Timothy A. Boetsch
Background
Boetsch was born in Lincolnville, Maine, and has a brother, Aaron, who is ten years older than him. Boetsch began
wrestling when he was six years old, and had always admired his older brother's wrestling abilities. Boetsch, who also practiced Jeet Kune Do, attended Camden Hills Regional High School, where he was very successful at the local high school level. Boetsch was a four-time state wrestling champion, and won almost every tournament that he participated in. On August 4, 2012, he was inducted into the Maine Wrestling Hall of Fame. He then attended Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania on a wrestling scholarship, but had mixed results in his wrestling career there. Boetsch had trouble settling into the right weight-class, and was not consistent. His college roommate, who was also on the wrestling team, had been training with the legendary
Pat Miletich after he left college. Boetsch's roommate then offered Boetsch the opportunity to fight in Iowa, and Boetsch, who was landscaping in Pennsylvania at the time, accepted.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Boetsch had his first amateur fight in August 2006, and after dominating the first two opponents he faced in less than two minutes, made his transition to the professional ranks. Boetsch made his IFL debut as a late replacement to fight veteran Vladimir Matyushenko. He was given three days to prepare for the match, and fought the future champion to a decision, his first professional loss.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
After this performance, Boetsch made his UFC debut at
UFC 81 as a late replacement to fight David Heath. He was given ten days to prepare for the fight, and won by TKO in the first round. Boetsch received particular acclaim and a fan following for the way he threw Heath onto his head at the end of the fight.
Boetsch next made his main card debut in the UFC as a replacement to fight
Matt Hamill at UFC Fight Night 13 with six weeks to prepare for the fight. Though he opened a large gash on Hamill's lower lip, he found himself winded in the second round, leading to a TKO loss due to strikes from the ground.
Boetsch fought submission specialist Michael Patt at UFC 88. For the first time in four fights, Boetsch did not enter the bout as a replacement for another fighter. Boetsch won by TKO in the first round.
Boetsch was released from the UFC following his loss to Jason Brilz at UFC 96, ending his four-fight contract with a 2–2 record.[ ]
Boetsch earned a record of 3-0 before getting re-signed with the UFC.
Return to the UFC
Boetsch was scheduled to face Thiago Silva on August 7, 2010, at UFC 117, but Silva was forced out of the bout due to an injury.
and replaced by UFC newcomer Todd Brown. Boetsch won a unanimous decision.
Boetsch faced Phil Davis on November 20, 2010, at UFC 123.
Boetsch subsequently dropped down to the Middleweight division. He faced Kendall Grove on May 28, 2011, at UFC 130
Boetsch faced Nick Ring on September 24, 2011, at UFC 135. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Boetsch was victorious in his fight against former UFC title challenger Yushin Okami on February 26, 2012, at UFC 144. Boetsch was badly beaten in the first two rounds before rallying to claim a TKO victory in what is arguably the biggest victory of his career to date.
Boetsch was expected to face Michael Bisping on July 21, 2012, at .
Boetsch was expected to face Chris Weidman on December 29, 2012, at UFC 155.
Boetsch faced Mark Muñoz on July 6, 2013, at UFC 162, He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Boetsch was expected to face Luke Rockhold on October 19, 2013, at UFC 166.
Boetsch eventually faced Luke Rockhold on April 26, 2014, at UFC 172.
Boetsch faced Brad Tavares on August 16, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 47.
Boetsch next faced Thales Leites on January 31, 2015, at UFC 183.
Boetsch faced Dan Henderson on June 6, 2015, in the main event at UFC Fight Night 68.
Boetsch faced Ed Herman in a light heavyweight bout on January 17, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 81.
Boetsch next faced Josh Samman on July 13, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 91.
Boetsch faced Rafael Natal on November 12, 2016, at UFC 205.
In the last fight of his contract, Boetsch faced Ronaldo Souza on February 11, 2017, at UFC 208.
Boetsch faced Johny Hendricks on June 25, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 112.
Boetsch faced Antônio Carlos Júnior on April 14, 2018, at UFC on Fox 29.
Boetsch faced Omari Akhmedov on March 9, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 146.
In September 2019, Boetsch announced that he had retired.
Personal life
Boetsch is married and has two sons and a daughter.
Boetsch has a degree in Criminal Justice from the Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. He was formerly a social worker with adolescents prior to pursuing his mixed martial arts career, and he now owns a lawn and landscape business.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
-
5150 Combat League
-
5150 Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
-
Tequila CAZADORES Spirit Award
-
Tequila CAZADORES Spirit Award (Two times)
-
Ultimate Fighting Championship
-
Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Thales Leites
-
Performance of the Night (Two times) vs. Brad Tavares and vs. Johny Hendricks
-
UFC.com Awards
-
2008: Ranked #8 Newcomer of the Year
-
2012: Upset of the Year
Mixed martial arts record
|-
|Loss
|align=center|21–13
|
Omari Akhmedov
|Decision (unanimous)
|
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Wichita, Kansas, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|21–12
|Antônio Carlos Júnior
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|4:28
|Glendale, Arizona, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|21–11
|
Johny Hendricks
|TKO (head kick and punches)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|0:46
|Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|20–11
|
Ronaldo Souza
|Submission (kimura)
|UFC 208
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:41
|Brooklyn, New York, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|20–10
|
Rafael Natal
|KO (punches)
|UFC 205
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:22
|New York City, New York, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|19–10
|
Josh Samman
|TKO (punches)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:49
|Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|18–10
|
Ed Herman
|KO (knee)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:39
|Boston, Massachusetts, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|18–9
|
Dan Henderson
|KO (punches)
|
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|0:28
|New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|18–8
|
Thales Leites
|Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke)
|UFC 183
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:45
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|18–7
|
Brad Tavares
|TKO (punches)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:18
|Bangor, Maine, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|17–7
|
Luke Rockhold
|Submission (inverted triangle kimura)
|UFC 172
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:08
|Baltimore, Maryland, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|17–6
| C. B. Dollaway
|Decision (split)
|UFC 166
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Houston, Texas, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|16–6
| Mark Muñoz
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 162
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|16–5
|
Costas Philippou
|TKO (punches)
|UFC 155
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|2:11
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 16–4
| Héctor Lombard
| Decision (split)
|
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
|
Calgary,
Alberta, Canada
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 15–4
|
Yushin Okami
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 144
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 0:54
| Saitama, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 14–4
|
Nick Ring
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 135
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
|
Denver,
Colorado, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 13–4
|
Kendall Grove
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 130
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
|
Las Vegas,
Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 12–4
| Phil Davis
| Submission (kimura)
| UFC 123
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 2:55
| Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|12–3
| Todd Brown
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 117
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Oakland, California, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|11–3
| Reese Shaner
|KO (head kick)
|NAFC: Stand Your Ground
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:05
|West Allis, Wisconsin, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|10–3
| Rudy Lindsey
|Submission (guillotine choke)
|5150 Combat League
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:55
|Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|9–3
| Aaron Stark
|Technical Submission (guillotine choke)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:18
|Everett, Washington, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 8–3
|
Jason Brilz
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 96
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Columbus, Ohio, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|8–2
| Michael Patt
|TKO (punches)
|UFC 88
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:03
|Atlanta, Georgia, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|7–2
|
Matt Hamill
|TKO (punches)
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:25
|Broomfield, Colorado, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|7–1
| David Heath
|TKO (slam and punches)
|UFC 81
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|4:52
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|6–1
| Vladimir Matyushenko
|Decision (unanimous)
|IFL: 2007 Semifinals
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|4:00
|East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|6–0
| Brendan Barrett
|Submission (guillotine choke)
|Extreme Challenge 81
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:00
|West Orange, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5–0
| Oleg Savitsky
|TKO (punches)
|Extreme Challenge 78
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:27
|Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4–0
| Lewis Pascavage
|TKO (punches)
|Reality Fighting 15
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|0:20
|Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3–0
| Hazim Ibrahim
|TKO (submission to punches)
|Extreme Challenge 75
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:10
|Trenton, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2–0
| Hazim Ibrahim
|TKO (punches)
|Reality Fighting 14
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:47
|Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
| Demian Decorah
|TKO (submission to punches)
|Madtown Throwdown 9
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|1:27
|Madison, Wisconsin, United States
|
|}
See also
-
List of current UFC fighters
-
List of male mixed martial artists
External links
