Randy Couture Fighter Profile

Early on in his career he was known as "The Natural". And somewhere along the line he picked up the additional nickname "Captain America". Randy Duane Couture was born in Lynnwood Washington and has been a contender for the UFC since almost the very beginning. He proved that age was not a factor in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and has become an idol to many, bringing honor and heart to a sport that may have lost it�s edge without him.
In 1997 Couture made his MMA debut during UFC 13 -The Ultimate Force-. Ironically enough this would also be the same day and competition that Tito Ortiz would also first appear. While the two never battled due to difference in weight class, they were already destined to match strength in the near future. During UFC 13, Couture defeated both Tony Halme and Steven Graham, earning his shot at the heavyweight title contender spot five months later. Already 34, Couture was not favored to win against fellow heavyweight hopeful, 19-year-old Brazillian buzzsaw Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort. Belfort had destroyed several opponents including a victory by knock-out against Tank Abbot also during UFC 13. The Phenom not only had the speed, but recently had earned his black belt from Carlson Gracie. It was to be an exciting bout.
The UFC 15 eight minute match ended with Couture scoring a TKO on the much younger Belfort. The beating that the Brazillian had faced left him crumbled on the floor and Couture walked away with a simple tear in his shorts and a huge smile across his face. They would meet once more almost seven years later, and the results would again not be pretty. His bout with Belfort earned him the right to contend with Maurice Smith for the heavyweight title during UFC Japan . The 20-minute epic fight left both men exhausted, but Couture was awarded the belt by decision. His victory was short-lived however when a contract dispute over compensation involving the UFC organization and the Semaphore Entertainment Group caused his title to be stripped from him. Couture headed overseas joining VTJ and Rings competitions before returning to the UFC in November of 2000. Couture recaptured his heavyweight title from Kevin Randleman by TKO. A fantastic come-back that earned him huge applause. 
Early the next year Couture returned to the final for the Rings -King of Kings- competition but was stopped by Valentijn Overeem. Not too phased by his loss he returned to face Pedro Rizzo who had challenged him for his heavyweight title. The battle was taxing on Couture but eventually won by a controversial decision. Couture could barely walk after the beating that Rizzo had inflicted upon his legs. It wouldn�t be long after until Rizzo once again had managed to earn the right to face Couture and attempt to stip the title from him, but Randy was through playing games and took the victory with a TKO. Early the next year in 2003, Coutour did eventually lose his title. New comer and youngster Josh Barnett defeated �The Natural�in UFC 36 (Later that year, Barnett would have the title and belt stripped from him and his fighting license temporarily supspended when he was tested postitive for anabolic steroids.)
After another loss in November during UFC 39 to Ricco Rodriguez, the 39 year old needed a lucky break to get back into the swing of things. This break occured when UFC officials and lightweight champion Tito Ortiz began to have differences in opinion on who "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" would challenge to defend his title. His only competition would likely be the upcoming Chuck "Iceman" Liddell, but he and Ortiz had come to terms and agreed that they would never fight. This left the UFC with little choice and they created a interim lightweight position and gave Couture a chance to take it. All he would have to do was drop in weight class and defeat Chuck Liddell to claim it. 
After bringing down Liddell in the third round, Couture had become the only competetor in the UFC to win two weight class championships. This now put him in a position to challenge Tito Ortiz for his belt who had no choice but to accept. Now 40, and rumored to be near retirement, Couture was expected to lose to Ortiz and end his career with the UFC officially. But it would be that November 2003 fight that would be the biggest upset in Ortiz's career, and the ultimate highlight of Couture�s. Though older by more than a decade, Coutoure "spanked" Ortiz in the fifth round and won by decision. It was also here that Coutoure's maturity about the sport spoke to the audience. With fighters like Ortiz throwing insults and showboating for the crowd, Randy Coutoure walked into every fight feeling that his opponent was a peer to be respected an honored. Victory was never certain and would always have to be earned. That was the biggest gift that Couture gave to the sport of MMA. 
During UFC 52, almost two years later (although losing and then regaining his title from old foe Vitor Belfort in the mean time) Couture failed to defend his title during a rematch with Chuck Liddell. In an effort to reclaim it, Couture defeated Mike Van Arsdale and recieved another shot to take on Liddell early in 2006. Randy Couture fell to the superior might of Chuck Liddell, being knocked out for a second time in his career by "The Iceman". It was here that Couture made the most important decision of his life and officially announced his retirement. Which he did, keeping with his tone of honor and dignity.
"You know, first of all I give praise to god for everything he's done in my life. It's been an amazing journey for me. Chuck [is a] great champion and it's a true honor anytime I get in here with him. He brings out that warrior spirit everytime and my hat is off to him, he caught me again tonight. I was prepared and as prepared as I've ever been for a fight, so my hat is off to him." "This is the last time you're going to see these gloves or these shorts in this octagon. I'm retiring tonight. I'd like to thank the fans for all their support. That's it for me. I'm ready to do something else." Said an emotional Randy with his gloves in the air.
Randy Couture has retired as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. Accomplishing much more than anyone would have imagined in a world of younger fighters and great upsets. Being able to remain calm and collected while in the spotlight is one of his greatest claims to fame. We hope to see many more contenders like Randy Couture in the future, but we know no one will ever be able to replace him. 
Fight Record     15-8-0
<ul>
<li>03-03-2007 - Defeats Tim Sylvia, UFC 68, Unanimous Decision </li>
<li>02-04-2006 - Lost to Chuck Liddell, UFC 57, KO Round 2, 1:28 </li>
<li>08-20-2005 - Defeats Mike Van Arsdale, UFC 54, Submission Round 3, 0:52 </li>
<li>04-16-2005 - Lost to Chuck Liddell, UFC 52, KO Round 1, 2:06 </li>
<li>08-21-2004 - Defeats Vitor Belfort, UFC 49, TKO(doctor stoppage) Round 3 </li>
<li>01-31-2004 - Lost to Vitor Belfort, UFC 46, TKO (cut) Round 1, 0:49 </li>
<li>09-26-2003 - Defeats Tito Ortiz, UFC 44, Unanimous Decision </li>
<li>06-06-2003 - Defeats Chuck Liddell, UFC 43, TKO(strikes) Round 3, 2:40  </li>
<li>09-27-2002 - Lost to Ricco Rodriguez, UFC 39, Submission(strikes) Round 5, 3:04 </li>
<li>03-22-2002 - Lost to Josh Barnett, UFC 36, TKO Round 2, 4:35 </li>
<li>11-02-2001 - Defeats Pedro Rizzo, UFC 34, TKO Round 3, 1:38 </li>
<li>05-04-2001 - Defeats Pedro Rizzo, UFC 31, Decision </li>
<li>02-24-2001 - Lost to Valentijin Overeem, Rings KoK 2K, Submission Round 1, 0:56 </li>
<li>02-24-2001 - Defeats Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Rings KoK 2K, Decision </li>
<li>11-17-2000 - Defeats Kevin Randleman, UFC 28, TKO Round 3, 4:13 </li>
<li>10-09-2000 - Defeats Ryushi Yanagisawa, Rings KoK 2nd M, Decision </li>
<li>10-09-2000 - Defeats Jeremy Horn, Rings KoK 1st M, Decision </li>
<li>03-20-1999 - Lost to Mikhail Illoukhine, Rings Rise 1, Submission Round 1, 7:43 </li>
<li>10-25-1998 - Lost to Enson Inoue, VTJ 98, Submission Round 1, 1:39 </li>
<li>12-21-1997 - Defeats Maurice Smith, UFC Japan, Decision </li>
<li>10-17-1997 - Defeats Vitor Belfort, UFC 15, KO Round 1, 8:17 </li>
<li>05-30-1997 - Defeats Steven Graham, UFC 13, TKO Round 1, 3:13 </li>
<li>05-30-1997 - Defeats Tony Halme, UFC 13, Submission Round 1, 0:57 </li></ul>

Weight Class Eligible for Top 10 ( tick if yes )

( Seperate each weight class with a space. Tags for weight classes are: lw = light weight, mw = middle weight, lhw = light hw, he = heavy weight )

What did you change? In an effort to make editorial approval easier please specify briefly the changes you made to the bio. If you updated the fight record, say so, improved the bio explain how. Simple, short but clear explanations please! When changes are approved you will get POINTS and also credit for the last change.

X-Training with Randy Couture, MMA Classics Volume 3	X-Training with Randy Couture, MMA Classics Volume 4
message for randy couture	Learn To Fight & Win With Randy Couture -Takedowns Clip
Randy Couture: On Spec UFC Commercial	Tribute to Randy Couture UFC 68 fight

Early on in his career he was known as "The Natural". And somewhere along the line he picked up the additional nickname "Captain America". Randy Duane Couture was born in Lynnwood Washington and has been a contender for the UFC since almost the very beginning. He proved that age was not a factor in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and has become an idol to many, bringing honor and heart to a sport that may have lost it�s edge without him.

In 1997 Couture made his MMA debut during UFC 13 -The Ultimate Force-. Ironically enough this would also be the same day and competition that Tito Ortiz would also first appear. While the two never battled due to difference in weight class, they were already destined to match strength in the near future. During UFC 13, Couture defeated both Tony Halme and Steven Graham, earning his shot at the heavyweight title contender spot five months later. Already 34, Couture was not favored to win against fellow heavyweight hopeful, 19-year-old Brazillian buzzsaw Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort. Belfort had destroyed several opponents including a victory by knock-out against Tank Abbot also during UFC 13. The Phenom not only had the speed, but recently had earned his black belt from Carlson Gracie. It was to be an exciting bout.

The UFC 15 eight minute match ended with Couture scoring a TKO on the much younger Belfort. The beating that the Brazillian had faced left him crumbled on the floor and Couture walked away with a simple tear in his shorts and a huge smile across his face. They would meet once more almost seven years later, and the results would again not be pretty. His bout with Belfort earned him the right to contend with Maurice Smith for the heavyweight title during UFC Japan . The 20-minute epic fight left both men exhausted, but Couture was awarded the belt by decision. His victory was short-lived however when a contract dispute over compensation involving the UFC organization and the Semaphore Entertainment Group caused his title to be stripped from him. Couture headed overseas joining VTJ and Rings competitions before returning to the UFC in November of 2000. Couture recaptured his heavyweight title from Kevin Randleman by TKO. A fantastic come-back that earned him huge applause.

Early the next year Couture returned to the final for the Rings -King of Kings- competition but was stopped by Valentijn Overeem. Not too phased by his loss he returned to face Pedro Rizzo who had challenged him for his heavyweight title. The battle was taxing on Couture but eventually won by a controversial decision. Couture could barely walk after the beating that Rizzo had inflicted upon his legs. It wouldn�t be long after until Rizzo once again had managed to earn the right to face Couture and attempt to stip the title from him, but Randy was through playing games and took the victory with a TKO. Early the next year in 2003, Coutour did eventually lose his title. New comer and youngster Josh Barnett defeated �The Natural�in UFC 36 (Later that year, Barnett would have the title and belt stripped from him and his fighting license temporarily supspended when he was tested postitive for anabolic steroids.)

After another loss in November during UFC 39 to Ricco Rodriguez, the 39 year old needed a lucky break to get back into the swing of things. This break occured when UFC officials and lightweight champion Tito Ortiz began to have differences in opinion on who "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" would challenge to defend his title. His only competition would likely be the upcoming Chuck "Iceman" Liddell, but he and Ortiz had come to terms and agreed that they would never fight. This left the UFC with little choice and they created a interim lightweight position and gave Couture a chance to take it. All he would have to do was drop in weight class and defeat Chuck Liddell to claim it.

After bringing down Liddell in the third round, Couture had become the only competetor in the UFC to win two weight class championships. This now put him in a position to challenge Tito Ortiz for his belt who had no choice but to accept. Now 40, and rumored to be near retirement, Couture was expected to lose to Ortiz and end his career with the UFC officially. But it would be that November 2003 fight that would be the biggest upset in Ortiz's career, and the ultimate highlight of Couture�s. Though older by more than a decade, Coutoure "spanked" Ortiz in the fifth round and won by decision. It was also here that Coutoure's maturity about the sport spoke to the audience. With fighters like Ortiz throwing insults and showboating for the crowd, Randy Coutoure walked into every fight feeling that his opponent was a peer to be respected an honored. Victory was never certain and would always have to be earned. That was the biggest gift that Couture gave to the sport of MMA.

During UFC 52, almost two years later (although losing and then regaining his title from old foe Vitor Belfort in the mean time) Couture failed to defend his title during a rematch with Chuck Liddell. In an effort to reclaim it, Couture defeated Mike Van Arsdale and recieved another shot to take on Liddell early in 2006. Randy Couture fell to the superior might of Chuck Liddell, being knocked out for a second time in his career by "The Iceman". It was here that Couture made the most important decision of his life and officially announced his retirement. Which he did, keeping with his tone of honor and dignity.

"You know, first of all I give praise to god for everything he's done in my life. It's been an amazing journey for me. Chuck [is a] great champion and it's a true honor anytime I get in here with him. He brings out that warrior spirit everytime and my hat is off to him, he caught me again tonight. I was prepared and as prepared as I've ever been for a fight, so my hat is off to him." "This is the last time you're going to see these gloves or these shorts in this octagon. I'm retiring tonight. I'd like to thank the fans for all their support. That's it for me. I'm ready to do something else." Said an emotional Randy with his gloves in the air.

Randy Couture has retired as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. Accomplishing much more than anyone would have imagined in a world of younger fighters and great upsets. Being able to remain calm and collected while in the spotlight is one of his greatest claims to fame. We hope to see many more contenders like Randy Couture in the future, but we know no one will ever be able to replace him.

Fight Record 15-8-0

03-03-2007 - Defeats Tim Sylvia, UFC 68, Unanimous Decision
02-04-2006 - Lost to Chuck Liddell, UFC 57, KO Round 2, 1:28
08-20-2005 - Defeats Mike Van Arsdale, UFC 54, Submission Round 3, 0:52
04-16-2005 - Lost to Chuck Liddell, UFC 52, KO Round 1, 2:06
08-21-2004 - Defeats Vitor Belfort, UFC 49, TKO(doctor stoppage) Round 3
01-31-2004 - Lost to Vitor Belfort, UFC 46, TKO (cut) Round 1, 0:49
09-26-2003 - Defeats Tito Ortiz, UFC 44, Unanimous Decision
06-06-2003 - Defeats Chuck Liddell, UFC 43, TKO(strikes) Round 3, 2:40
09-27-2002 - Lost to Ricco Rodriguez, UFC 39, Submission(strikes) Round 5, 3:04
03-22-2002 - Lost to Josh Barnett, UFC 36, TKO Round 2, 4:35
11-02-2001 - Defeats Pedro Rizzo, UFC 34, TKO Round 3, 1:38
05-04-2001 - Defeats Pedro Rizzo, UFC 31, Decision
02-24-2001 - Lost to Valentijin Overeem, Rings KoK 2K, Submission Round 1, 0:56
02-24-2001 - Defeats Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Rings KoK 2K, Decision
11-17-2000 - Defeats Kevin Randleman, UFC 28, TKO Round 3, 4:13
10-09-2000 - Defeats Ryushi Yanagisawa, Rings KoK 2nd M, Decision
10-09-2000 - Defeats Jeremy Horn, Rings KoK 1st M, Decision
03-20-1999 - Lost to Mikhail Illoukhine, Rings Rise 1, Submission Round 1, 7:43
10-25-1998 - Lost to Enson Inoue, VTJ 98, Submission Round 1, 1:39
12-21-1997 - Defeats Maurice Smith, UFC Japan, Decision
10-17-1997 - Defeats Vitor Belfort, UFC 15, KO Round 1, 8:17
05-30-1997 - Defeats Steven Graham, UFC 13, TKO Round 1, 3:13
05-30-1997 - Defeats Tony Halme, UFC 13, Submission Round 1, 0:57

This page was last updated on by misfit