Josh Thomson
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Name | Josh Thomson |
| Nickname | The Punk | |
| Association | American Kickboxing Academy | |
| Weight Class | Lightweight (155 lbs.) | |
| Height | 5' 10" (178cm) | |
| Style | Kickboxing, Wrestling | |
| Birth Date | September 21, 1978 | |
| Fighting Out Of | San Jose, California | |
| Country | USA | |
| Josh Thomson Pictures | Official Website |
Joshua Joseph Thomson is an American mixed martial artist, training with American Kickboxing Academy. He has fought in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships and the UFC, as well as Strikeforce and the World Fighting Alliance. Thomson is currently the Strikeforce U.S. and World Lightweight Champion. He is of Mexican descent on his mother's side.
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 19 - 5 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) (1 NC) |
| Wins | 4 (T)KOs 9 Submissions 6 Decisions |
| Losses | 1 (T)KOs 0 Submissions 4 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Gilbert Melendez | Decision (Split) | Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier | 5/19/2012 | 5 | 5:00 | For Strikeforce Lightweight Championship |
| Win | K.J. Noons | Decision (Unanimous) | Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey | 3/3/2012 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Tatsuya Kawajiri | Decision (Unanimous) | DREAM and K-1: Dynamite!! 2010- The Power of Courage | 12/31/2010 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Pat Healy | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum | 6/26/2010 | 3 | 4:27 | |
| Loss | Gilbert Melendez | Decision (Unanimous) | Strikeforce: Evolution | 12/19/2009 | 5 | 5:00 | Lost Strikeforce Lightweight Championship |
| Win | Ashe Bowman | TKO (Punches) | Strikeforce: Playboy Mansion II | 9/20/2008 | 1 | 1:14 | Non-title bout |
| Win | Gilbert Melendez | Decision (Unanimous) | Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson | 6/27/2008 | 5 | 5:00 | Won Strikeforce Lightweight Championship |
| Win | Adam Lynn | TKO (Punches) | Strikeforce: Playboy Mansion | 9/29/2007 | 1 | 4:45 | Non-title bout |
| Win | Nick Gonzalez | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Strikeforce and EliteXC: Shamrock vs. Baroni | 6/22/2007 | 1 | 1:42 | Defended Strikeforce US Lightweight Championship |
| Win | Nam Phan | Decision (Unanimous) | Strikeforce: Triple Threat | 12/08/2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Won Strikeforce US Lightweight Championship |
| Win | Duane Ludwig | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | Strikeforce: Tank vs. Buentello | 10/07/2006 | 2 | 4:36 | |
| Win | Rocky Johnson | Submission (Armbar) | PFA: Pride and Fury 5 | 7/06/2006 | 1 | 1:55 | |
| Win | Harris Sarmiento | Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) | Strikeforce: Revenge | 6/09/2006 | 3 | 3:19 | |
| Loss | Clay Guida | Decision (Unanimous) | Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie | 3/10/2006 | 5 | 5:00 | For first-ever Strikeforce Lightweight Championship |
| Win | Daisuke Sugie | Submission (Kneebar) | PRIDE Bushido 8 | 7/17/2005 | 1 | 4:35 | |
| Loss | Yves Edwards | KO (Flying Head Kick and Punches) | UFC 49: Unfinished Business | 8/21/2004 | 1 | 4:32 | |
| Win | Hermes Franca | Decision (Majority) | UFC 46: Supernatural | 1/31/2004 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Gerald Strebendt | KO (Punches) | UFC 44: Undisputed | 9/26/2003 | 1 | 2:45 | |
| Win | Rob McCullough | Decision (Unanimous) | WFA 3: Level 3 | 11/23/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Kajan Johnson | Submission (Elbows) | SE: North American Sport Fighting Invitational | 9/07/2002 | 2 | 4:56 | |
| Win | Doug Evans | Submission (Triangle Choke) | NSFC: NW Submission Fighting 1 | 5/04/2002 | 1 | 1:29 | |
| NC | Norifumi Yamamoto | No Contest | Shogun 1: Shogun 1 | 12/15/2001 | 2 | 2:00 | Yamamoto was kicked in the Groin |
| Win | Victor Estrada | Submission (Triangle Choke) | GVT: Gladiators Vale Tudo | 3/10/2001 | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | Jason Abajian | KO | Bushido 1: Bushido 1 | 1/18/2001 | 1 | N/A | |
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Josh Thomson began competing in mixed martial arts in 2001, winning his debut via KO against Jason Abajian. In only his third professional mixed martial arts fight, Thomson was pitted against fight top-ranked lightweight Norifumi Yamamoto. Unfortunately for both fighters, the fight was called a No Contest when Yamamoto was kicked in the groin and unable to continue.
Thomson won his next three fights straight, and in his last fight he defeated future, and now former, WEC Lightweight Champion Rob McCullough at a WFA event. He defeated McCullough via Unanimous Decision.
"The Punk" made his UFC debut at UFC 44: Undisputed against Gerald Strebendt whom he defeated via KO (Punches) at 2:45 in the first round. His next fight in the UFC was against another former WEC Lightweight Champion in Hermes Franca. The fight went to the judges, and ended in a unanimous decision in favor of Thomson. His third and final fight in the UFC was against Yves Edwards who ended Thomson's win streak with a vicious head kick and punches late in the first round.
Thomson's next fight took place in PRIDE, where he submitted Daisuke Sugie with a Kneebar at 4:35 in the first round.
Strikeforce
Josh Thomson made his Strikeforce debut at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie on March 10, 2006 against Clay Guida for the promotion's first-ever Lightweight Championship. Guida ended up taking the title by winning a hard fought unanimous decision.
Thomson rebounded with three-straight impressive victories over Harris Sarmiento, Rocky Johnson (outside of Strikeforce), and Duane Ludwig. Strikeforce then decided to pit Thomson against Nam Phan for the first-ever Strikeforce US Lightweight Championship at Strikeforce: Triple Threat. Thomson would finally win a title belt by defeating Phan via unanimous decision. In his next fight, a co-promotion between Strikeforce and EliteXC, Thomson defended his title against Nick Gonzalez, defeating Gonzalez with a Rear Naked Choke.
He then defeated Adam Lynn in a non-title bout, defeating him via TKO (Punches) at 4:45 in the first round.
Then Thomson went on to win the Strikeforce World Lightweight Championship, by defeating Gilbert Melendez on June 27, 2008, defeating the former champion via unanimous decision.
Instead of defending his title in his next bout, he fought Ashe Bowman in a non-title bout, defeating Bowman via TKO (Punches) at 1:14 of the first round.
On April 1, 2009, Thomson broke his ankle in training. Thomson was scheduled to face Gilbert Melendez at Strikeforce's April 11, 2009 debut on the Showtime Network. Since Thomson could not defend his title, Strikeforce set up an interim Lightweight title to be fought for by Melendez and Rodrigo Damm. Melendez defeated Damm in the second round via KO (Punches) to win the interim title. Melendez and Thomson were then scheduled to meet at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg on August 15, 2009 to determine the undisputed Strikeforce World Lightweight Championship, but Thomson was forced off the card due to recurring injuries. He was replaced by Mitsuhiro Ishida.
Finally back in full health, Thomson will defend his Strikeforce title against Gilbert Melendez on December 19, 2009 at Strikeforce: Evolution. As Melendez has the Interim Strikeforce Lightweight Championship, the bout was to find out the undisputed champion. In what was a wild and entertaining, fast-paced fight, Thomson easily took the first round, but was unable to stop Melendez in the other remaining four rounds. Melendez became the undisputed Strikeforce Lightweight Champion at the end of the fifth round.
In his first fight since losing the Lightweight title, Thomson was scheduled to face Lyle Beerbohm on June 26, 2010 at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum, but it was later learned that Beerbohm was injured in his previous fight with Vitor Ribeiro, and was replaced by Pat Healy. He jumped out to a quick lead with an early takedown and multiple submission attempts. Healy won the second round though, as he earned takedowns and used ground control. Thomson, though, figured out Healy's timing in the third round, avoided the takedowns, and countered with effective strikes and kicks. And even when Healy forced the fight to the mat midway through the round, Thomson escaped, took his opponent's back and worked for the Rear Naked Choke. Although able to fend off the choke for the better part of a minute, Healy finally relented at the 4:27 mark and tapped out from the submission.
His next fight took place at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II against Gesias Cavalcante in what was most likely a fight to determine the #1 contender for the Strikeforce Lightweight title. The fight was back and forth, with many observers giving Cavalcante the first round and Thomson taking the second. In the final and deciding third round, it seemed Cavalcante would take the fight with some ground and pound to finish the round. Surprisingly, though, the judges didn't agree, and one scorecard didn't have a single round for Cavalcante. In the end, Thomson earned the controversial Decision (Unanimous) win via scores of 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.
With the win, Thomson campaigned for a third fight with current Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, who took his belt almost a year ago.
Championships
- Strikeforce World Lightweight Champion
- Strikeforce US Lightweight Champion
