Alan Belcher
Alan Belcher was born on April 24, 1984, in Biloxi, Mississippi, in the United States. Alan started training in karate when he was eight years old. Belcher was able to benefit from the instructors’ openness to new ideas because the martial arts academy where he trained not only taught traditional martial arts but also a wider range of fighting styles.
Belcher began his MMA career when he was 15 years old, participating in amateur rules competitions and eventually winning the Mid-South MMA championship. He was always driven to put himself to the test. In mixed martial arts, Alan Belcher had the talent and drive to succeed; However, due to the fact that it appeared to be at a crossroads at the time, Belcher did not consider the sport to be a potential career path.
Instead, while he was attending junior college, he focused on playing baseball, football, and basketball in high school. The UFC began to enter the market while he was in college, and MMA once again saw growth. Alan Belcher made the decision to get back into MMA after his baseball career ended in failure.
After a few fights and regaining his desire to invest in MMA, Belcher relocated to the coast to train full-time with the well-known coach Rich Clementi. At the age of 21, Alan Belcher competed in the WXF 16-man tournament in Seoul, South Korea, making his professional debut. Alan Belcher had an 8-2 professional record when MMA’s big doors opened at the age of 22, and he had been invited to join the UFC.
Belcher started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to get better at MMA, but he ended up becoming very good at submission grappling and proving his worth on the octagon repeatedly. Being one of the few men to receive a black belt from Master Helio “Soneca” would be an honor for him.
He made his UFC debut by defeating Yushin Okami by unanimous decision at UFC 62 in 2006.
In his second UFC fight, Belcher defeated Jorge Santiago by stunning head kick in the third round of a close fight three months later.
Kendall Grove, winner of The Ultimate Fighter 3, used a D’arce choke to defeat Belcher at UFC 69. In the first round of UFC 71 a month later, Belcher defeated Sean Salmon by guillotine choke. After Eric Schafer withdrew because of a broken rib he sustained during training, Belcher took the fight with ten days’ notice. The fight took place at 205 pounds.
On October 20, 2007, Belcher defeated Kalib Starnes at UFC 77. Due to a significant cut in Starnes’ right eye, the fight was stopped in Belcher’s favor. Belcher had taken control of the fight by punching and kneeing from the clinch.
Due to a severe case of bronchitis, Belcher had to withdraw from his fight against Ricardo Almeida two days prior to UFC 81.
Patrick Cote was scheduled to fight Belcher at UFC 83 in Montreal, but he pulled out due to a knee injury. Jason Day, a newcomer, succeeded Cote. Day threw a lot of punches at Belcher against the fence after he was hit in the face by a punch. By TKO in the first round, Day was declared the victor.
Belcher faced Pride FC veteran Denis Kang after defeating Ed Herman via split decision at UFC 93. By knocking out Belcher and controlling him on the ground, Kang won the first round. However, Kang began to fight more cautiously, and in the second round, when he attempted to take Belcher down once more, Belcher caught him in a tight guillotine choke. Kang was unable to escape. When Kang was nearly exhausted, he was awarded a $45,000 bonus for Submission of the Night.
At UFC 100 on July 11, 2009, Belcher lost to Yoshihiro Akiyama via split decision. Fight of the Night was the name of the fight, and both fighters received $100,000, a record amount.
Wilson Gouveia was defeated by Belcher via first-round TKO at UFC 107 on December 12, 2009. Belcher displayed a robust chin and precise punches throughout the fight. Both fighters received $65,000 as a result of the fight being named Fight of the Night. Belcher had already received three bonuses in a row in 2009 as a result of the award.
