Per Eklund (fighter)

Last updated
Per Eklund
Born (1980-11-12) November 12, 1980 (age 43)
Stockholm, Sweden
Nationality Swedish
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) [1]
Weight145 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st) [1]
Division Featherweight
Lightweight
Welterweight
Reach72.0 in (183 cm)
Fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden
Rank Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Years active2002-2011 (MMA)
2007 (Boxing)
Mixed martial arts record
Total20
Wins14
By knockout2
By submission7
By decision4
Unknown1
Losses5
By knockout3
By decision2
Draws1
Other information
Boxing record from BoxRec
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Per Eklund (born November 12, 1980, in Stockholm) is a retired Swedish Lightweight professional mixed martial artist. Eklund was the first Swedish fighter to compete in Ultimate Fighting Championship and also formerly competed for M-1 Global. [2]

Contents

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

As one of the first successful mixed martial artists to come Sweden, Eklund is by many considered as a pioneer for Swedish MMA.
In 2002, he started out his professional career fighting on the smaller European circuit, with many wins and finishes to his credit, including winning and defending the Strike and submit lightweight title in 2007. He also competed in the Russian M-1 Global organisation.

Eklund also had a few fights on the international scene, for promotions lite Shooto in Japan and Canadian Bodog Fight.
As of 2007 he had racked up a record of 13-2-1, including wins over former PRIDE- and future UFC veteran David Baron, future UFC veteran Tom Niinimäki and future WEC and Bellator MMA veteran Rafael Dias, before getting the call from the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championships

In 2008, Eklund became the first Swede to sign with the UFC.
At UFC 80, he fought against Sam Stout and lost via unanimous decision.
He was given another chance and went up against Samy Schiavo at UFC 89, who he defeated by rear naked choke.
In his last fight for the promotion, he was defeated via TKO by his then undefeated opponent Evan Dunham at UFC 95.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
20 matches14 wins5 losses
By knockout33
By submission70
By decision42
Draws1
Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Loss14–5–1Thomas HyttenKO (punch)Vision FC 2March 19, 201110:48 Karlstad, Sweden
Loss14–4–1 Evan Dunham TKO (punches) UFC 95 February 21, 200912:14 London, England
Win14–3–1Samy SchiavoSubmission (rear-naked choke) UFC 89 October 18, 200831:47 Birmingham, England
Loss13–3–1 Sam Stout Decision (unanimous) UFC 80 January 19, 200835:00 Newcastle, England
Win13–2–1Rafael DiasDecision (unanimous)Bodog Fight: VancouverAugust 25, 200735:00 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Win12–2–1Toni TalvitieDecision (unanimous)Shooto Finland: BloodbathMay 12, 200725:00 Vantaa, Finland
Win11–2–1David MetcalfSubmission (kimura)Strike and Submit 2April 15, 200723:26 Gateshead, EnglandDefended Strike and Submit Lightweight Championship.
Win10–2–1Aaron BarrowSubmission (kimura)Strike and Submit 1January 28, 200711:19 Gateshead, EnglandWon Strike and Submit Lightweight Championship.
Loss9–2–1 Tatsuya Kawajiri TKO (punches) Shooto: Champion Carnival October 14, 200614:10 Yokohama, Japan
Win9–1–1 David Baron Decision (unanimous)European Vale Tudo 6 - RagnarokMay 6, 200635:00 Stockholm, Sweden
Loss8–1–1Yuri IvlevDecision (unanimous) M-1 MFC: Russia vs. Europe April 8, 200625:00 St. Petersburg, Russia
Win8–0–1Chico MartinezSubmission (armbar)Rings Muay ThaiNovember 20, 20051N/A Enschede, Netherlands
Win7–0–1Mikhail RosokhatySubmission (armbar)WFCA: Latvia Free Fight 2October 24, 20041N/A Riga, Latvia
Win6–0–1Colin MannsurKO (knees)Together Productions: Fight GalaSeptember 18, 2004N/AN/ANetherlands [3]
Draw5–0–1Thomas HyttenDrawShooto Finland: Cold WarFebruary 22, 200325:00 Turku, Finland
Win5–0Teemu NurkkalaTKO (punches)FinnFight 6November 30, 200210:35 Turku, FinlandWon FF 6 Featherweight Tournament.
Win4–0 Tom Niinimäki TKO (punches)FinnFight 6November 30, 200213:53 Turku, Finland
Win3–0Tchavdar PavlovSubmission (triangle choke)Viking Fight 2: The Modern GladiatorsOctober 26, 20021N/A Broendby, DenmarkWon VF 2 Lightweight Tournament.
Win2–0Karim SorensenSubmission (armbar)Viking Fight 2: The Modern GladiatorsOctober 26, 20021N/A Broendby, Denmark
Win1–0Ilya KudryashovDecision (split) M-1 MFC: European Championship 2002 February 15, 200225:00 St. Petersburg, Russia

Professional boxing record

1 Win (0 knockouts, 1 decision), 0 Losses
Res.RecordOpponentTypeRd., TimeDateLocationNotes
Win1–0 Flag of France.svg Lloyd HollardMD4 (4)2007-09-28 Flag of Sweden.svg Kungliga Tennishallen, Stockholm, Sweden

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References

  1. 1 2 "Per Eklund". MMA Madness. Archived from the original on November 10, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
  2. Per Eklund: Sweden’s First to Enter the Octagon
  3. "Per Eklund vann på KO". 21 September 2004.