Rodney Wallace (fighter)

Background

Wallace was born in Bamberg, South Carolina, moved to Passaic, New Jersey when he was one year old, then returned to his birthplace at the age of 13 when he began playing football and wrestling.

At Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School in Bamberg, South Carolina, Wallace competed in both sports as well as track and field. He reached the state finals in wrestling when he was a freshman, then won the South Carolina state championship his sophomore, junior, and senior years.

He continued his football career with a scholarship to NCAA Division II Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he was an All-Conference running back from 2001 to 2004, and finished his career as the school's all-time leading rusher.

Mixed martial arts career

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Wallace lost his UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale by unanimous decision to former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann.

Wallace next fought Jared Hamman on March 27, 2010, at UFC 111. Wallace lost this fight by way of a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). This fight was very fast-paced and there were several situations in which both men were rocked. The fight was selected as Fight of the Night, earning both fighters $65,000.

Wallace was scheduled to face Stanislav Nedkov on August 7, 2010, at UFC 117. However, Nedkov was forced from the card with an injury and was replaced by Phil Davis. Wallace lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Following the loss to Davis, Wallace was released from the promotion.

Independent promotions

After his release from the UFC, Wallace went on to face and defeat David Heath at MFC 27 via unanimous decision. He lost his second fight for the promotion against Emanuel Newton at MFC 28 via submission.

Wallace next faced Cale Yarbrough on April 15, 2011, at Scrap Live: Fight Night 7.

Rodney Wallace next fought Derrick Mehmen at WMMA 1: Fighting for a Better World on March 31, 2012. Wallace won this fight via unanimous decision.

Wallace next competed against Polish fighter Mamed Khalidov on May 12, 2012, at KSW XIX. He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.

Rodney Wallace next fought former WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho to a draw at Selva MMA on August 4, 2013, in Brazil.

Bellator MMA

Wallace made his debut for Bellator MMA on April 11, 2014, at Bellator 116. He faced Carlos Eduardo and won the fight via unanimous decision.

Wallace faced Kelly Anundson on June 6, 2014, at Bellator 121. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

In August 2014, Wallace was released from Bellator, along with twelve other fighters.

Absolute Championship Berkut

Wallace faced Shamil Gamzatov on January 13, 2017, at ACB 51. He lost the fight by split decision.

Bare knuckle boxing career

He challenged Croatian Marko Martinjak for his UBBADA world cruiserweight title at BKB 5 event in Coventry on April 22, 2017, losing the fight via first round TKO due to a cut above the eye.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

• SMASH Fight
  • SMASH Fight Light Heavyweight Championship (One time, current)
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Jared Hamman
• Warfare FC
  • WFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time, current)
• Hard Knocks Fighting
  • HKFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time, current)

Amateur wrestling

• South Carolina High School League
  • South Carolina 2A–1A 152 lb State Runner-Up out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School (1998)
  • South Carolina 2A–1A 171 lb State Champion out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School (1999)
  • South Carolina 2A–1A 189 lb State Champion out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School (2000)
  • South Carolina 2A–1A 215 lb State Champion out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School (2001)

Mixed martial arts record

| ko-wins= 6 | ko-losses= 6 | sub-wins= 3 | sub-losses= 1 | dec-wins= 17 | dec-losses= 9 | dq-wins= | dq-losses= | other-wins=

| | Rostov-on-Don, Russia | |- | Loss | Juan Espino | Decision (unanimous) | Combate Comas MMA 3 | | Santa Cruz, Bolivia | |- | Loss | Ivan Shtyrkov | Decision (unanimous) | RCC Boxing Promotions | | Chelyabinsk, Russia

| | Irvine, California, United States | |- | Win | Julio Gallegos | Decision (unanimous) | Conflict MMA 42 | | Indian Trail, North Carolina, United States | |- | Loss | Isa Umarov | Decision (unanimous) | |ACB 38: Breakthrough | | Rostov-on-Don, Russia | |- | Loss | Saparbek Safarov | TKO (retirement) | Akhmat Fight Show 18: Grand Prix 2016 | | Grozny, Russia | |- | Win | Daniel Spohn | Decision (unanimous) | HKFC: Hard Knocks 48 | | Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| | Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | |- | Loss | Misha Cirkunov | TKO (head kick) | HKFC: Hard Knocks 41 | | Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| | Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States

| | Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada | |- | Win | Carlos Eduardo | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 116 | | Temecula, California, United States | |- | Loss | Maxim Grishin | Decision (split) | Driven MMA: One | | Canton, Ohio, United States | |- | Loss | Luiz Cane | KO (flying knee) | SFT 1 | | São Paulo, Brazil | |- | Draw | Paulo Filho | Draw (time limit) | Selva MMA 2 | | Rio Branco, Brazil | |- | Win | Matheus Wendell Santi Scheffel | TKO (punches) | SMASH Fight 2 | | Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

| | North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States

| | Japeri, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |- | Win | Joaquim Ferreira | TKO (punches) | SMASH Fight 1 | | Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil | |- | Win | Guilherme Viana | Decision (split) | Iron Fight Combat 2 | | Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil

| | Warsaw, Poland

| | Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil | |- | Win | Aaron Johnson | KO (punch) | RFN: Renaissance Fight Night | | Montgomery, Alabama, United States

| | Łódź, Poland

| | El Paso, Texas, United States | |- | Win | Cale Yarbrough | Decision (unanimous) | Scrap Live: Fight Night 7 | | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States | |- | Loss | Emanuel Newton | Submission (rear-naked choke) | MFC 28: Supremacy | | Enoch, Alberta, Canada | |- | Win | David Heath | Decision (unanimous) | MFC 27 | | Enoch, Alberta, Canada | |- | Loss | Phil Davis | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 117 | | Oakland, California, United States | |- | Loss | Jared Hamman | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 111 | | Newark, New Jersey, United States

| | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |- | Win | Gregory Milliard | Decision (unanimous) | VFC: A Night Of Vengeance | | Oranjestad, Aruba | |- | Win | Aaron Stark | Submission (kimura) | VFC: A Night Of Vengeance | | Oranjestad, Aruba | |- | Win | Antwain Britt | Submission (armbar) | VFC: A Night Of Vengeance | | Oranjestad, Aruba | |- | Win | Marcus Vanttinen | Decision (unanimous) | M-1 Challenge 16: USA | | Kansas City, Kansas, United States

| | Miami, Florida, United States | |- | Win | Carlos Zevallos | TKO (punches) | RFC: Revolution Fight Club 2 | | Miami, Florida, United States | |- | Win | Ovince St. Preux | Decision (unanimous) | VFC 1: Vengeance Fighting Championship 1 | | Concord, North Carolina, United States | |- | Win | Toni Valtonen | Decision (unanimous) | M-1 Challenge 3: Gran Canaria | | San Agustin, Grand Canaria, Spain | |- | Win | Wesley Cantillo | Decision (unanimous) | RFC 1: Revolution Fight Club 1 | | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States |

References

References

1. "www.thesac.com".
2. "FBMediaGuide".
3. LANGFORD, THOMAS. (October 25, 2009). "Rodney Wallace has 15 years of wrestling, boxing, ju jitsu and now, cage fighting".
4. "UFC newcomer Rodney Wallace meets Brian Stann at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale". mmajunkie.com.
5. "Rodney Wallace v. Jared Hamman at UFC 111". sbnation.com.
6. "Wallace vs. Nedkov among five UFC 117 preliminary-card additions". mmajunkie.com.
7. (2010-07-22). "Phil Davis replaces injured Stanislav Nedkov, meets Rodney Wallace at UFC 117". mmajunkie.com.
8. (2010-09-22). "UFC parts ways with Rodney Wallace". fiveouncesofpain.com.
9. (May 23, 2014). "James Thompson vs. Eric Prindle headlines now-complete Bellator 121 card". mmajunkie.com.
10. (August 25, 2014). "Bellator releases Attila Vegh, Shahbulat Shamhalaev and eleven other fighters". mmafighting.com.
11. medialead.ru. "ACB 51".
12. [http://www.croring.com/news/martinjak-nokautirao-rodneya-wallacea/18918.aspx Martinjak nokautirao Rodneya Wallacea]{{in lang. hr
13. "South Carolina High School Wrestling Records".