# Tyrell Fortune
**Tyrell Fortune** (born 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division of the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC). A former [NCAA Division II](https://www.edgepedia.org/ncaa-division-ii) national champion wrestler, he signed with [Bellator MMA](https://www.edgepedia.org/bellator-mma) in 2015, debuted professionally in 2016, and entered the UFC in March 2026 at age 35 with a professional record of 18 wins and 4 losses plus 2 no contests.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, Portland, Oregon, United States[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623) |
| Division / team | Heavyweight; trains at Arizona Combat Sports[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623) |
| Pro record | 18-4-0 with 2 no contests; 11 wins by KO/TKO, 1 by submission, 5 by decision, 1 by disqualification[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623) |
| Wrestling credentials | NCAA Division II national champion at Grand Canyon University; 2013 Division II wrestler of the year; two-time NJCAA champion at Clackamas Community College; U.S. national wrestling team member[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/8/19/9179735/bellator-signs-top-wrestling-heavyweight-olympic-hopeful-tyrell) |
| Pro debut | Bellator 163, November 4, 2016, first-round TKO of Cody Miskell[3](https://fightomic.com/tyrell-fortune-profile/) |
| UFC record | 1-1; debut win over Marcin Tybura (March 28, 2026), TKO loss to Rizvan Kuniev (July 25, 2026)[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623) |
| UFC striking stats | 1.91 significant strikes landed per minute, 4.31 absorbed per minute, 51% significant strike defense, 100% takedown defense[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune) |
## Wrestling background
Fortune came to mixed martial arts from an accomplished amateur wrestling career. A native of [Portland, Oregon](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-oregon), he was a two-time NJCAA national champion at Clackamas Community College and then won an NCAA Division II title at [Grand Canyon University](https://www.edgepedia.org/grand-canyon-university) in Arizona, where he was named the 2013 Division II wrestler of the year[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/8/19/9179735/bellator-signs-top-wrestling-heavyweight-olympic-hopeful-tyrell). His UFC bio adds a 2014 University World Championship and six national titles in freestyle and [Greco-Roman wrestling](https://www.edgepedia.org/greco-roman-wrestling), along with two state championships at Lake Ridge High School in Oregon[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune).
In August 2015, while training with the Blackzilians in [Boca Raton, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/boca-raton-florida), and competing for the U.S. national wrestling team, he signed with Bellator MMA, which had made signing elite wrestlers a priority and had already contracted Ed Ruth and [Aaron Pico](https://www.edgepedia.org/aaron-pico)[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/8/19/9179735/bellator-signs-top-wrestling-heavyweight-olympic-hopeful-tyrell). He planned to attempt to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics but instead turned to MMA, later saying he began training in 2016 after realizing the financial upside was in MMA rather than wrestling[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/8/19/9179735/bellator-signs-top-wrestling-heavyweight-olympic-hopeful-tyrell) • [4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune).
## Bellator and regional career (2016-2025)
Fortune made his professional debut at Bellator 163 on November 4, 2016, stopping Cody Miskell with punches inside the first round[3](https://fightomic.com/tyrell-fortune-profile/). He won his first eight professional fights, all in Bellator, before losing to Tim Johnson by first-round knockout at Bellator 239 in February 2020[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623).
His Bellator run included wins over UFC veterans [Matt Mitrione](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-mitrione) and Jack May, both by first-round TKO in 2021[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623). Across 2016 to 2023 he went 13-2 with 2 no contests in Bellator, including a disqualification win over Sergey Bilostenniy at Bellator 294 in April 2023 and a no contest with Daniel James at Bellator 288 in November 2022[5](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/141665-tyrell-fortune). A 2021 split-decision loss to Linton Vassell at Bellator 271 was his other Bellator defeat[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623).
After Bellator, he went 1-1 in the [Professional Fighters League](https://www.edgepedia.org/professional-fighters-league) during 2024, beating Marcelo Golm by unanimous decision in June and losing to Sergey Bilostenniy by first-round heel hook at the PFL 7 playoffs in August[5](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/141665-tyrell-fortune). In 2025 he added three regional-circuit stoppage wins: a TKO of Myron Dennis at LXF 24 in May, a first-round knockout of Tony Lopez at RUF 64 in August, and a doctor-stoppage TKO of Demoreo Dennis at LXF 27 in September[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623).
## UFC career
Fortune made his UFC debut on short notice on March 28, 2026, replacing [Valter Walker](https://www.edgepedia.org/valter-walker) on less than two weeks' notice against top-15 mainstay [Marcin Tybura](https://www.edgepedia.org/marcin-tybura) at UFC Fight Night in Seattle[6](https://www.ufc.com/news/tyrell-fortune-always-aiming-better-ufc-abu-dhabi). He won a three-round unanimous decision, with referee [Herb Dean](https://www.edgepedia.org/herb-dean) overseeing the bout[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623). The fight was his first MMA appearance outside the United States[6](https://www.ufc.com/news/tyrell-fortune-always-aiming-better-ufc-abu-dhabi).
In his second UFC appearance, at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25, 2026, Fortune lost to [Rizvan Kuniev](https://www.edgepedia.org/rizvan-kuniev) by TKO from knees at 1:12 of the third round[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623) • [7](https://www.ufc.com/video/158629), leaving his UFC record at 1-1[8](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Tyrell%20Fortune/166327/).
## Fighting style and statistics
Fortune's foundation is wrestling, and his UFC record shows a striker's output layered on top of it. Across his first two UFC bouts he landed 50 of 102 significant strikes attempted (49 percent accuracy), with 56 percent of those strikes landed standing, 32 percent in the clinch, and 12 percent on the ground[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune). He absorbed 4.31 significant strikes per minute against 1.91 landed, and his takedown defense stood at 100 percent, with 3 of 7 takedown attempts landed on his opponents[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune). His average fight time is 13:06[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune).
Eleven of his 18 wins have come by KO or TKO (65 percent), with six first-round finishes, five second-round finishes, and one third-round finish[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune). His single submission win, a rear-naked choke of Rudy Schaffroth at Bellator 225 in August 2019, came in the second round[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623).
## The 2012 near-death experience
During his amateur wrestling career, Fortune survived a 2012 medical emergency in which he was pronounced dead before waking up, an experience he has described as the source of his perspective on not taking opportunities for granted[9](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/28731512/tyrell-fortune-living-fight-another-day-pronounced-dead). In his UFC questionnaire he called recovering from his knockout loss the toughest challenge of his career[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune).
## Personal life
Fortune attended Grand Canyon University but left short of graduating when he earned a spot on the USA World Team[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune). He has a son named Agaiby, trains with Waldo Cortes Acosta, and lists snowboarding and time with family among his interests outside fighting[4](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune). Sources differ on his height, listing 6'2" (188 cm) on Sherdog and 6'3" (191 cm) on Tapology, with a reach of 75.5 inches[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623) • [5](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/141665-tyrell-fortune).
## References
1. [Tyrell Fortune, Sherdog Fight Finder](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Tyrell-Fortune-204623)
2. [Bellator signs top wrestling heavyweight, Olympic hopeful Tyrell Fortune, MMA Fighting (August 19, 2015)](https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/8/19/9179735/bellator-signs-top-wrestling-heavyweight-olympic-hopeful-tyrell)
3. [Tyrell Fortune: UFC Record, MMA Stats and Fighter Profile, Fightomic](https://fightomic.com/tyrell-fortune-profile/)
4. [Tyrell Fortune, UFC athlete profile](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyrell-fortune)
5. [Tyrell Fortune, Tapology fighter page](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/141665-tyrell-fortune)
6. [Tyrell Fortune | Always Aiming For Better, UFC.com (July 22, 2026)](https://www.ufc.com/news/tyrell-fortune-always-aiming-better-ufc-abu-dhabi)
7. [Rizvan Kuniev Gets TKO Win Over Tyrell Fortune | UFC Abu Dhabi, UFC.com video](https://www.ufc.com/video/158629)
8. [Tyrell Fortune, FightMatrix fighter profile](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Tyrell%20Fortune/166327/)
9. [Tyrell Fortune: Living to fight another day after they pronounced me dead, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/28731512/tyrell-fortune-living-fight-another-day-pronounced-dead)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Heavyweight and light heavyweight fighters › Heavyweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license