Travis Jon Fulton is an American mixed martial artist and a professional boxer in the heavyweight division of both sports. Known as a longtime veteran in mixed martial arts, he has competed in over 300 sanctioned bouts and while he is perhaps best known for competing in smaller US-based promotions, he has also competed in the UFC, the WEC, Pancrase, the Chicago Red Bears of the IFL, King of the Cage and RINGS. He also holds the record for the most sanctioned mixed martial arts bouts, with 320 bouts; in addition to that, he also holds the most wins in mixed martial arts that is growing, as he still competes today.
Background
Fulton was born in Waterloo, Iowa and raised in Cedar Falls, Iowa. His father worked for the John Deere company and was eventually laid off, sending the family to deep poverty. In the school Fulton was seriously bullied, up to a point where he contrived a plan to kill his tormentors and subsequently himself. However, the success in multiple sports made him popular: Fulton began wrestling when he was in elementary school, following his older brother's footsteps. Fulton was also a skilled baseball player and later attended Cedar Falls High School, where he was a state competitor in wrestling, but was kicked off the team several times for skipping classes. He was also a Golden Gloves boxer and a second-degree black belt in American Kenpo. Fulton fell in love with the sport of mixed martial arts after seeing UFC 3 on pay per view. At the age of 18, Fulton took up submission fighting and later trained with Miletich Fighting Systems led by legendary coach and fellow Iowa native Pat Miletich.
Fulton has fought more documented MMA matches than any other fighter, racking up over 300 fights in just over 15 years. He debuted on July 26, 1996, when he was 19 years old against Dave Strasser in an event entitled "Gladiators". He lost by submission via a rear naked choke. Within just over two years of his debut, he had fought 50 Vale Tudo fights including five fights across two tournaments in one month in September 1997, compiling a record of 37-11-2 in that span. He won the World Vale Tudo Heavyweight Championship at a Tournament in Brazil in 1998. By early 1999, at just 22 years old, Fulton was recognized as one of the top young Vale Tudo fighters in the United States and was invited to fight at UFC 20, where he lost to Pete Williams by submission via an armbar. He returned at UFC 21, defeating David Dodd via a unanimous decision, though it was the last time he was to fight in the UFC. While posting a winning record, the next few years were dogged by losses to up-and-coming fighters that went on to become top-level UFC fighters, such as Renato Sobral, Ricco Rodriguez, Evan Tanner, Dan Severn, Rich Franklin, Forrest Griffin, Ian Freeman, Jeremy Horn, Branden Lee Hinkle, and Ben Rothwell. Fulton has thrived in many MMA organizations. He won the International Fighting Championships world title 3 times, and has also won 3 tournaments in the organization. His only IFC losses were to Matt Lindland by choke at 22:13 and Vladimir Matyushenko by choke at 15:33. Fulton competed in the main event of World Extreme Cagefighting 's debut event in June 2001 and lost a decision to UFC Hall of Famer Dan Severn. Fulton returned to compete in IFL Chicago in May 2007 when he took on IFL Heavyweight Champion Ben Rothwell. Fulton took the fight on a week's notice, but gave Rothwell his greatest challenge to date in the IFL organization before losing via kimura in round 2. Fulton fought former UFC Heavyweight ChampionAndrei Arlovski at ProElite 2 in November 2011 and lost via a head kick KO with only one second remaining in the fight. The bout served as the co-main event. Fulton has been the #1 ranked heavyweight in Iowa for nearly a decade now. He currently holds the Iowa Challenge, Cedar Valley Fighting Championships, and ISKA Mid West Muay Thai Heavyweight Championship titles. On April 4, 2019 Travis Fulton captured the M-1 Global Super Fight World title when he defeated Shannon Ritch in Winterhaven, California. Fulton holds the record for the most mixed martial arts fights in history. Shannon Ritch is second only to Fulton in number of mixed martial arts fights.
In August 2012, Fulton competed at Iowa Challenge 69, facing Brad Scholten. He won the fight via split decision. After being inactive from MMA, Fulton returned to face Ryan Scheeper at Iowa Challenge 80 in March 2013, which he won by submission strikes. Fulton returned to Iowa Challenge in August 2013, where he faced Blake Breitspreacher, and won by TKO.
Boxing career
In parallel to his MMA career, Fulton has also boxed professionally since 1999, mainly on the Midwestern circuit, often serving as a trial horse for up-and coming fighters such as Tye Fields, Chris Koval, Brian Minto, David Rodriguez, Albert Sosnowski, Chauncy Welliver, Travis Walker, Alonzo Butler, and Steve Collins. While not as prolific as his MMA career, he has had 62 professional boxing matches, racking up a record of 22 wins against 39 losses and 1 draw, with twenty-one of his wins coming by way of knockout.
Personal life
Fulton lives alone in the rural Iowa and has one daughter from a previous relationship.
