Tristan Connelly Explained

Tristan Connelly
Other Names:Boondock
Birth Name:Tristan Connelly[1]
Birth Date:12 December 1985
Birth Place:Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Residence:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Nationality:Canadian
Weight Lb:145
Weight Class:Featherweight (2011, 2015, 2021–present)
Lightweight (2010–2011, 2012–2019)
Welterweight (2019)
Middleweight (2013)
Reach In:68
Stance:Orthodox
Fighting Out Of:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Team:Checkmat Vancouver
Rank:Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Years Active:2010–present
Mma Kowin:4
Mma Subwin:9
Mma Decwin:1
Mma Koloss:1
Mma Subloss:1
Mma Decloss:7
Sherdog:61364

Tristan Connelly (born December 12, 1985) is a Canadian mixed martial arts fighter who formerly competed in the featherweight division of the UFC[2] and had previously won the Cage Sports Lightweight Championship,[3] Unified MMA Lightweight Championship,[4] as well as the Rise FC Lightweight Championship.[5]

Background

Born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Connelly began competing in mixed martial arts in 2010.[6] He holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Adam Ryan. Connelly runs a gym, called Pinnacle Combat Academy, in suburban Richmond.[7]

Connelly spent much of his childhood skateboarding and playing hockey, which he credits with preparing him to take hard hits. After taking a BJJ class, Connelly fell in love with the sport and the wider world of mixed martial arts.[8]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Connelly competed in smaller promotions, earning himself a record of 13–6. During that span, he managed to capture lightweight championships in three different promotions: Rise FC, CageSport, Unified MMA.[9]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Replacing Sergey Khandozhko on 5 days notice, Connelly made his promotional debut on September 14, 2019, against Michel Pereira at UFC Fight Night 158.[10] At the weigh-ins, Pereira missed weight by a pound and forfeited 20 percent of his purse to Connelly.[11] Despite a flashy start from Pereira he quickly gassed allowing Connelly to dominate the remainder of the fight and winning via unanimous decision.[12] The bout was awarded a Fight of the Night bonus, but due to Pereira's weight miss, his bonus was forfeited to Connelly.[13]

Connelly was scheduled to make his sophomore appearance in the organization against Alex da Silva Coelho on April 11, 2020, at .[14] However, the event was initially rescheduled and eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the bout was scrapped.[15]

Connelly spent the next year on the sidelines recovering from a disc injury in his neck that he acquired in a car crash in 2019 before his UFC debut.[16]

In his sophomore appearance in the UFC, Connelly faced Pat Sabatini at UFC 261 on April 24, 2021.[17] He lost the fight via unanimous decision after being knocked down early in the fight.[18]

Connelly was then scheduled to face Makwan Amirkhani on October 30, 2021 at UFC 267.[19] However, Connelly withdrew in early September due to a neck injury and was replaced by Lerone Murphy.[20] [21]

Connelly faced Darren Elkins on April 30, 2022 at .[22] He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[23]

On June 9, 2022 it was announced that Connelly was released from the UFC.[24]

Post UFC

Connelly faced Xavier Nash on October 12, 2022 at BFL 74. He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[25]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts record

|-|Loss|align=center|14–9|Xavier Nash|Decision (unanimous)|BFL 74||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Vancouver, Canada||-|Loss|align=center|14–8|Darren Elkins|Decision (unanimous)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|14–7|Pat Sabatini|Decision (unanimous)|UFC 261||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Jacksonville, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center|14–6|Michel Pereira|Decision (unanimous)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Win| align=center|13–6| D'Juan Owens| TKO (punches)| Rise FC 4| | align=center|5| align=center|1:56| Victoria, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Win| align=center|12–6| Zach Juusola| Submission (guillotine)| Final Fight Championship 36| | align=center|1| align=center|2:46| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States| |-| Win| align=center|11–6| Tyrone Henderson| TKO (retirement)| CageSport 54| | align=center|1| align=center|5:00| Tacoma, Washington, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 10–6| Joey Pierotti| Submission (armbar)| CageSport 50| | align=center| 4| align=center| 1:06| Tacoma, Washington, United States| |-| Loss| align=center| 9–6| Shane Campbell| Submission (kneebar)| Unified MMA 31 | | align=center| 3| align=center| 4:54| Edmonton, Alberta, Canada||-| Win| align=center|9–5| Lenny Wheeler| Submission (rear naked choke)| Elite 1 MMA| | align=center| 3| align=center| 3:47| Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada||-| Win| align=center| 8–5| Garret Nybakken| Submission (rear naked choke)| Unified MMA 30| | align=center| 3| align=center| 2:47| Edmonton, Alberta, Canada| |-| Win| align=center| 7–5| Adam Assenza| Submission (rear naked choke)| Fight Night 2| | align=center| 2| align=center| 1:11| Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada||-| Win| align=center| 6–5| Ash Mashreghi| TKO (punches)| BFL 45 Ascension| | align=center| 1| align=center| 1:24| Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Loss| align=center| 5–5| Mario Pereira| Decision (unanimous)| BFL 39: Halloween Hell| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Win| align=center| 5–4| Shawn Albrecht| TKO (punches)| BFL 37: Gladiator| | align=center| 1| align=center| 4:21| Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Win| align=center| 4–4| Jonathan Dubois| Submission (rear naked choke)| AFC 18: Mayhem| | align=center| 1| align=center| 2:48| Victoria, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Loss| align=center| 3–4| Myles Merola| Decision (unanimous)| AFC 13: Natural Selection| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Victoria, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Win| align=center| 3–3| Corey Houston| Submission (rear naked choke)| AFC 11: Takeover| | align=center| 1| align=center| 4:47| Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada| |-| Loss| align=center| 2–3| Matt Trudeau| TKO (shoulder injury)| Armageddon FC 7| | align=center| 1| align=center| 5:00| Colwood, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Win| align=center| 2–2| Upneet Rai| Submission (rear naked choke)| Armageddon FC 6| | align=center| 1| align=center| 2:30| Colwood, British Columbia, Canada| |-| Loss| align=center| 1–2| Dan Ring| Decision (unanimous)| Armageddon FC 4| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada| |-| Loss| align=center| 1–1| Takahiro Kajita| Decision (unanimous)| Deep: Cage Impact in Nagoya| | align=center| 2| align=center| 5:00| Nagoya, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 1-0| Jimmy Phan| Submission (rear naked choke)| Armageddon FC| | align=center| 1| align=center| 2:26| Colwood, British Columbia, Canada|

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://boxing.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/boxingnvgov/content/results/2019_Results/05-09-19_KB_MMA.pdf Kickboxing * Mixed martial arts show results Date: May 9, 2019
  2. Web site: TRISTAN CONNELLY KNOWS HE DESERVES TO BE HERE. UFC.com. UFC. 2019-10-09.
  3. Web site: Cage sports 54 Championship bout. Tapology.com. Tapology. 2019-10-09.
  4. Web site: Tristan Connelly fights for Unified MMA lightweight championship. Tapology.com. Tapology. 2019-10-09.
  5. Web site: Tristan Connelly scores massive underdog win in UFC debut. Sportsnet.ca. Tapology. 2019-10-09.
  6. Web site: Tristan Connelly fighter bio. Sherdog.com. Sherdog. 2019-10-09.
  7. Web site: Neil Davidson. The Canadian Press . B.C. fighter Tristan Connelly returns to action at UFC 261 after extended layoff . 2022-04-28 . Penticton Herald . en.
  8. Web site: Joseph. Rohit. How a Vancouver fighter beat Goliath in first UFC fight. 2022-04-28. CBC. en.
  9. Web site: 2021-04-19 . Across The Pond Profile: UFC fighter Tristan Connelly MMA UK . 2022-04-28 . en-GB.
  10. Web site: Michel Pereira to fight short-notice replacement Tristan Connelly at UFC Vancouver. Alexander K. Lee. September 10, 2019. mmafighting.com. 2022-02-18.
  11. Web site: UFC on ESPN+ 16 weigh-in results: Cerrone, Gaethje official, but one fighter heavy. September 13, 2019. MMAjunkie.com.
  12. Web site: UFC Vancouver results: Tristan Connelly pulls off stunning upset with unanimous decision over Michel Pereira . September 14, 2019. mmafighting.com. Damon Martin.
  13. Web site: Video: Tristan Connelly's reaction to $100,000 bonus after UFC Vancouver win is priceless. Ryan Harkness. mmamania.com. 2022-02-18. September 15, 2019.
  14. Web site: Tristan Connelly to Face Alex da Silva Coelho at UFC Event on April 11. January 20, 2020. Sherdog. Tristen Critchfield.
  15. Web site: UFC postpones three events amid growing coronavirus outbreak. mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Nolan King and John Morgan. 2020-03-15. 2020-03-16.
  16. Web site: 2021-04-23 . The Long Road Back For Tristan Connelly UFC . 2022-04-28 . www.ufc.com . en.
  17. Web site: Tristan Connelly returns to face Pat Sabatini at UFC 261. Mike Heck. April 5, 2021. mmafighting.com.
  18. Web site: UFC 261 Results: Pat Sabatini Takes Early Lead, Decision Over Tristan Connelly. April 24, 2021. cagesidepress.com. Jay Anderson.
  19. Web site: Brand. Jeremy. Tristan Connelly vs. Makwan Amirkhani Set for UFC 267. 2021-08-21. en-US.
  20. Web site: Tristan Connelly out of UFC 267 fight against Makwan Amirkhani. mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Farrah Hannoun. 2021-09-07. 2021-09-07.
  21. Web site: 2021-09-28. With Tristan Connelly out, Lerone Murphy steps in to face Makwan Amirkhani at UFC 267. 2021-09-29. MMA Junkie. en-US.
  22. Web site: 2022-02-17. Darren Elkins vs. Tristan Connelly set for April 30 UFC event. 2022-02-18. MMA Fighting. en.
  23. Web site: Anderson . Jay . 2022-04-30 . UFC Vegas 53: Darren Elkins Wins Gruelling, Hard-Hitting Scrap with Tristan Connelly . 2022-05-01 . Cageside Press . en-US.
  24. Web site: Simon . Zane. 2022-06-09 . Tristan Connelly among latest batch of UFC roster cuts . 2022-06-10 . Bloody Elbow . en-US.
  25. Web site: Brand . Jeremy . 2022-10-12 . BFL 74 Results . 2022-10-18 . MMA Sucka . en.
  26. Web site: MMA Junkie's 2019 'Upset of the Year': Tristan Connelly moves up, beats Michel Pereira on 5 days' notice. January 6, 2020. MMAjunkie.com. Simon Head.
  27. Web site: Sherdog's 2019 Upset of the Year. January 3, 2020. Sherdog. Brian Knapp.