Mike Thomas Brown, born on September 8, 1975, in Portland, Maine, is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a former WEC Featherweight Champion, who most recently fought as a featherweight in the World Extreme Cagefighting organization. This article delves into his career, highlighting his achievements and setbacks in the world of MMA.
Mike Brown during WEC 41
Early Life and Wrestling Career
Mike Brown wrestled at Bonny Eagle High School in Standish, Maine where he won a state championship in 1992, his junior year. He went on to wrestle at Norwich University where he was known for his ability to focus. Although he was a poor student in high school, he was able to apply his focus to academics and excelled as a scholar-athlete in college.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Brown had fought in several MMA events including the UFC and most recently WEC, where he is a former featherweight (145 lb.) champion.
Near Career-Ending Loss
In 2005, Brown suffered a near career-ending loss at Deep 22nd in Japan. Brown's opponent, noted leg-lock expert Masakazu Imanari, dislocated Brown's leg to the point that his leg was pulled out and to the side of his knee joint.
Read also: Thomas More University Wrestling
Signing with WEC
Riding a six fight win streak, Mike Brown signed with the WEC for the chance to fight the best talent at 145 pounds. His first fight in the WEC was against jiu-jitsu expert Jeff Curran at WEC 34. In each round, Brown matched Curran's stand-up and then took him down and scored from the top with elbows and punches.
WEC Featherweight Championship
Brown was then offered a shot at the WEC Featherweight Championship with a fight against Urijah Faber at WEC 36. The fight was originally set to take place in Hollywood, Florida on September 10, 2008, but it was postponed to November 5, 2008 due to Hurricane Ike. At the time, Faber had held the title for over two and a half years and was widely considered to be the best fighter at 145 pounds in the world. Brown welcomed the opportunity to fight the best in the world and felt that his training with American Top Team had prepared him well. When the heavily favored Faber attempted a risky elbow strike, Brown countered with a right hook to the jaw, knocking down the champion. Brown then followed with a flurry of unanswered punches and the fight was called off at 2:23 of the first round.
Urijah Faber vs Mike Brown
Title Defenses
Brown's first title defense came against Texas-native Leonard Garcia in Corpus Christi, Texas as the main event of WEC 39. Garcia came out very aggressively, but he made a mistake and circled in the wrong direction. Brown capitalized on the mistake, knocking Garcia down with a big right hand. He followed with a barrage of punches and elbows, one of which opened up a cut on Garcia's forehead. Brown took Garcia's back and worked unsuccessfully for a rear naked choke.
Brown's second defense came in a rematch against former champ Urijah Faber as the main event of WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber 2. Urijah Faber was defeated a second time by Brown via unanimous decision in front of his hometown crowd in Sacramento. During the middle of the 1st round, Faber injured and broke his right hand.
Read also: The Sydney Thomas Story
Losing the Championship
Brown lost his WEC Featherweight Championship against Jose Aldo on November 18, 2009 at WEC 44. Brown defeated WEC newcomer Anthony Morrison on January 10, 2010 at WEC 46 via first round submission.
Top 25 Mike Tyson Greatest Knockouts That Will Never Be Forgotten | Highlights Full HD
Fight Statistics
| Event | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| WEC 34 | Jeff Curran | Win |
| WEC 36 | Urijah Faber | Win |
| WEC 39 | Leonard Garcia | Win |
| WEC 41 | Urijah Faber | Win |
| WEC 44 | Jose Aldo | Loss |
| WEC 46 | Anthony Morrison | Win |
Read also: MMA Fighter Walker Brown