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Tony Kelley
American mixed martial arts fighter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tony Kelley (born January 21, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight division. A professional since 2012, he most notably competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
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Background
As he entered his teen years, Kelley described his life as diverging into questionable decisions made to impress others while trying to be like others. After a while, friends and family members became concerned, and a friend encouraged the then-19-year-old Kelley to get involved in a local jiu-jitsu class to provide some structure.[2]
Mixed martial arts career
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Early career
In 2012, Kelley was one of the young MMA fighters featured in Caged - an MTV reality television series. The show focused on four prospective MMA fighters in small-town Louisiana. Kelley was one of the two fighters on the show, alongside Matt Schnell, to later fight professionally.[3]
After going professional in September 2012, Kelley would go on to have a 6–1 record on the regional scene, losing his only bout in a close split decision to fellow future UFC fighter Kevin Aguilar.[4]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Kelley made his UFC debut against Kai Kamaka III at UFC 252 on August 15, 2020. He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[5] This bout earned him a Fight of the Night bonus award [6]
Kelley faced Ali AlQaisi on October 11, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen. He won the bout via unanimous decision.[7]
Kelley was scheduled to face Trevin Jones on July 24, 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw.[8][9] However, on July 4, Kelly withdrew from the bout for unknown reasons.[10][11]
Kelley faced Randy Costa on December 11, 2021, at UFC 269.[12] He won the fight via TKO in the second round.[13]
Kelley faced Adrian Yañez on June 18, 2022 at UFC on ESPN 37.[14] At the weigh-ins on June 17, Kelley weighed in at 137.5 pounds, one-and-a-half pounds over the non-title bantamweight limit. As a result, the bout proceeded as a catchweight and Kelley forfeited 20% of his purse to Yañez.[15] He lost the bout in the first round via TKO stoppage.[16]
On July 7, 2022, it was announced that Kelley was no longer on the roster.[17]
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Championships and accomplishments
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Kai Kamaka III [6]
Legal troubles
In March 2012, Kelley was charged with simple battery due to a nightclub scuffle in which he allegedly choked a woman for not wanting to dance with him. He was eventually found not guilty.[18]
Controversies
Kelley caused controversy at UFC on ESPN: Błachowicz vs. Rakić on May 14, 2022 while cornering Andrea Lee in her fight against Brazilian opponent Viviane Araújo. Referring to an alleged eye poke by Araújo, Kelley said: "That’s what they’re going to do, they’re dirty fucking Brazilians, they’re going to fucking cheat like that."[19] In response to criticism of the comment, Kelley released a statement on Twitter denying any "racist connotations" and claiming to be a victim of "cancel culture".[20]
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Mixed martial arts record
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| 11 matches | 8 wins | 3 losses |
| By knockout | 3 | 1 |
| By submission | 3 | 0 |
| By decision | 2 | 2 |
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See also
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
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