Mike Richman

Background

Born and raised in Rosemount, Minnesota, began competing in wrestling from a young age and was also a fan of boxing and mixed martial arts. Richman attended Rosemount High School where he competed in wrestling before joining the United States Marine Corps upon graduating. After serving three tours as an infantryman in Iraq and reaching the rank of Sergeant, Richman began training in mixed martial arts in 2008.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Richman made his professional debut in 2008 and compiled an undefeated record of 8-0 before competing on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck.

''The Ultimate Fighter''

Richman was one of 32 contestants selected to compete on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck. In his opening bout to get into the house, Richman lost to Aaron Wilkinson by unanimous decision after two rounds.

Bellator MMA

Richman made his Bellator MMA debut against WEC veteran Chris Horodecki at Bellator 64. In a huge upset, Richman won via KO at 1:23 of the first round.

After his win over Horodecki, Richman competed in the Bellator Season Seven Featherweight Tournament. In the quarterfinal round at Bellator 76, Richman defeated Jeremy Spoon via head KO 23 seconds into the first round. In the semifinals, he faced Shahbulat Shamhalaev and lost via brutal KO in the first round.

Richman proved he was the superior fighter in his Bellator 88 Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout against Mitch Jackson. Richman won a decisive first-round TKO victory. Richman dominated Jackson on his feet, dropping him three times with short left hooks.

Richman faced Alexandre Bezerra in the semifinals on March 7, 2013 at Bellator 92. He won the bout via split decision.

Richman faced Magomedrasul Khasbulaev in the Bellator Featherweight Tournament Final on April 4, 2013 in Atlantic City. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Richman faced Akop Stepanyan at Bellator 106 on November 2, 2013. Richman had been in trouble early in the fight, but floored Stepanyan with a left hook in the first round. He then faced Desmond Green at Bellator 110 in the quarter-finals of the Featherweight Tournament. Richman lost via unanimous decision.

Richman faced Goiti Yamauchi on May 17, 2014 at Bellator 120. He lost the back-and-forth fight via unanimous decision.

In the fall of 2014, Richman moved down to the bantamweight division. He debuted at 135 against Ed West at Bellator 126 on September 26, 2014. He won the fight via knockout in the first round. He also made his signature 'walk-off knockout', where he backs off the fighter before referee called stoppage on the fight.

Richman faced promotional newcomer Nam Phan at Bellator 131 on November 15, 2014. He won the fight via knockout in the first round.

Richman was expected to face former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 135 on March 27, 2015. However, the bout was removed from the fight card after Richman suffered an undisclosed injury. The fight eventually took place at Bellator 137 on May 15, 2015. Richman lost the back-and-forth fight by unanimous decision.

On June 9, 2015 the California State Athletic Commission confirmed that Richman had failed a post fight drug test following his fight against Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 137. He tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs according to CSAC Executive Director Andy Foster and will be suspended two years and fined $2,500 for the rule infraction.

Bare-knuckle boxing

BKB

Following his suspension from mixed martial arts, Richman ventured into bare-knuckle boxing. At the time, the sport was still illegal in the United States so he traveled to the United Kingdom for his first fight under the BKB promotion on June 9, 2018.

Valor Bare Knuckle

Richman had his first bare-knuckle fight on US soil at Valor Bare Knuckle 1 on September 21, 2019. His fight with JC Llamas ended in a no contest after an accidental headbutt inflicted a cut above Llamas' eye and rendered him unable to continue.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Richman made his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut against Marcel Stamps on April 30, 2021 at BKFC 17. He won by first-round technical knockout via shoulder injury.

He next faced Dakota Cochrane on September 10, 2021 at BKFC 21, whom he defeated by second-round knockout.

Richman faced David Rickels on April 8, 2022 at BKFC 23, winning by second-round knockout.

Interim BKFC Light Heavyweight Champion

After three consecutive victories, Richman was set to face Isaac Doolitle for the interim BKFC Light Heavyweight Championship on October 15, 2022 at BKFC 31. He won the fight and interim title via third-round knockout.

As interim champion, Richman was scheduled to face reigning champion Lorenzo Hunt in a title unification bout at KnuckleMania 3 on February 17, 2023. Despite knocking Hunt down in the first round, Richman was knocked out and suffered the first loss of his bare-knuckle boxing career.

Post championship

Richman challenged David Mundell for the BKFC Middleweight Championship at BKFC 47 on July 14, 2023. He lost the fight via knockout in the second round. Afterwards, Richman announced his retirement.

Richman came out of retirement to face Erick Lozano on April 12, 2024 at BKFC Fight Night 12 in the main event. He won the bout in the fifth round by knockout.

BKFC Light Heavyweight Champion

Richman challenged Jared Warren for the BKFC Light Heavyweight Championship at BKFC on DAZN 3 on December 21, 2024. He won the fight and championship by knockout in the first round. This fight earned him his first Knockout of the Night award.

Richman made his first defense of his light heavyweight title against Josh Dyer at BKFC 74 on May 10, 2025. He lost the fight and championship by technical knockout in the fourth round.

Post championship

Richman is scheduled to face Joe Elmore on February 7, 2026 at BKFC Knucklemania VI.

Championships and accomplishments

• Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
  • BKFC Light Heavyweight Champion (One time)
  • Interim BKFC Light Heavyweight Champion (One time)
  • Knockout of the Night (One time) vs. Jared Warren
• Bellator Fighting Championships
  • Bellator Season Eight Featherweight Tournament Runner-Up

Mixed martial arts record

|ko-wins=9 |ko-losses=1 |sub-wins=7 |sub-losses=0 |dec-wins=2

| | Prior Lake, Minnesota, United States

| | Prior Lake, Minnesota, United States

| | Temecula, California, United States

| |San Diego, California, United States | |- |Win |Ed West |KO (punches) |Bellator 126 | |Phoenix, Arizona, United States

| |Southaven, Mississippi, United States | |- |Loss |Desmond Green |Decision (unanimous) |Bellator 110 | |Uncasville, Connecticut, United States

| |Long Beach, California, United States | |- |Loss |Magomedrasul Khasbulaev |Decision (unanimous) |Bellator 95 | |Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States

| |Temecula, California, United States

| |Duluth, Georgia, United States

| |Rama, Ontario, Canada

| |Windsor, Ontario, Canada

| |Windsor, Ontario, Canada | |- |Win |Morgan Sickinger |Decision (unanimous) |Driller Promotions / SEG: Downtown Showdown 1 | |Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Christopher Lane |TKO (punches) |Riot at the Hyatt: Packer vs. Viking | |Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | |- |Loss |Brian Pearman |Decision (split) |Seconds Out / Vivid MMA: Showdown at the Sheraton 2 | |Bloomington, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Mike Lindquist |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Seconds Out / Vivid MMA: Combat on Capital Hill 4 | |Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Ryan Stock |TKO (punches) |Seconds Out / Vivid MMA: Tour of Duty 1 | |Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Derek Getzel |Submission (anaconda choke) |Ambition Promotions: The Crucible | |Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Wes Ronchi |Submission (triangle choke) |Brutaal: Fight Night | |Shakopee, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Chris Coplan |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Brutaal: Fight Night | |Shakopee, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Deryck Ripley |Submission |Brutaal: Fight Night | |Shakopee, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Mel Ott |Submission (armbar) |Brutaal: Fight Night | |Shakopee, Minnesota, United States | |- |Win |Rob Degroot |Submission (armbar) |Brutaal: Fight Night | |Shakopee, Minnesota, United States |

| |Shakopee, Minnesota, United States |

Bare knuckle boxing record

|ko-wins=7 |ko-losses=3 |dec-wins= |dec-losses= |dq-wins=

| |West Valley City, Utah, United States

| |Hollywood, Florida, United States

| |Clearwater, Florida, United States | |- |Loss |David Mundell |KO (punch) |BKFC 47 | |Lakeland, Florida, United States

| |Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

| |Broomfield, Colorado, United States ||Won the interim BKFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Return to Light Heavyweight. |- |Win |David Rickels |KO (punch) |BKFC 23 | |Wichita, Kansas, United States

| |Omaha, Nebraska, United States | |- |Win |Marcel Stamps |KO (punch) |BKFC 17 |

| |New Town, North Dakota, United States

| |London, England, United States | |-

References

References

1. "Mike Richman".
2. "Bellator MMA's Mike Richman Earns Second Professional Boxing Win in Minnesota".
3. "Aaron Wilkinson v. Mike Richman – Don’t Count Me Out".
4. (2010-09-20). "Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck". MMA Junkie.
5. "Watch Richman / Horodecki Fight".
6. "Mike Richman Vs Jeremy Spoon Bellator 76 | Mike "The Marine" Richman".
7. "Mike Richman vs Mitch Jackson | Mike "The Marine" Richman".
8. (2013-03-01). "Bellator Schedule". Bellator MMA.
9. (2013-10-15). "Tourney finalist Mike Richman vs. Akop Stepanyan joins Bellator 106". mmajunkie.com.
10. (2013-11-03). "Bellator 106 results/photos: Mike Richman drops Akop Stepanyan in first". mmajunkie.com.
11. (January 24, 2014). "Pairings revealed for featherweight-tourney opening round at Bellator 110". mmajunkie.com.
12. Matt Erickson. (April 18, 2014). "Bellator 120 pay-per-view adds Ivanov-Volkov, Held-Freire, three more bouts". MMAjunkie.com.
13. "BELLATOR 126". bellator.com.
14. (January 5, 2015). "Bellator MMA Top Moments of 2014: Biggest Knockouts".
15. (October 17, 2014). "Nam Phan signs with Bellator, meets Mike Richman in Bellator 131 main-card opener". MMAJunkie.com.
16. "Bellator 135 Fight Card". bellator.com.
17. Jason Floyd. (March 9, 2015). "Mike Richman vs. Eduardo Dantas scratched from Bellator 135; L.C. Davis vs. Hideo Tokoro elevated from prelims to co-main event". themmareport.com.
18. Brent Brookhouse. (March 31, 2015). "Three bouts announced for Bellator 137, including Mike Richman vs. Eduardo Dantas". mmajunkie.com.
19. Steven Marrocco. (2015-06-09). "Bellator's Mike Richman suspended two years after failed drug test". mmajunkie.com.
20. (2022-04-05). "Mike Richman loving early jump, reinvention in bare-knuckle fighting: 'I can still be considered a pioneer'".
21. (2021-04-30). "BKFC 17 RESULTS: TATE OVERPOWERS BURNS, RICHMAN BLASTS STAMPS".
22. (2021-09-11). "BKFC 21 results and highlights: Houston Alexander scores brutal KO".
23. (2022-04-09). "BKFC 23 RESULTS: RICHMAN STOPS RICKELS IN ROUND 2".
24. (2022-10-16). "BKFC 31 results: Mike Richman rallies to win interim title; UFC alumni go 3-1".
25. (2023-02-17). "BKFC Knucklemania 3 results: Lorenzo Hunt puts Mike Richman to sleep with stunning comeback knockout".
26. (2023-05-28). "BKFC 47 heads to Florida with middleweight championship main event".
27. (2023-07-15). "MIKE RICHMAN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER GUTSY BARE KNUCKLE BOUT ON SATURDAY".
28. "BKFC HITS CLEARWATER, FL ON FRIDAY, APRIL 12! {{!}} BKFC".
29. (2024-04-12). "BKFC Fight Night: Clearwater Results".
30. (25 October 2024). "Jared Warren vs Mike Richman headlines BKFC Hollywood in December". FIGHTMAG.
31. Iskenderov, Parviz. (2024-12-21). "BKFC Hollywood results: Warren vs Richman".
32. BKFC on X. (2024-12-22). ". @MikeUSMCRichman Knocked out Jared Warren to become the new 185lb champ!". BKFC on X.
33. (18 March 2025). "Mike Richman vs Josh Dyer headlines BKFC Salt Lake City in May". FIGHTMAG.
34. "BKFC 74 Results {{!}} BKFC".
35. "BKFC KNUCKLEMANIA VI".