Derek Brunson

“The One”

MMA · Active

24-9RECORD

12KO / TKO WINS

4SUBMISSION WINS

8DECISION WINS

Profile

Full name	Derek T. Brunson
Nickname	The One
Date of birth	4 Jan 1984
Nationality	American
Birthplace	Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Lives in	Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Division	Middleweight / Light Heavyweight
Team	Kill Cliff FC
Height	185 cm (6′1″)
Reach	196 cm (77″)
Stance	Southpaw
Years active	since 2010
Status	Active
Pro debut	22 May 2010
Last fight	Win vs Ray Cooper III, 24 Nov 2023

Details on this page were compiled from public information on 10 Oct 2026 (the record is as of that date). Is this you? Claim this profile to correct anything and add your photo and bio. Claim this profile

Titles and honours

UFC Fight of the Night (2x)
UFC Performance of the Night (1x)
NCAA Division II All-American wrestler (3x)

Background

Wrestler from Wilmington, North Carolina, and a three-time NCAA Division II All-American at UNC Pembroke. He fought 21 times in the UFC at middleweight between 2012 and 2023 before signing with the PFL as a light heavyweight.

Fight history

33 professional fights. Newest first.

Result	Opponent	Method	Round	Time	Event	Date	Location	Notes
Win	Ray Cooper III	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	PFL 10 (2023)	24 Nov 2023	Washington, D.C., U.S.	Catchweight (186.8 lb); Cooper missed weight
Loss	Dricus du Plessis	TKO (corner stoppage)	2	4:59	UFC 285	4 Mar 2023	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Loss	Jared Cannonier	KO (elbows)	2	4:29	UFC 271	12 Feb 2022	Houston, Texas, U.S.	UFC Middleweight title eliminator
Win	Darren Till	Submission (rear-naked choke)	3	2:13	UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till	4 Sep 2021	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win	Kevin Holland	Decision (unanimous)	5	5:00	UFC on ESPN: Brunson vs. Holland	20 Mar 2021	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win	Edmen Shahbazyan	TKO (punches)	3	0:26	UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan	1 Aug 2020	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win	Ian Heinisch	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 241	17 Aug 2019	Anaheim, California, U.S.
Win	Elias Theodorou	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy	4 May 2019	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Loss	Israel Adesanya	TKO (knees and punches)	1	4:51	UFC 230	3 Nov 2018	New York City, New York, U.S.
Loss	Ronaldo Souza	KO (head kick and punches)	1	3:50	UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson 2	27 Jan 2018	Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Win	Lyoto Machida	KO (punches)	1	2:30	UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida	28 Oct 2017	São Paulo, Brazil	Performance of the Night
Win	Dan Kelly	KO (punch)	1	1:16	UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt	11 Jun 2017	Auckland, New Zealand
Loss	Anderson Silva	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 208	11 Feb 2017	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Loss	Robert Whittaker	TKO (head kick and punches)	1	4:07	UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson	27 Nov 2016	Melbourne, Australia	Fight of the Night
Win	Uriah Hall	TKO (punch)	1	1:41	UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson	17 Sep 2016	Hidalgo, Texas, U.S.
Win	Roan Carneiro	KO (punches)	1	2:38	UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy	21 Feb 2016	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Win	Sam Alvey	TKO (punches)	1	2:19	UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Saint Preux	8 Aug 2015	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Win	Ed Herman	TKO (punches)	1	0:36	UFC 183	31 Jan 2015	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win	Lorenz Larkin	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 177	30 Aug 2014	Sacramento, California, U.S.
Loss	Yoel Romero	TKO (punches and elbows)	3	3:23	UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Philippou	15 Jan 2014	Duluth, Georgia, U.S.	Fight of the Night
Win	Brian Houston	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	0:48	UFC: Fight for the Troops 3	6 Nov 2013	Fort Campbell, Kentucky, U.S.
Win	Chris Leben	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 155	29 Dec 2012	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Loss	Ronaldo Souza	KO (punches)	1	0:41	Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman	18 Aug 2012	San Diego, California, U.S.
Loss	Kendall Grove	Decision (split)	3	5:00	ShoFight 20	16 Jun 2012	Springfield, Missouri, U.S.	For the ShoFight Middleweight Championship; Brunson missed weight (190 lb) and was ineligible to win the title
Win	Nate James	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Strikeforce Challengers: Britt vs. Sayers	18 Nov 2011	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Win	Lumumba Sayers	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	4:33	Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson	30 Jul 2011	Hoffman Estates, Illinois, U.S.
Win	Jeremy Hamilton	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Strikeforce Challengers: Fodor vs. Terry	24 Jun 2011	Kent, Washington, U.S.
Win	Danny Babcock	KO (punch)	1	1:07	World Extreme Fighting 45	22 Jan 2011	Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Win	Rhomez Brower	TKO (submission to punches)	1	2:27	XFP: The Holiday Fight Fest	4 Dec 2010	Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Win	Todd Chattelle	TKO (punches)	1	0:14	ICE: Fright Night 2010	29 Oct 2010	Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Win	Edward Jackson	KO (punches)	1	0:41	Carolina's Summer Fight Series 3	31 Jul 2010	Jacksonville, North Carolina, U.S.
Win	Chris McNally	KO (punches)	1	1:42	Carolina's Summer Fight Series 2	26 Jun 2010	Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Win	John Bryant	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1	0:52	Carolina's Summer Fight Series 1	22 May 2010	Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.