champion.

Early MMA and UFC Career

Jeff Monson made his professional mixed martial arts debut on March 14, 1998 for the UCFC promotion. He submitted opponent, Cy Cross in his debut with a choke in the first round.

Monson then split his next four fights, going 2-2. He suffered his first professional loss in the Extreme Challenge promotion when he was submitted by Tom Sauer with a rear naked choke in the first round.

The other loss came to David Dodd via armbar in under minute, also under the Extreme Challenge banner.

After scoring a unanimous decision win over Bob Gilstrap in July of 2000 which pushed his record to 4-2, Monson was given a call-up to the UFC.

He made his UFC debut in September of 2000 at UFC 27 where he picked up a decision victory over Tim Lajcik.

In December of that year, Monson faced Chuck Liddell at UFC 29. Monson's inability to get the fight to the ground was focus point of the point as he was punished for every time he tried, eventually suffering a unanimous decision loss.

After picking up a submission win outside of the UFC, Monson returned at UFC 35 where he faced future UFC heavyweight champion, Ricco Rodriguez. He was defeated via TKO in the third round.

The Middle Years

After the Rodriguez loss, Monson exited the UFC. In his first bout since departing company with the organization he was defeated via decision by future TUF 1 winner and UFC light heavyweight champion, Forrest Griffin.

Monson followed the Griffin loss with 13 fight win streak that pushed his disappointing 6-5 record to an impressive 19-5. The win streak featured 10 finished via way of submission and one via TKO.

Return to the UFC

In February of 2006, Monson was back in the UFC and slated to fight Team Hammer House's Brandon Lee Hinkle at UFC 57. Hinkle was coming into the fight having just stopped Kimbo Slice slayer, Sean Gannon at UFC 55. Monson earned "Submission of the Night" honors after he choked Hinkle unconscious with a north/south choke at 4:35 of round 1.

A little over two months later, Monson was back in the octagon at UFC 59 where he faced fellow distinguished grappler, Marcio Cruz. In a dull fight, Monson earned the split decision victory after three rounds.

At UFC 61, Monson established himself as the UFC's number one contender in the heavyweight class when he made it 16 wins straight with a TKO over Australian, Anthony Perosh which earned him "Knockout of the Night" honors.

At UFC 65, on November 18, 2006, Monson was given a shot at the UFC heavyweight title when he faced champion, Tim Sylvia. The size difference was vast as the 6 ft. 8, Sylvia used his superior stand-up to keep the 5 ft. 9, Monson on the outside. Monson threatened in the second round when he finally managed to get the fight to the floor, but apart from that he was messed up with punches for the majority of the fight, eventually losing a unanimous decision.

Post-UFC Career

After the loss to Sylvia, Monson asked to be let go from his UFC contract. The UFC obliged and Monson began focusing his attention on securing a bout with Fedor Emelianenko at BodogFight event in March, 2007. That bout didn't work out however, and Monson instead faced Kazuyuki Fujita in April as the main event of the last ever PRIDE event, PRIDE 34. Monson defeated Fujita with a rear naked choke at 6:37 of round 1.

Just under five months later, Monson was stopped by Pedro Rizzo in a heavyweight title bout for the Art of War promotion.

He scored a decision victory over Hakim Goram to end 2007 and then began 2008 with a decision loss to former UFC heavyweight champion, Josh Barnett at Sengoku: Second Battle.

Four months later, Monson defeated Mark Kerr via rear naked choke in the first round. He followed that victory with a north/south choke submission win over Jimmy Ambriz.

Monson was then scheduled to face former UFC heavyweight champion, Kevin Randleman at a Mixed Fighting Alliance event in December of 2008. Randleman pulled out with injury and he was replaced with another former UFC heavyweight champion, Ricco Rodriguez. Monson defeated Rodriguez via unanimous decision to avenge a loss that had occurred seven years prior.

On March 21, 2009, Monson faced former IFL heavyweight champion, Roy Nelson as the MMA main event of a hybrid MMA/boxing card put on my Roy Jones Jr.'s Square Ring Promotions. At the event, titled March Badness, Monson scored a semi-controversial unanimous decision over Nelson. Nelson looked to have won the first two rounds comfortably with superior ground control but the judges saw the last two rounds for Monson and awarded him the victory.

Just over a week later, Monson travelled to Northen Ireland where he defeated Sergej Maslobojev via anaconda choke in the second round.

Monson will next face PRIDE veteran, Sergei Kharitonov at DREAM 8 on April 5, 2009.