Michael Thomas Brown was born on September 8, 1975. He is the head MMA coach for American Top Team and an American mixed martial arts teacher and former competitor. Brown was a former WEC Featherweight Champion who previously competed in the UFC Featherweight division before retiring in 2014 to become a full-time MMA instructor. He is Dustin Poirier's head coach.
Brown attended Bonny Eagle High School in Standish, Maine, where he won a state title as a junior in 1992. He went on to wrestle at Norwich University, where he was recognized for his concentration. Despite being a mediocre high school student, he was able to apply his concentration to academics and flourish as a scholar-athlete in college. Brown, according to Norwich wrestling coach Rich Hasenfus, was one of the sharpest and strongest wrestlers at Norwich.
| Name | Michael Thomas Brown |
| D.O.B | September 8, 1975 |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Weight | 66 kg |
| Occupation | Mixed Martial Artist |
| Professional Debut | 2001-2014 |
| Wife | Not Known |
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Brown had competed in multiple MMA events, most notably as the WEC Featherweight Champion. Brown had a near-career-ending loss at DEEP 22 in Japan in 2005. Masakazu Imanari, a well-known leg-lock expert, dislocated Brown’s leg to the point where it was dragged out and to the side of his knee joint. Other than Imanari, only Joe Lauzon, Genki Sudo, and Hermes Franca (all UFC veterans) had defeated Brown on the way to Brown’s 18-4 record before joining the WEC.
Mike Brown was on a six-fight winning streak when he signed with the WEC’s Featherweight division. At WEC 34, he made his WEC debut against Brazilian Jiu-jitsu specialist Jeff Curran. Brown matched Curran’s stand-up in each round before taking him down and scoring from the top with elbows and punches. Brown won all three rounds and the fight by unanimous decision.
Brown was then offered a battle against Urijah Faber at WEC 36 for a chance at the WEC Featherweight Championship. Brown knocked down the champion with a right punch to the jaw after the strongly favored Faber attempted a reckless elbow strike. Brown then landed a barrage of unanswered punches, and the fight was stopped at 2:23 of the first round. Brown was awarded the new WEC featherweight title after winning via technical knockout.
Brown made his first championship defense against Texas native Leonard Garcia in the main event of WEC 39 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Garcia re-entered Brown’s guard, but Brown advanced into a full mount and locked an arm-triangle choke. Garcia submitted at 1:57 of the opening round.
Brown’s second defense took place in the main event of WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber 2 in a rematch against previous champion Urijah Faber. Brown defeated Urijah Faber for the second time in Sacramento, this time by unanimous decision. Brown won by scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 49-46, establishing him as the best Featherweight in the world.
Brown lost his WEC Featherweight Championship to José Aldo on November 18, 2009, at WEC 44, following his unanimous Dec win against Faber for the second time. Brown was knocked out in the second round.
Brown defeated WEC rookie Anthony Morrison in the opening round of WEC 46 on January 10, 2010. Brown faced Manvel Gamburyan at WEC 48 on April 24, 2010. Gamburyan defeated Brown in the first round by KO.
Mike Brown’s next bout came at WEC 51 against Cole Province. In the first round, he won by TKO (punches).
World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 28, 2010. All WEC fighters were transferred to the UFC as part of the merger. Brown first met Diego Nunes at UFC 125 on January 1, 2011. He was defeated by a split decision. Brown returned to action immediately, facing Rani Yahya on January 22, 2011, at UFC Fight Night 23 in place of an injured Chan Sung Jung. He was defeated by a unanimous decision.
Brown was sidelined until mid-2011 recuperating from hand surgery after being wounded during the Yahya fight. Brown fought Nam Phan at UFC 133 on August 6, 2011. He won the fight by unanimous decision, his first in the UFC.
Brown was scheduled to meet Vagner Rocha at UFC on FX 1 on January 20, 2012. Brown, on the other hand, was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a knee injury.
Brown fought Daniel Pineda at UFC 146 on May 26, 2012. He won a unanimous decision over Pineda. Brown indicated in an interview with Ariel Helwani after the fight that he would allow himself two weeks to contemplate retirement based on how his body felt after recovery.
Brown inked a five-fight contract with the UFC on July 4, 2012. Brown was scheduled to meet Akira Corassani at UFC Fight Night 26 on August 17, 2013. However, Corassani withdrew from the fight and was replaced by Steven Siler. Brown was knocked out in the first round of the fight.
Brown was scheduled to battle Estevan Payan at UFC on Fox 11 on April 19, 2014. Brown, however, was forced to withdraw from the fight due to an injury and was replaced by promotional rookie Alex White. Brown stated that he would most likely not fight again after withdrawing from the battle against Payan, but he did not indicate he was retiring.
| 35 matches | 26 wins | 9 loss |
| By knockout | 5 | 3 |
| By submission | 13 | 4 |
| By decision | 8 | 2 |
