Tarec Saffiedine

“Sponge”

MMA · Active

16-7RECORD

1KO / TKO WINS

5SUBMISSION WINS

10DECISION WINS

Profile

Full name	Tarec Robert Saffiedine
Nickname	Sponge
Date of birth	6 Sep 1986
Nationality	Belgian
Birthplace	Brussels, Belgium
Lives in	Temecula, California, USA
Division	Welterweight
Team	Tristar Gym
Height	175 cm (5′9″)
Reach	179 cm (70″)
Stance	Southpaw
Years active	since 2007
Status	Active
Pro debut	31 Mar 2007
Last fight	Loss vs Rafael Dos Anjos, 17 Jun 2017

Details on this page were compiled from public information on 11 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

Former Strikeforce Welterweight Champion
Fight of the Night (x1)
Performance of the Night (x1)

Background

Belgian welterweight from Brussels who became the last Strikeforce Welterweight Champion in 2013 before moving to the UFC. He has trained at Team Quest, Tristar Gym and Evolve MMA.

Fight history

23 professional fights. Newest first.

Result	Opponent	Method	Round	Time	Event	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	Rafael Dos Anjos	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia	17 Jun 2017	Kallang, Singapore
Loss	Dong Hyun Kim	Decision (split)	3	5:00	UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey	30 Dec 2016	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Loss	Rick Story	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC Fight Night: Almeida vs Garbrandt	29 May 2016	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Win	Jake Ellenberger	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Bader	30 Jan 2016	Newark, New Jersey, USA
Loss	Rory MacDonald	TKO (punches)	3	1:28	UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs Saffiedine	4 Oct 2014	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Win	Hyun Gyu Lim	Decision (unanimous)	5	5:00	UFC Fight Night: Saffiedine vs Lim	4 Jan 2014	Singapore, Singapore	Fight of the Night
Win	Nate Marquardt	Decision (unanimous)	5	5:00	Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine	12 Jan 2013	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA	Won the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship
Win	Roger Bowling	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman	18 Aug 2012	San Diego, California, USA
Win	Tyler Stinson	Decision (split)	3	5:00	Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine	7 Jan 2012	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Win	Scott Smith	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson	30 Jul 2011	Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA
Loss	Tyron Woodley	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Saffiedine	7 Jan 2011	Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Win	Brock Larson	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Shark Fights 13: Jardine vs. Prangley	11 Sep 2010	Amarillo, Texas, USA
Win	Nate Moore	KO (punch)	2	1:21	Strikeforce Challengers: Lindland vs. Casey	21 May 2010	Portland, Oregon, USA
Win	James Terry	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Strikeforce Challengers: Kaufman vs. Hashi	26 Feb 2010	San Jose, California, USA
Loss	Dong-Sik Yoon	Decision (split)	3	5:00	DREAM 12	25 Oct 2009	Osaka, Japan	Middleweight bout
Win	Seichi Ikemoto	Decision (unanimous)	2	5:00	DREAM 10	20 Jul 2009	Saitama, Japan
Win	Mike Arellano	Submission (americana)	1	2:44	War Gods 5	30 May 2009	Alpine, California, USA
Win	Scott Rose	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	1	0:58	Long Beach Fight Night 4	19 Apr 2009	Long Beach, California, USA
Win	Rich Bondoc	Submission (armbar)	1	2:18	Ultimate Cage Wars 12	27 Jun 2008	Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Win	Raymond Jarman	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Shooto Belgium: Encounter the Braves	15 Dec 2007	Charleroi, Belgium
Win	Sebastian Grandin	Submission (armbar)	1	2:38	Xtreme Gladiators 3	9 Jun 2007	Paris, France
Loss	Kamil Uygun	Decision (unanimous)	2	5:00	Night of the Gladiators	21 Apr 2007	Brakel, Belgium
Win	Guillaume Janvier	Submission (kimura)	1	1:15	Shooto Belgium: Consecration	31 Mar 2007	Charleroi, Belgium	Pro debut