Brian Gassaway

Brian Gassaway (August 7, 1972 – October 16, 2021) was an American mixed martial artist who competed professionally from 1996 to 2010, taking roughly 52 professional bouts in weight classes ranging from lightweight to heavyweight. Based in Chicago, he fought for the UFC, Bellator, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), King of the Cage, Shooto, and Pancrase, facing opponents including Diego Sanchez, Yuki Kondo, Ikuhisa Minowa, John Alessio, Mike Pyle, and Jose Landi-Jons. Obituaries described him as a pioneer of the Midwestern mixed martial arts scene.

After retiring, Gassaway became a founding partner and coach at the Chicago Mixed Martial Arts gym, and he was inducted into the Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame in March 2018. He died in October 2021 at the age of 49; following his death, the Thai Boxing Association-Sanctioning Authority created the Brian Gassaway Award in recognition of his contributions to American Muay Thai.

Background Gassaway was born on August 7, 1972, and was originally from Urbana, Ohio; he later settled in the Chicago area, where he lived in Chicago and Glenwood, Illinois. In addition to his mixed martial arts career, he competed in kickboxing and Muay Thai.

Mixed martial arts career Early career Gassaway made his professional debut on August 23, 1996, at IFC 2: Mayhem in Mississippi, a one-night tournament in which he submitted Michael Pacholik and William Knorr with rear-naked chokes before losing to Anthony Macias by kneebar. He fought prolifically in his first year as a professional, appearing ten times between April and July 1996 alone, and traveled to Japan and Brazil in 1997 for bouts in Pancrase and at the International Vale Tudo Championship.

From 1998 to early 2000 Gassaway went unbeaten in 14 consecutive bouts. During the streak he won three fights in a single night at Cage Combat 3 in Ohio on July 15, 1998 – including a decision over Travis Fulton – and took a split decision over Mark Hughes, the twin brother of Matt Hughes, in Hughes's professional debut in April 1999.

Japan Gassaway competed repeatedly in Japan. After dropping decisions and submissions in Pancrase in 1997, he returned to the promotion in 2000, winning two decisions in one night at Pancrase: Trans 5 in Tokyo before losing to Ikuhisa Minowa by toe hold at the promotion's anniversary show in Yokohama. In 2001 he was submitted by Yuki Kondo, and in 2003 he lost a unanimous decision to Tetsuji Kato at Korakuen Hall in his final Shooto appearance in Japan. Later that year, at a Shooto event in Indiana, he fought then-unbeaten Gideon Ray to a draw.

UFC and WEC Gassaway made his WEC debut at WEC 14 in March 2005; his bout with Ross Ebañez was ruled a no contest after an accidental headbutt. Two regional submission wins later, he received his lone UFC booking, meeting Diego Sanchez – then unbeaten and making his first pay-per-view appearance since winning The Ultimate Fighter – at UFC 54 in Las Vegas on August 20, 2005. Sanchez controlled the fight on the ground and stopped Gassaway with strikes from mount in the second round.

In 2006 Gassaway headlined promoter Monte Cox's Extreme Challenge 68 in Wisconsin, winning a unanimous decision over Jamie Toney. He returned to the WEC at WEC 25 in January 2007, where he was submitted by John Alessio in the first round.

Later career At TKO 32 in Montreal in February 2008, Gassaway defeated Brazilian vale tudo veteran Jose Landi-Jons by technical knockout when Landi-Jons broke his leg throwing a kick that Gassaway checked; Sherdog later ranked the injury among the most gruesome leg breaks in MMA history. After losses to Forrest Petz and Mike Pyle later that year, Gassaway, then 38, won his final fight at Bellator 25 in Chicago in August 2010, taking a unanimous decision over fellow local fighter Kevin Knabjian. One month later, in his last professional bout, he was submitted in under two minutes by Shungo Oyama at Martial Combat 10 in Singapore.

Retirement and coaching After retiring from competition, Gassaway became a founding partner, teacher, and coach at the Chicago Mixed Martial Arts gym in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. He cornered and trained Chicago-area fighters, among them UFC veteran Shonie Carter, and was remembered by peers as a mentor to his students. He was inducted into the Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame in March 2018.

Death Gassaway died on October 16, 2021, at the age of 49. His death was announced publicly the following day, and several media reports gave the date as October 17; no cause of death was made public. Fighters, coaches, and broadcasters paid tribute, and a memorial fund was organized by one of his students. Following his death, the Thai Boxing Association-Sanctioning Authority established the Brian Gassaway Award, honoring his contribution to Muay Thai in the United States. He was survived by his wife, son, mother, and brother.

Championships and accomplishments Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame, inductee (2018) Thai Boxing Association-Sanctioning Authority – Brian Gassaway Award established in his honor (2021)

Mixed martial arts record

| Win | align=center| 16–7–1 | Henry Matamoros | TKO | TC: Total Combat 1 | | align=center| N/A | | Illinois, United States

| Win | align=center| 12–7 | Adam Palmer | TKO | EB 4: Extreme Boxing 4 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 5:51 | Iowa, United States | Light Heavyweight debut. |- | Win | align=center| 11–7 | Joe Slick | Decision | EB 4: Extreme Boxing 4 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 15:00 | Iowa, United States

| Win | align=center| 7–7 | John Renken | TKO | CC 3: Cage Combat 3 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 7:38 | Ohio, United States

Brian Gassaway

Bron en licentie