Stefan Struve
From FightWiki
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Name | Stefan Struve |
| Nickname | Skyscraper | |
| Association | Team Schrijber | |
| Weight Class | Heavyweight (247 lbs.) | |
| Height | 6' 11" (211 cm) | |
| Style | Kickboxing | |
| Birth Date | February 18, 1988 | |
| Fighting Out Of | Beverwijk, Netherlands | |
| Country | Holland | |
| Stefan Struve Pictures | Official Website |
Stefan "Skyscraper" Struve is a mixed martial artist from Holland, who competes as a Heavyweight. He currently fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Struve is currently the tallest man fighting in the UFC, standing at 6' 11".
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 20 - 4 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) |
| Wins | 4 (T)KOs 14 Submissions 2 Decisions 1 Other |
| Losses | 3 (T)KOs 1 Submissions 0 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Christian Morecraft | TKO (Punches) | UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen | 8/07/2010 | 2 | 0:22 | Won Knockout of the Night Honors |
| Loss | Roy Nelson | TKO (Punches) | UFC Fight Night 21 | 3/31/2010 | 1 | 0:39 | |
| Win | Paul Buentello | Decision (Majority) | UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez | 12/12/2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Replaced an injured Todd Duffee |
| Win | Chase Gormley | Submission (Triangle Choke) | UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun | 10/24/2009 | 1 | 4:04 | Won Submission of the Night Honors |
| Win | Denis Stojnic | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | UFC 99: The Comeback | 6/13/2009 | 2 | 2:37 | |
| Loss | Junior dos Santos | TKO (Punches) | UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson | 2/21/2009 | 1 | 0:54 | UFC debut |
| Win | Mario Neto | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | CG 10: Clash of the Titans | 11/29/2008 | 2 | 3:19 | Defended Cage Gladiator World Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | Ralf Wonnink | Submission (Armbar) | KOE: Tough is not Enough | 10/05/2008 | 1 | N/A | |
| Win | Yuji Sakuragi | Submission (Triangle Choke) | M-1 Challenge 6: Korea | 8/29/2008 | 1 | 2:30 | |
| Win | Colin Robinson | Submission (Triangle Choke) | CG 8: Cage Gladiators 8 | 7/27/2008 | 1 | N/A | Won vacant Cage Gladiators World Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | Ralf Wonnink | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | BOTE: Beast of the East | 1/26/2008 | 1 | N/A | |
| Loss | Christian M'Pumbu | Submission (Choke) | SOP: Star of Peresvit | 12/07/2007 | 1 | 2:05 | |
| Win | Sergey Danish | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | SOP: Star of Peresvit | 12/07/2007 | 2 | 2:20 | |
| Win | Tomek Smykowski | Submission (Choke) | BFS: Mixfight Gala 6 | 11/25/2007 | 1 | N/A | |
| Win | Tom Blackledge | Submission (Triangle Choke) | CG 5: Cage Gladiators 5 | 11/04/2007 | 1 | 2:14 | |
| Win | Denis Komkin | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | SC 1: Siberian Challenge 1 | 10/14/2007 | 1 | N/A | |
| Win | Marko Sintic | Submission (Triangle Choke) | CF: The Real Deal | 5/05/2007 | 1 | N/A | |
| Win | Atte Backman | Submission (Triangle Choke) | FF 21: Fight Festival 21 | 3/17/2007 | 1 | 3:54 | |
| Win | Florian Muller | TKO | OC 6: Outsider Cup 6 | 12/16/2006 | 2 | 1:38 | |
| Win | Marcus Sursa | Submission (Triangle Choke) | WEF: Orleans Arena | 6/10/2006 | 1 | 3:01 | |
| Win | Murat Bourekba | DQ | SC: Staredown City | 2/05/2006 | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | Emir Smajlovic | KO | MMA: Event | 9/17/2005 | 1 | N/A | |
| Loss | Romualds Kargulis | TKO | MG: Mixfight Gala | 4/16/2005 | 1 | N/A | |
| Win | John de Wilde | Submission (Armbar) | GFN: Gentlemen Fight Night | 3/19/2005 | 1 | N/A | |
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Struve made his professional debut in the GFN organization when he was only 17, fighting against John De Wilde at Gentlemen Fight Night. By late 2008, he had racked up an impressive record of 16–2, losing once via injury against Romualds Garkulis in only his second fight and another time in the second round of a Star Of Peresvit tournament in Ukraine against Christian M'Pumbu.
In 2008, Struve entered talks with the DREAM and Affliction promotions before signing a four-fight deal with the UFC.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Struve lost his UFC debut at UFC 95, losing to Junior dos Santos in the first round after dos Santos stormed Struve with an aggressive flurry. Struve won his next fight at UFC 99 against Denis Stojnic in a bout that saw Struve bleeding profusely from a cut that later required stitches. Struve was badly cut open with hammer fists from Stojnic while on his back in the first round and despite bleeding excessively, he persevered in the second round by gaining his opponent's back and eventually locking in a rear naked choke to win by submission at 2:37 of the second round.
Struve defeated UFC newcomer and previously undefeated Chase Gormley on October 24, 2009 at UFC 104 where he won the Submission of the Night award. The bout was composed mainly of grappling after Gormley took Struve down. There the Dutchman tried to work submissions until giving up top position to Gormley to secure a triangle choke. This made Struve the tallest fighter to win submission of the night for the UFC.
Struve then signed a new four-fight deal with the UFC.
When Todd Duffee was forced out of his fight with Paul Buentello for the December 12, 2009 UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez event due to injuries sustained in training, Struve stepped in for the fourth time that year. In what was the first bout on the main card, the two battled it out for three rounds, in a very close fight. Struve won a majority decision, though one of the judges actually ruled the bout a Draw.
It was announced mid-January 2010 that Struve would return at UFC Fight Night 21 at March 31, 2010 to face off against The Ultimate Fighter 10 Heavyweight winner Roy Nelson. The night of the bout, there was actually a brief power outage that turned Bojangles Coliseum dark for approximately 10 minutes. Once the lights had returned, the two got to it. Nelson quickly fought through his opponent's massive reach and blasted the Dutch fighter with two perfectly placed overhand rights. The second one caused Struve's legs to buckle, and Nelson quickly followed him to the mat with a barrage of punches to force the quick TKO (Punches) stoppage at 0:39 of the first round.
Struve returned at UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen, where he fought UFC new-comer Christian Morecraft. The first round could have been scored 10-8 for Morecraft, who handled Struve, forcing the fight to the mat, where Morecraft's brutal ground and pound and submission defense left Struve a bruised and bloodied mess. Referee Herb Dean nearly stopped the fight in the first round, but Struve did just enough to survive to the bell. In the second round the two Heavyweights swung away at one another, but it was Struve who connected first. Struve followed him to the mat with nearly a dozen follow-up blows to force the TKO stoppage at the round's 0:22 mark. The KO victory earned Struve the Knockout of the Night Honors.
Ranks and Titles
- Cage Gladiators World Heavyweight Champ
