ALL BIO’S COURTESY OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 2 AND ZUFFA/UFC
Middleweight
6’0″, 185 lbs.
Age: 30
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Rich Franklin is the current UFC Middleweight Champion. Rich was one of the best fighters in the world at 205 pounds before dropping down to 185 pounds to capture the title. He’s one of the most well-rounded fighters in the sport, with the ability to end the fight by knockout or submission. Rich is a former high school teacher, but now trains and fights full-time.
Matt Hughes
5’9, 170 lbs.
Age: 31
From: Hillsboro, Illinois
Matt Hughes is the reigning UFC Welterweight Champion with an overall record of 38-4-0. A former all-american wrestler in college, Matt has been competing in MMA for nearly 8 years. Matt is one of the strongest fighters in sport, and is consistently ranked amongst the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Ganyao Fairtex
6’4, 210 lbs.
Age: 46
From: San Francisco, California
Ganyao is the Muay Thai kickboxing expert brought in to teach the fighters the techniques he has learned through his many years of training. Originally from Thailand, Ganyao has over 60 fights in traditional Muay Thai. He is now one of the head trainers at the Fairtex Gym in San Francisco.
Marc Laimon
6’0, 200 lbs.
Age: 28
From: Las Vegas, Nevada
Marc is the jiu-jitsu specialist brought in to teach the fighters all he knows on the ground. Marc is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has won numerous championships in his career. In recent years, he has become known as the trainer who many stars seek out for help on the ground. He has trained many of today’s top UFC fighters, including Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, and Phil Baroni.
Peter Welch
5’11”, 190 lbs.
Age: 33
From: Boston, Massachusetts
Peter Welch is the boxing expert brought in to help train the fighters in the proper techniques of boxing. He was the 1989 New England Golden Gloves Champion in the Junior Middleweight division and is currently undefeated as a professional boxer.
