Gegard Mousasi

Gegard Mousasi (born 1 August 1985) is a Dutch mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. Mousasi most recently competed in Bellator MMA, where he is the former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion. He is also the former DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion, former DREAM Middleweight Champion, former Cage Warriors World Middleweight Champion, and the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, thus making Mousasi an overall six-time MMA world champion. At the moment of his departure from the UFC in July 2017, he was #4 in the official UFC middleweight rankings.

Background

Mousasi was born in Tehran, Iran to ethnic Armenian parents during the Iran–Iraq War. His family name was changed in Iran long before his birth from Mofsesian to Mousasi. After spending a year in refugee camps, at the age of four, Mousasi and his family relocated to Leiden, Netherlands where he finished grade school before developing an interest in martial arts. Mousasi began training in judo at the age of eight and later boxing at age 15; a year later he became the amateur boxing champion of the Netherlands with a 12–1 record, earning nine knockouts. Mousasi then transitioned into kickboxing and then eventually to mixed martial arts.