Name Shad Lierley
Nickname N/A
Association N/A
Weight Class Lightweight (155 lbs.) / Featherweight (145 lbs.)
Height 5′ 7″ (171cm)
Style Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing
Birth Date September 13, 1980
Fighting Out Of Seattle, Washington
Country USA
Shad Lierley Pictures Official Website

”’Shad Lierley”’ is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Featherweight. He was a collegiate Wrestling stand-out and he fought for the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the now defunct International Fight League (IFL).

He was a participant in the second season of Bellator‘s Featherweight Tournament.

== Professional Record ==

Record 5 – 3 – 0 (Win â€Â“ Loss â€Â“ Draw)
Wins 1 (T)KOs
2 Submissions
2 Decisions
Losses 1 (T)KOs
1 Submissions
1 Decisions
Result Opponent Method Event Title Date Round Time Notes
Loss Wilson Reis Submission (Rear Naked Choke) BFC Bellator Fighting Championships 14 4/15/2010 3 3:33 [[Bellator Season Two Featherweight Tournament | Season Two Featherweight Tournament]] Opening Round
Win Nathan Murdock Decision (Unanimous) BFC Bellator Fighting Championships 9 5/29/2009 3 5:00
Win Deryck Ripley Submission (Keylock) Alliance: The Uprising 5/02/2009 1 3:07
Win Jason Evola Submission (Rear Naked Choke) CATC 5: Carnage at the Creek 5 3/12/2009 2 3:34
Loss Wagnney Fabiano KO (Punch) IFL: New Jersey 4/04/2008 1 0:37 For IFL Featherweight Championship
Loss Chris Horodecki Decision (Unanimous) IFL: Everett 6/01/2007 3 4:00 Lightweight bout
Win Mike Corey Decision (Split) IFL: Moline 4/07/2007 3 4:00
Win Adam Lynn TKO (Punches) IFL: Oakland 1/19/2007 1 0:44

== Biography ==
Lierley was born in Utah but grew up in Alaska, where he ran cross country and competed in track & field in high school, before concentrating on wrestling. After high school he was an international politics and economics major at his alma mater, New York University.

While at NYU he was one of the nation’s top Division III wrestlers, winning a University Athletic Association championship in the 141 weight class.

To prepare him for his leap into mixed martial arts, Lierley trained in brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing. As a lifelong MMA fan, Lierley identifies Dan Gable as his hero. He has four brothers and four sisters; his brother Devon is a United States Marine and is currently serving in Rabiah, Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

== Mixed Martial Arts Career ==
After graduating, Lierley considered a wide variety of career paths, but found himself being drawn toward professional fighting. In 2006, a wrestling buddy encouraged him to try out for the IFL and he earned a spot in that organization.

: “When I started college, I never planned to get involved in MMA, but it’s what I fell into and I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “There are a lot of well-educated people who have a lot of options in front of them and they choose fighting. It’s a great sport and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

His debut with the promotion took place on January 19, 2007, where he faced off against WEC veteran Adam Lynn. Lierley only needed 44 seconds in the first round to end the fight by TKO (Punches), making a very impressive professional debut, as well as his IFL debut. In his next fight, he faced off against Marine Mike Corey, where he won a Decision (Split).

From there, Lierley took on Chris Horodecki in a Lightweight contest. The bout was a highlight reel fight, where the two battled it out to the final bell. Horodecki walked away the winner by Decision (Unanimous), handing Lierley his first professional career loss.

Lierley next decided to drop back to Featherweight (145 lbs.), where he faced off against IFL Featherweight Champion Wagnney Fabiano. The bout was expected to be the classic grappler vs wrestler, but Fabiano shocked those in attendance and watching the event, ending the event at 0:37 of the first round due to a brutal KO (Punch).

=== Post-IFL ===
With the IFL closing it’s doors, Lierley returned to action to face Jason Evola in March of 2009. He went on to submit his opponent with a Rear Naked Choke in the second round. Next he faced off against Deryck Ripley, two months later, winning with a Keylock.

=== Bellator Fighting Championship ===
In his third fight since the demise of the IFL, Lierley defeated Nathan Murdock at a Bellator event, winning the fight by Decision (Unanimous).

In February of 2010 it was announced that Lierley was going to be a participant in the second season of Bellator’s Featherweight Tournament. The brackets were announced on January 23, 2010, and Lireley will face off against former EliteXC Bantamweight (140 lbs.) Champion Wilson Reis in the opening round of the tournament, and the fight took place at Bellator 14. Reis scored takedowns with ease, often easily improved his position, and delivered nearly three rounds of solid ground and pound. Even when Lierley escaped, he was punished on his feet and forced to fight defensively in fear of additional takedowns from Reis, who showed improved conditioning and pacing in the bout. After a final takedown in the third round, Reis methodically improved his position and ultimately took Lierley’s back to secure the fight-ending Rear Naked Choke at the 3:33 mark of the third.

== Championships and Accomplishments ==
* Four-time state wrestling finalist
* Named as Alaska’s Wrestler of the Year during his senior year of High School
* Became one of the best wrestlers in the school’s history and held the No. 1 national ranking during his sophomore year