Norman Parke (born 22 December 1986) is a mixed martial artist from Northern Ireland. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Parke has fought for the UFC, Absolute Championship Berkut, KSW, and BAMMA. He was also a competitor for Team UK on in late 2012 and won the .
Background
Born and raised in Bushmills, Northern Ireland, Parke began training in
Judo at the age of 16. He went on to be a National Champion in Judo as well as Freestyle Wrestling in 2009–2010 and 2011–2012.
Later, after he also began training in
boxing, Parke transitioned into mixed martial arts at the age of 20.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Before signing with the UFC, Parke compiled a record of 16–2, with 12 of his victories coming via
submission. Parke's losses were against the veteran Greg Loughran and the then-undefeated Joseph Duffy.
Parke was introduced to the masses and given his first televised fight by Cage Contender on 24 July 2010, going on to fight for the promotion more times than anywhere else. In his last fight under the Cage Contender banner, Parke claimed the vacant Cage Contender Lightweight Championship.
After going 14–2, Parke signed to face Anton Kuivanen at Fight Festival 29, in what would have been his first fight outside Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The Ultimate Fighter
In late 2012, Parke signed to be a competitor on
- a regional version of the Ultimate Fighter series, which pitted Australian fighters against British fighters.
Parke competed in the
lightweight division and his first opponent in the show was
Richie Vaculik, who currently competes at flyweight.
Parke was able to hit Vaculik on the ground with elbows; one of which cut Vaculik on the top of his head. Parke was able to take Vaculik down again in the second round and controlled the fight from
half-guard.
Parke defeated Vaculik via unanimous decision to move onto the semi-final round.
In the semi-final round, Parke was matched up against fellow Team UK fighter Brendan Loughnane. Parke won the fight via unanimous decision and moved onto the finals which took place live on .
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Parke made his UFC debut on 15 December 2012 at UFC on FX 6 which was also known as "The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes Finale". Parke would fight Colin Fletcher to determine the
lightweight winner of . Parke controlled the entirety of the fight and won the fight via unanimous decision.
Parke was expected to face Jon Tuck on 20 April 2013 at UFC on Fox 7.
Parke fought Kazuki Tokudome on 6 July 2013 at UFC 162.
A rescheduled bout with Jon Tuck eventually took place on 26 October 2013 at UFC Fight Night 30.
Parke faced winner Leonardo Santos at UFC Fight Night 38.
Parke faced returning veteran Naoyuki Kotani on 19 July 2014 at UFC Fight Night 46 in Dublin.
Parke was expected to face Diego Sanchez on 15 November 2014 at UFC 180.
Parke was expected to face Jorge Masvidal on 18 January 2015 at UFC Fight Night 59.
Parke was expected to face Gilbert Burns on 30 May 2015 at UFC Fight Night 67.
Parke faced returning veteran Reza Madadi on 24 October 2015 at UFC Fight Night 76.
Parke faced Rustam Khabilov on 27 February 2016 at UFC Fight Night 84.
Following the loss to Khabilov, Parke was released by the UFC.
Absolute Championship Berkut
Parke faced Andrew Fisher on 1 October 2016 at .
He won the fight via unanimous decision.
BAMMA
On 24 February 2017, Parke made his debut for the
BAMMA organization. He faced Paul Redmond at for the vacant BAMMA Lightweight championship. Parke went on to win the fight by majority decision, but was not eligible to claim the championship due to a weight miss.
KSW
Parke signed with Polish promotion KSW and made his debut at on 27 May 2017 for the KSW Lightweight Championship against champion
Mateusz Gamrot.
He lost the bout via unanimous decision.
Parke rematched Mateusz Gamrot at on 22 October 2017.
After a few bouts in the KSW and Brave CF, it was announced on 14 July 2018 that Parke had signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator.
After defeating the former KSW Featherweight Champion Artur Sowiński via unanimous decision at , Parke was expected to face Marian Ziółkowski for the interim KSW Lightweight Championship at KSW 50 on 14 September 2019.
Parke faced Mateusz Gamrot in a trilogy bout at KSW 53 on 11 July 2020. The bout was expected to be the Lightweight Championship unification bout, but Parke was unable to make weight thus the title is not on the line.
Regional circuit
On 28 February, during the Second Press Conference before Fame 9, a boxing fight between Norman Parke and a former amateur boxer, Polish championship medalist Kasjusz "Don Kasjo" Życiński was announced.
On 26 March 2022 Parke faced rapper Popek at Fame 13. He won after Popek broke his hand less than a minute into the bout and was unable to continue.
Parke faced Grzegorz Szulakowski on 9 July 2022 at Prime Show MMA 2, winning the bout via unanimous decision.
Parke was scheduled to fight Adam Okniński at Prime Show MMA 4 on 26 November 2022, but withdrew from the bout after a contract dispute with the organization.
As the sole bout of his contract with Hexagone, Parke faced Alfredo Souza on 11 March 2023 at Hexagone MMA 7, winning the bout via unanimous decision.
Coming in as a late replacement, Parke faced Michał Pasternak at Fame 20 on 11 February 2024, winning the bout via unanimous decision.
Championships and accomplishments
-
Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki
-
Interim KSW Lightweight Championship (One time; former)
-
Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Borys Mańkowski and Marcin Wrzosek
-
Ultimate Fighting Championship
-
Cage Contender
-
Cage Contender Lightweight Champion (One time)
Mixed martial arts record
|-
|Win
|align=center|32–7–1 (1)
|Michał Pasternak
|Decision (unanimous)
|Fame 20
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:00
|Kraków, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|31–7–1 (1)
|Alfredo Souza
|Decision (unanimous)
|Hexagone MMA 7
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|
Poitiers, France
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 30–7–1 (1)
|Grzegorz Szulakowski
|Decision (unanimous)
|Prime Show MMA 2
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|
Gdynia, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 29–7–1 (1)
|
Popek
|TKO (hand injury)
|Fame 13
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|0:37
|
Gliwice, Poland
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 28–7–1 (1)
|
Mateusz Gamrot
|TKO (doctor stoppage)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:02
|
Warsaw, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 28–6–1 (1)
|Marcin Wrzosek
|Decision (split)
|
|
|align=center|5
|align=center|5:00
|
London, England
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 27–6–1 (1)
|Artur Sowiński
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Gdańsk, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|26–6–1 (1)
| Borys Mańkowski
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Łódź, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|25–6–1 (1)
| Myles Price
|Decision (unanimous)
|Brace CF 13
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|
Belfast, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|24–6–1 (1)
| Łukasz Chlewicki
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Wrocław, Poland
|
|-
|NC
|align=center|
|
Mateusz Gamrot
|NC (accidental eye poke)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|4:39
|
Dublin, Ireland
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|23–6–1
|
Mateusz Gamrot
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|
Warsaw, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|23–5–1
| Paul Redmond
|Decision (majority)
|
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|
Belfast, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|22–5–1
| Andrew Fisher
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|
Glasgow, Scotland
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|21–5–1
|
Rustam Khabilov
| Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|
London, England
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|21–4–1
|
Reza Madadi
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|
Dublin, Ireland
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|20–4–1
| Francisco Trinaldo
|Decision (split)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Goiânia, Brazil
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|20–3–1
|
Gleison Tibau
|Decision (split)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Boston, Massachusetts, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|20–2–1
|
Naoyuki Kotani
|TKO (punches)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:41
|
Dublin, Ireland
|
|-
|Draw
|align=center|
| Leonardo Santos
|Draw (majority)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Natal, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|19–2
|
Jon Tuck
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|
Manchester, England
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|18–2
|
Kazuki Tokudome
||Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 162
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|17–2
|Colin Fletcher
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Gold Coast, Australia
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|16–2
|Stephen Coll
|TKO (punches)
|Immortal FC 6
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|2:24
|
Letterkenny, Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|15–2
| Marcos Nardini
|Decision (unanimous)
|Cage Contender 11
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|
Belfast, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|14–2
| Dominic McConnell
|Submission (arm-triangle choke)
|Immortal FC 3
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|1:23
|
Strabane, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|13–2
| Stuart Davies
|TKO (punches)
|Cage Contender 6
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|2:34
|
Manchester, England
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|12–2
| Tom Maguire
|Submission (guillotine choke)
|Cage Contender 5
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|0:42
|
Dublin, Republic of Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|11–2
| Ian Jones
|Submission (guillotine choke)
|Fight-Stars 2
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|4:18
|
Leeds, England
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|10–2
| Joseph Duffy
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|Spartan Fight Challenge 3
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:06
|Newport, Wales
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|10–1
| Myles Price
|Submission (guillotine choke)
|Cage Contender 3
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:27
|Antrim, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|9–1
| Ben Davis
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|Tribal Warfare 5
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:10
|
Connacht, Republic of Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|8–1
| Ali MacLean
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|Immortal FC 1
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|4:05
|
Strabane, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|7–1
| Mick Bowman
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|OMMAC 1
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:06
|
Liverpool, England
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|6–1
| Mark Mills
|TKO (punches)
|Strike and Submit 11
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:40
|
Gateshead, England
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5–1
| Paul Jenkins
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|House of Pain 11
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:41
|Newport, Wales
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4–1
| Dominic McConnell
|Submission (armbar)
|Chaos FC 4
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:10
|
Derry, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3–1
| Barry Oglesby
|Submission (leglock)
|Tribal Warfare 4
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:30
|
Galway, Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2–1
| Ali McLean
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|Ultimate Fighting Revolution 14
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|4:50
|
Belfast, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–1
| Brian Kerr
|Submission (armbar)
|Ultimate Fighting Revolution 13
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:10
|
Belfast, Northern Ireland
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0–1
| Greg Loughran
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|Ultimate Fighting Revolution 5
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:43
|
Toomebridge, Northern Ireland
|
|}
Boxing record
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 2–1
| Borys Mańkowski
|Decision (unanimous)
| Fame 11: Fight Club
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|15:00
|
Gliwice, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 2–0
|
Maciej Jewtuszko
|Decision (majority)
| EFM Show 2: Materla vs. Rimbon
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:00
|
Sofia, Bulgaria
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Kasjusz Życiński
|Decision (unanimous)
| Fame 10: Don Kasjo vs. Parke
|
|align=center|5
|align=center|3:00
|Łódź, Poland
|
|}
Custom rules record
|-
|Win
|align=center|2–0
| Maciej Sulęcki
|Decision (split)
|Fame: Reborn
|
|align=center|5
|align=center|3:00
|Łódź, Poland
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
| Piotr Szeliga
|TKO (punches)
|Fame 14: Gimper vs. Tromba
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|2:13
|Kraków, Poland
|
|}
See also
-
List of Irish UFC fighters
-
List of current KSW fighters
-
List of male mixed martial artists
External links
