Jay Ellis (born 7 February 1984), nicknamed "Hurricane", is an American professional mixed martial artist who fights out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A fixture of the American regional circuit since 2005, he holds the record for the most losses in professional mixed martial arts history, with 112 defeats in about 130 sanctioned bouts. Over his career he has faced about thirty fighters with UFC experience, including Colby Covington, Anthony Pettis and Gerald Meerschaert, and has been described in MMA media as an emblematic journeyman of the American regional scene.
Career Ellis made his professional debut in 2005 and went on to compete at an unusually high volume for two decades, primarily in Midwestern regional promotions including King of the Cage. Early in his career he trained at Mark Henry's gym before leaving to train independently, a decision he later said hurt his development; by his own account he took frequent short-notice fights as promoters called.
Despite his losing record, Ellis defeated two fighters who went on to national success: he submitted future two-time Bellator MMA featherweight champion Daniel Straus in 2009, and beat future UFC middleweight Gerald Meerschaert by technical submission in 2007, losing their rematch in 2013. He was stopped by Anthony Pettis in 2008 and submitted by Colby Covington in 2014. MMAmania characterized his role in regional MMA as the opponent promoters called on to test rising fighters.
After a submission win in November 2021, Ellis went 1,651 days and twelve fights without a victory. He ended the streak on 14 May 2026, submitting Evian Rodriguez in the first round at a King of the Cage event, which drew coverage as a milestone for the sport's most-defeated fighter. Ellis has also competed in boxing and kickboxing bouts outside his MMA record.
In a 2025 interview Ellis reflected that he believed he could have reached the UFC: "Every time I look at those guys [I fought] in the UFC, I get kind of sad because I know I could have been there if I'd stayed focused and taken it seriously."
Mixed martial arts record As of July 2026, Sherdog lists Ellis's professional record as 17 wins and 112 losses.
|Win |align=center|17–112 |Evian Rodriguez |Submission (arm-triangle choke) |KOTC - Warranted Aggression |14 May 2026 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:41 |Worley, Idaho, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–112 |Brian Akins |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Beastmode Fighting Championships - BFC 10 |20 September 2025 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:36 |Hammond, Indiana, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–111 |Nico Jefferson |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Beastmode Productions - BFC 8 |28 June 2025 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:42 |Hammond, Indiana, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–110 |Leslie Merris |Submission |SMMA 38 - Showcase MMA 38 |1 June 2024 |align=center|1 |align=center|3:30 |Kingsport, Tennessee, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–109 |Ricky Clabough |Submission (arm-triangle choke) |SMMA 36 - Showcase MMA 36 |13 January 2024 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:13 |Kingsport, Tennessee, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–108 |Jack Congdon |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 58 |18 March 2023 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:38 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–107 |Jacob Small |Submission (brabo choke) |Bayou FC 56 - Bayou Fighting Championship 56 |3 February 2023 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:12 |Gretna, Louisiana, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–106 |Scott Gibbons |TKO (punches) |Bayou FC 52 - Bayou Fighting Championship 52 |13 August 2022 |align=center|1 |align=center| |Kenner, Louisiana, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–105 |Don Shainis |TKO (punches and elbows) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 52 |2 April 2022 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:50 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–104 |Kasheem Peterson |Submission (kimura) |Combat Zone 75 - Saint Patrick's Day |17 March 2022 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:10 |Everett, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–103 |Leonardo Ladeira |TKO (punches) |Cage Titans FC - Combat Night 3 |25 February 2022 |align=center|1 |align=center|3:52 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–102 |Josh Baker |Submission (armbar) |NLFC - Next Level Fight Club 12 |10 December 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:16 |Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
|Loss |align=center|16–101 |Pat Casey |Submission (rear-naked choke) |PFC - Premier FC 32 |19 November 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:58 |Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
|Win |align=center|16–100 |Rodrigo Almeida |Submission (rear-naked choke) |NEF 45 - Uprising |5 November 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:49 |Portland, Maine, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–100 |Trevor Gudde |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 49 |28 August 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:57 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–99 |Nick Fiore |TKO (punches) |CES MMA 63 - Howard vs. Alvarez |6 August 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:29 |Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–98 |Connor Matthews |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 48 |10 July 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:21 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–97 |Angelo Trevino |TKO (submission to punches) |EFC - Empire Fighting Championship 12 |26 June 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:50 |Biloxi, Mississippi, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–96 |Jeremiah Scott |KO |Ultimate Battle Grounds 7 - Battle De Mayo |8 May 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:44 |Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–95 |Austin Trotman |KO |Ultimate Battle Grounds 6 - MMA Super Bowl |6 February 2021 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:56 |Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–94 |Austin Trotman |KO |Ultimate Battle Grounds 5 - Winter Flurries |5 December 2020 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:42 |Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–93 |Jakob Scheffel |Submission (arm-triangle choke) |EFC - Empire Fighting Championship 5: Gooden vs. Jackson |29 February 2020 |align=center|1 |align=center| |Biloxi, Mississippi, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–92 |Nick Fiore |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Combat Zone 73 - Resolution |17 January 2020 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:50 |Manchester, New Hampshire, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–91 |Shonte Barnes |KO (punch) |SMMA 10 - Showcase MMA 10: Barnes vs. Ellis |16 November 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:18 |Fletcher, North Carolina, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–90 |Ali Omar |Submission (anaconda choke) |EFL - Elite Fight League 6 |13 July 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:36 |Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–89 |Aaron Mitchell |Submission (rear naked choke) |Beastmode Productions - Victory Lap |22 June 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|3:28 |Rudd, Iowa, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–88 |Clarence Jordan |Submission (rear-naked choke) |EFL - Elite Fight League 5 |4 May 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:43 |Waterloo, Iowa, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–87 |Caleb Hall |Submission (rear-naked choke) |NEF 38 - Stormborn |27 April 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:32 |Portland, Maine, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–86 |Jared Downing |Submission (guillotine choke) |EFL - Elite Fight League 4 |13 April 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:18 |Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–85 |Jordan Berg |Submission (triangle choke) |Pure FC 13 - Pure Fighting Championships 13 |9 March 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:32 |Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–84 |Nick Alley |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Combat Zone 69 - Armageddon |2 February 2019 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:17 |Manchester, New Hampshire, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–83 |Evan DeLong |Submission (rear-naked choke) |KOTC - Starbound 2 |2 December 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:04 |Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–82 |Earl Small |Submission (twister) |SF 39 - Stellar Fights 39 |17 November 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:39 |Hockessin, Delaware, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–81 |Josh Harvey |Submission (arm-triangle choke) |NEF 35 - Wicked Season |8 September 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:30 |Bangor, Maine, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–80 |Oliver Parker |Submission (rear-naked choke) |KOTC - Perennial |21 July 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:37 |Ignacio, Colorado, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–79 |John DeVall |Submission (rear-naked choke) |KOTC - Impending Attack |14 July 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:46 |Sloan, Iowa, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–78 |Zach DiSabatino |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 39 |30 June 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:34 |Kingston, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–77 |Jason Brown |Submission (heel hook) |SF 37 - Stellar Fights 37 |19 May 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|4:11 |Hockessin, Delaware, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–76 |Peter Barrett |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 38 |14 April 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:50 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–75 |Mike Budnik |Submission (rear-naked choke) |XFO 62 - Xtreme Fighting Organization 62 |17 February 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:39 |Woodstock, Illinois, United States
|Loss |align=center|15–74 |Connor Barry |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 37 |27 January 2018 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:01 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Win |align=center|15–73 |Isaiah Pitts |Submission (arm-triangle choke) |KOTC - Stone Cold |2 December 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:50 |Keshena, Wisconsin, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–73 |Blaze Gill |Submission (rear-naked choke) |KOTC - Next Level |21 October 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:37 |Sloan, Iowa, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–72 |Kenny Jordan |Submission (rear-naked choke) |United Combat League - Havoc in Hammond 4 |23 September 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:00 |Hammond, Indiana, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–71 |Hopeton Stewart |Submission (rear-naked choke) |SF 35 - Stellar Fights 35 |9 September 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:31 |Harrington, Delaware, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–70 |Ryan Sanders |Submission (triangle choke) |NEF 30 - Rumble in Bangor |5 August 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:34 |Bangor, Maine, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–69 |Lucas Cruz |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Combat Zone 62 - Legendary |30 June 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:23 |Manchester, New Hampshire, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–68 |Leon Davis |Submission (rear-naked choke) |AMMO Fight League 2 - Dawn of War |24 June 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|2:35 |West Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–67 |Frank Sforza |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 34 |17 June 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:04 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–66 |Adrian Hadribeaj |TKO |KOTC - Supremacy |29 April 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|1:21 |Wyandotte, Michigan, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–65 |Austin Tweedy |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Extreme Combat Challenge - ECC: Spring Submissions |15 April 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|0:23 |Muncie, Indiana, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–64 |Joe Giannetti |Submission (rear-naked choke) |Cage Titans FC - Cage Titans 33 |8 April 2017 |align=center|1 |align=center|3:28 |Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
|Loss |align=center|14–63