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Derek Brunson is a UFC middle-weight fighter from the United States. His fighting style has piqued the curiosity of MMA fans. He presently ranks fourth in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Who is Derek Brunson? Childhood, Parents, Education, and Nationality
In Wilmington, North Carolina, on January 4, 1984, Derek Brunson was born. Despite searching all of our sources, we still don’t know anything about Brunson’s parents. Derek’s nationality is American.
In John T. Hoggard High School, he competed in wrestling for Coach Dan Willis. As a result, by the time Derek completed high school, he secured wrestling and cheerleading scholarships.
He competed in wrestling at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke as well. He had practiced jiu-jitsu at the Renzo Gracie academy.
In his career, Derek has won several regional titles. The University of North Carolina recognized him three times as an NCAA-All-American. He had also won 121 games overall during his time in school and college.
At Carolina’s Summer Fight in May 2010, Derek Brunson began his professional MMA journey and defeated John Bryant. After winning his next five fights, Brunson joined Strikeforce.
How did Derek Brunson start his Professional Career?
Derek switched his attention from getting in the ring to mixed martial arts shortly after graduating. After some time, he faced John Bryant in his professional debut in May 2010.
Additionally, at the 52nd second in the first round, Brunson submitted to a rear-naked choke to win the fight. After that, Derek had a winning streak of six matches with no losses before being signed by Strikeforce.
The 38-year-old engaged in combat five more times, winning three of them while losing the other two. Brunson later inked a contract with the UFC in 2012 to take part in The Ultimate Fighter 17. However, owing to an injury, Derek was forced to leave the competition.
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The North Carolina native used his experience from NCAA wrestling to completely overwhelm his opponent despite being the clear favorite to defeat him. As a result, Derek prevailed by unanimous decision.
Ever since, Brunson has competed 16 times in the UFC, recording 11 victories and 5 defeats. Despite having won 11 fights, Derek has never defeated a major middle-weight contender or a previous champion.
The 38-year-old has not yet competed in the UFC Middleweight Championship as a result. Having said that, Brunson is riding high after winning his most recent two matches over Elias Theodorou and Ian Heinrich.
Brunson was scheduled to fight Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC 248 following his spectacular victory at UFC 241. But COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the combat.
Finally, on March 21, 2021, he faced Kevin Holland in his last match. He prevailed in the battle.
Derek Brunson | Injury
Before his UFC bout with Darren Till, manager Ali Abdelaziz disclosed that his athlete Derek Brunson was hurt and could “barely drive his car.”
Abdelaziz claims that three weeks before the bout, Brunson was injured during his training camp and was thereafter unable to exercise and hardly able to operate a vehicle.
Retirement
Brunson declared at UFC 271 that he only has two fights remaining in his career, win, lose, or draw. He said that his ideal situation would be to defeat Cannonier at UFC 271 and then face Israel Adesanya for the middleweight belt.
Adesanya headlines UFC 271 against Robert Whittaker, who has already defeated Brunson. Brunson hopes to win on Saturday, then exact retribution and win UFC gold against Adesanya or Whittaker.
Brunson, on the other hand, has stated unequivocally that if his ideal scenario comes true, he will leave the sport on top. He stated that he would like to spend more with his family and that he would like to leave his job.
Is Derek Brunson Single? Spouse, and Kids
The details of Derek Brunson’s relationship are absolutely a secret. Furthermore, there is no information on his wife’s name, marriage anniversary, or previous relationships.
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The only fact we are aware of is that he is married. He also has two daughters and a son, Elijah Brunson, among his three children. But regrettably, little is known about his daughters as well.
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How old is Derek Brunson? Height, Weight, and Body Measurements
Derek Brunson is 38 years old presently. Brunson’s horoscope also indicates that he is a Capricorn. Similarly, Capricorns have a reputation for being thoughtful, realistic, & disciplined, to mention a few.
Next, Derek is 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall & 185 lb (84 kg). He is one of the biggest competitors in the middleweight class as a result.
How much does Derek Brunson earn? Net Worth, and Salary
Derek’s projected net worth as of 2022 is $1 million. In addition, he has been a pro since 2010 and also has participated in 27 fights to date.
Regarding fight pay, Derek received a whooping $190,000 during his most recent contest at UFC 241 versus Ian Heinisch. It also includes $95,000 as a show bonus and an additional $95,000 as a victory bonus.
It stands in sharp contrast to his inexperience as a professional boxer, though. Brunson was being paid a staggering $7,000 per bout back then.
Throughout his ten-year career, Derek has earned over $1.2 million to far.
Where can we contact Derek Brunson? Social Media Presence
Brunson is a well-known person on social media platforms. The UFC middleweight fight is exclusively on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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He has 264k followers on Instagram, 121.5k followers on Twitter, and 126 Facebook fans.
Quick Facts:
| Full Name | Derek T. Brunson |
| Birth Date | January 4, 1984 |
| Birth Place | Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.A |
| Nick Name | The Human Blanket |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Education | The University of North Carolina at Pembroke |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Father’s Name | Not available |
| Mother’s Name | Not available |
| Siblings | Not available |
| Age | 38 Years Old |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
Some FAQ:
What did Joe Rogan say about Derek Brunson?
He was lauded by Joe Rogan and referred to as a true veteran. He praised Brunson’s power to shut down while also discussing Brunson’s development and MMA.
Who called Derek Brunson a ‘gatekeeper’?
‘Gatekeeper’ is how Kevin Holland described Derek Brunson.
When will Derek Brunson and Darren Till face each other next?
On September 4, 2021, Derek & Dareen Till will face off.
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