Maximo Blanco

Last updated
Maximo Blanco
BornMaximo Ernis Blanco Visazno [1]
(1983-10-16) October 16, 1983 (age 40)
Falcón, Venezuela
Other namesMaxi
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) [2]
Weight146 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st)
Division Lightweight
Featherweight (current)
Reach71 in (180 cm) [2]
Fighting out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Team Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting
Yoshida Dojo
Sengoku Training Players (formerly)
RankGreen belt in Tae Kwon Do [3]
Years active2008–2016
Mixed martial arts record
Total22
Wins12
By knockout8
By decision4
Losses8
By submission4
By decision2
By disqualification2
Draws1
No contests1
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Maximo Blanco (born October 16, 1983) is a Venezuelan professional mixed martial artist who last competed in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2008, Blanco is the former Lightweight King of Pancrase and has also competed in Strikeforce and World Victory Road.

Contents

Background

Blanco, originally from Venezuela, trained in Tae Kwon Do for three years, reaching the rank of green belt, before being introduced to wrestling at the age of 14 by his cousin. Blanco competed in the sport for a year at German Villalobos High School, before being recruited to compete for the inaugural team at Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School in Japan along with three other Venezuelans. Blanco faced problems with bullying and fitting into a new society, but continued to excel at wrestling, winning All-Japan honors before being recruited again to compete at Nihon University. Upon graduating, Blanco continued competing and won International Championships in Venezuela, China, and Azerbaijan. [4] Blanco was also a competitor at the 2007 Pan American Games and came close to winning a Bronze Medal in the 144 lb weight division, he later lost the third place match via points to Peruvian grappler Aldo Parimango. [5]

Mixed martial arts career

Pancrase

Blanco made his mixed martial arts debut on August 27, 2008, against Yuki Yashima at Pancrase: Shining 6. The bout ended in a no contest after an accidental headbutt. [6]

He returned to the promotion at Pancrase: Shining 8 on October 1, 2008, and knocked out Hiroki Aoki with a slam and punches in just 22 seconds. [7]

Blanco faced Daisuke Hanazawa at Pancrase: Shining 10 on December 7, 2008, and was defeated by submission due to an arm-triangle choke in the second round. [8]

He faced Koji Oishi at Pancrase: Changing Tour 2 on April 5, 2009. The fight was ruled a draw after two rounds.

Sengoku Raiden Championship

Blanco made his debut for Sengoku Raiden Championship at World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku no Ran 2009 on January 4, 2009, and knocked out standout wrestler Seigo Inoue with stomps in 38 seconds, it was later revealed in a SRC press conference that Blanco had broken Seigo's orbital bone with the stomps and Inoue was later forced into a 3-year retirement to rehabilitate his injury. [9]

Blanco returned to SRC at Sengoku 8 on May 2, 2009, against Akihiko Mori. He was disqualified after striking Mori with an illegal soccer kick after knocking him down with a punch. [10]

In his next fight, Blanco became the Lightweight King of Pancrase by defeating veteran Katsuya Inoue, older brother of Seigo Inoue, with punches in the second round at Pancrase: Changing Tour 4 on August 8, 2009. [11]

Blanco faced Tetsuya Yamada at Sengoku 10 on September 23, 2009. He won the fight by TKO in the second round. [12]

On March 7, 2010, Blanco knocked out Chang Hyun Kim with a head kick at Sengoku Raiden Championships 12. [13]

Blanco was matched up against Rodrigo Damm at Sengoku Raiden Championships 13 on June 20, 2010. He defeated Damm by TKO early in the second round. [14]

Blanco faced Kiuma Kunioku at Sengoku Raiden Championship 15 on October 30, 2010. [15] He won the fight via KO late in the first round. [16]

On April 11, 2011, Pancrase announced Blanco had vacated his title, due to an inability to defend his belt because of numerous injuries. [17]

Strikeforce

Blanco next signed a three-fight deal with Strikeforce.

Blanco was expected to face Josh Thomson at Strikeforce 36 but a foot injury caused Thompson to drop out. [18] Pat Healy stepped in for the injured Thomson. [19] Blanco lost the bout via submission in the second round.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On September 14, 2011, Blanco's management stated that he would be moving down to the Featherweight division and that his next fight would be in the UFC. [20]

In his debut, Blanco faced Marcus Brimage on April 21, 2012, at UFC 145. [21] He lost the fight via split decision.

For his second fight with the promotion, Blanco took on Sam Sicilia on April 13, 2013, at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale. [22] He won the back-and-forth fight via unanimous decision. [23]

Blanco faced Akira Corassani on November 30, 2013, at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. [24] Early in the opening round Blanco landed an illegal knee to the head of Corassani when he had a knee and hand on the ground. Corassani indicated that he was unable to continue, so Blanco lost the bout via disqualification. [25]

Blanco faced Felipe Arantes on February 15, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 36. [26] He lost the fight via unanimous decision. [27]

Blanco then faced Andy Ogle on May 31, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 41. [28] He won the fight by unanimous decision. [29]

Blanco next faced Dan Hooker on September 20, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 52. [30] He won the fight via unanimous decision. [31]

Blanco next faced Mike De La Torre on July 12, 2015, at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale. [32] He won the fight via TKO in the first round. [33]

Blanco was expected to face Dennis Bermudez on January 17, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 81. [34] However, Bermudez pulled out of the fight in early December citing injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Luke Sanders. [35] [36] He lost the fight via submission in the first round. [37]

Blanco returned to face Chas Skelly on September 17, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 94. [38] He lost the fight via submission in the fight's opening minute. [39]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
22 matches12 wins8 losses
By knockout80
By submission04
By decision42
By disqualification02
Draws1
No contests1
Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Loss12–8–1 (1) Chas Skelly Technical Submission (anaconda choke) UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson September 17, 201610:19 Hidalgo, Texas, United States
Loss12–7–1 (1) Luke Sanders Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz January 17, 201613:38 Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Win12–6–1 (1) Mike De La Torre TKO (punches) The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians Finale July 12, 201510:16 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesCatchweight (148.5 lbs) bout; Blanco missed weight.
Win11–6–1 (1) Dan Hooker Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson September 20, 201435:00 Saitama, Japan
Win10–6–1 (1) Andy Ogle Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Munoz vs. Mousasi May 31, 201435:00 Berlin, Germany
Loss9–6–1 (1) Felipe Arantes Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Mousasi February 15, 201435:00 Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil
Loss9–5–1 (1) Akira Corassani DQ (illegal knee) The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate Finale November 30, 201310:25 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win9–4–1 (1) Sam Sicilia Decision (unanimous) The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen Finale April 13, 201335:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss8–4–1 (1) Marcus Brimage Decision (split) UFC 145 April 21, 201235:00 Atlanta, Georgia, United StatesFeatherweight debut.
Loss8–3–1 (1) Pat Healy Submission (rear-naked choke) Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov September 10, 201124:27 Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Win8–2–1 (1)Won Sik ParkDecision (unanimous) World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight December 30, 201035:00 Tokyo, Japan
Win7–2–1 (1) Kiuma Kunioku KO (punches) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 15 October 30, 201014:26 Tokyo, Japan
Win6–2–1 (1) Rodrigo Damm TKO (punches) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 13 June 20, 201020:45 Saitama, Japan
Win5–2–1 (1)Chang Hyun KimKO (head kick and punches) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 12 March 7, 201011:10 Tokyo, Japan
Win4–2–1 (1)Tetsuya YamadaTKO (punches) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 10 September 23, 200921:12 Saitama, Japan
Win3–2–1 (1)Katsuya InoueTKO (punches) Pancrase: Changing Tour 4 August 8, 200924:38 Tokyo, JapanWon the Pancrase Lightweight Championship.
Loss2–2–1 (1)Akihiko MoriDQ (illegal soccer kick) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 8 May 2, 200914:20 Tokyo, Japan
Draw2–1–1 (1)Koji OishiDraw Pancrase: Changing Tour 2 April 5, 200925:00 Tokyo, Japan
Win2–1 (1)Seigo InoueKO (stomps) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku no Ran 2009 January 4, 200910:38 Saitama, Japan
Loss1–1 (1)Daisuke HanazawaSubmission (arm-triangle choke) Pancrase: Shining 10 December 7, 200822:19 Tokyo, Japan
Win1–0 (1)Hiroki AokiTKO (slam and punches) Pancrase: Shining 8 October 1, 200810:22 Tokyo, Japan
NC0–0 (1)Yuki YashimaNC (accidental headbutt) Pancrase: Shining 6 August 27, 200810:56 Tokyo, Japan

See also

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