Dakota Cochrane

Dakota Galen Cochrane (born May 1, 1986)

Background Cochrane attended University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he was an all-league pole vaulter and relay runner.

Cochrane began his professional career in late 2009, amassing a 4–0 start before his first loss to future UFC fighter TJ O'Brien in July 2010. O'Brien used his grappling to defeat Cochrane by rear naked choke early in the first round.

Cochrane bounced back from the loss bringing his record to 11–1 including a late replacement bout against former WEC champion Jamie Varner at Titan Fighting Championships 20 on September 23, 2011. The fight was taken on four days' notice and was fought at a catch-weight of 165 lb. Cochrane dominated the fight—both standing and on the ground—in a hard-fought unanimous-decision win.

The Ultimate Fighter

Cochrane appeared in the first episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Live facing James Vick. He lost to Vick via split decision.

Resurrection Fighting Alliance

Cochrane then fought former NCAA wrestling standout Ramico Blackmon at RFA 1 on December 16, 2011, in Kearney, Nebraska. Cochrane lost the fight by a 3-round unanimous decision in which Blackmon used his superior wrestling to neutralize Cochrane's stand up attack.

Cochrane lost for the second straight time in the RFA when he was submitted in the first round by Cliff Wright at RFA 2 on March 30, 2012. Cochrane took down Wright early in the round, but Wright was able to reverse the position, get Cochrane's back, and subsequently choke Cochrane unconscious with a rear naked choke.

Cochrane next defeated former UFC lightweight title contender Joe Stevenson in the main event of RFA 3 on June 30, 2012. After outstriking and outgrappling an out of shape Stevenson, Cochrane was able to sink in a rear naked choke to force the tap 64 seconds into the second round.

Cochrane won his second straight RFA fight at RFA 4 with a dominant victory over Derrick Burnsed. After escaping several submission attempts from Burnsed early on, Cochrane was able to latch on to a fight-ending armbar late in the first round.

Cochrane defeated Deivison Francisco Ribeiro via TKO due to elbows in the third round at RFA 6, Cochrane dominated the fight before finishing Ribeiro.

Cochrane stepped inside the cage again at RFA 17 against Christos Giagos for RFA's inaugural lightweight title on August 22 at the Sanford Pentagon, which was South Dakota's first-ever sanctioned MMA event. He lost the fight by KO due to a flying knee in round 2. This marked the first time Dakota had been knocked out in his career.

Bellator MMA Cochrane stepped in for an injured Derek Campos to face Alexander Sarnavskiy at Bellator 128 on October 10, 2014. He lost the fight via rear naked choke submission in the first round.

Cochrane faced Ryan Couture at Bellator 135 on March 27, 2015. He lost the fight via rear naked choke submission in the first round and was subsequently released from the promotion.

Bare knuckle boxing World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation Cochrane replaced Brennan Ward at World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation's inaugural event on November 9, 2018. He defeated Johny Hendricks by technical knockout in the second round.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Cochrane's next bare-knuckle boxing match was against Chris Leben at BKFC 6 on June 22, 2019. Cochrane won the match by unanimous decision.

Cochrane faced Tyler Vogel at BKFC 15 on December 11, 2020. He won by fifth-round TKO.

On September 10, 2021, Cochrane lost to Mike Richman at BKFC 21 by knockout in the second round.

Cochrane faced Josh Dyer at BKFC Fight Night 8 on May 13, 2022, and lost by first-round knockout.

Cochrane won his next bout against Eduardo Peralta at BKFC 33 on November 18, 2022, by knockout in the fifth round. Cochrane knocked out Noah Cutter on May 19, 2023, early in the first round at BKFC 43.

Cochrane faced Jeremie Holloway in the co-main event of BKFC Fight Night 14 on May 17, 2024. He won the fight by knockout in the second round.

Cochrane faced Will Santiago on February 1, 2025, at BKFC on DAZN 4. He won the fight by technical knockout in the third round.

Cochrane faced Marcus Edwards in the main event on April 18, 2025, at BKFC Fight Night 24. He lost the fight by technical knockout in the first round.

Personal life Dakota and his wife Lacey have three children.

Cochrane participated in gay pornography films, appearing on the gay porn website Sean Cody starting around 2008 under the stage name Danny. During his career in porn, Cochrane made around $80,000. Cochrane said he worked as a gay-for-pay actor and stopped participating in gay porn after his girlfriend at the time requested it.

Championships and accomplishments Dynasty Combat Sports DCS Welterweight Championship (One time, current) M-1 Global M-1 Global USA National Welterweight Championship (One time) Victory Fighting Championship VFC Welterweight Championship (One time) Total Warrior Combat TWC Welterweight Championship (One time) The Cage Inc. TCI Lightweight Championship (One time)

Mixed martial arts record Win

Justin Baesman Submission (arm-triangle choke) DCS 77: New Years Knockout 2022

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

James Warfield Submission (guillotine choke) M-1 Global: Road to M-1 USA 2

Winterhaven, California, United States Loss

Scott Futrell Submission (rear naked choke) DCS 45: Ballyard Brawl Night 2

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States Win

Julian Lane Submission (rear naked choke) DCS 42: Rumble At The Ralston

Ralston, Nebraska, United States Win

Drew Lipton Submission (guillotine choke) DCS 38: Seasons Beatings 2017

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States Win

Ciro Rodrigues Decision (split) LFA 25

Ralston, Nebraska, United States Win

Maki Pitolo Submission (guillotine choke) Victory FC 58

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

David Castillo Decision (unanimous) Victory FC Fight Night Harrah's 5

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Loss

Jordan Larson DQ (illegal knee) Legacy Fighting Alliance Fight Night 1

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States Loss

E.J. Brooks Decision (unanimous) Victory FC 56

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Jake Lindsey Submission (guillotine choke) Victory FC 55

Topeka, Kansas, United States Win

Jos Eichelberger Submission (rear naked choke) Legacy Fighting Championship 60

Hinckley, Minnesota, United States Win

Jason Witt Submission (rear naked choke) Victory FC 52

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Dequan Townsend Decision (split) TWC 29: Jaynes vs. Lamson

Lansing, Michigan, United States Loss

Valdir Araujo TKO (punches) Victory FC 49

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

|Jake Lindsey Submission (guillotine choke) Victory FC 47

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Raymond Gray TKO (punches) Dynasty Combat Sports 22: Seasons Beatings 2015

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States Win

Ben Neumann Decision (unanimous) RFA 32: Blumer vs. Higo

Prior Lake, Minnesota, United States Win

Sean Huffman Submission (punches) VFC: Fight Night at Harrahs 3

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Win

Mike Bruno TKO (flying knee and punches) Titan FC 34

Kansas City, Missouri, United States Loss

Jesse Steele McCall Submission (rear naked choke) VFC: Fight Night at Harrahs 2

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Loss

Ryan Couture Submission (rear naked choke) Bellator 135

Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States Win

Ted Worthington TKO (punches) Dynasty Combat Sports 12: Seasons Beatings 2014

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States Loss

Alexander Sarnavskiy Submission (rear naked choke) Bellator 128

Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States Loss

Christos Giagos KO (flying knee and punches) RFA 17: Cochrane vs. Giagos

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States Win

Anton Kuivanen KO (flying knee) Fight Night Finland: Cochrane vs. Kuivanen

Helsinki, Finland Win

Efraín Escudero Decision (unanimous) RFA 13: Cochrane vs. Escudero

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States Loss

Chris Heatherly Submission (armbar) Warriors for Heroes

St. Louis, Missouri, United States Win

Carey Vanier KO (elbow) Victory FC 40

Ralston, Nebraska, United States Loss

Marcus Edwards Submission (rear naked choke) Disorderly Conduct 19 – The Tribute

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Deivison Francisco Ribeiro TKO (elbows) RFA 6: Krause vs. Imada 2

Kansas City, Missouri, United States Win

Derrick Burnsed Submission (armbar) RFA 4: Griffin vs. Escudero

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Joe Stevenson Submission (rear naked choke) RFA 3: Stevenson vs. Cochrane

Kearney, Nebraska, United States Loss

Cliff Wright Submission (rear naked choke) RFA 2: Yvel vs. Alexander

Kearney, Nebraska, United States Loss

Ramico Blackmon Decision (unanimous) RFA 1: Pulver vs. Elliott

Kearney, Nebraska, United States 165 lb catchweight Win

Jamie Varner Decision (unanimous) Titan FC 20

Kansas City, Kansas, United States 165 lb catchweight Win

George Sheppard Decision (split) The Cage Inc. – Battle at the Border 10

Hankinson, North Dakota, United States Win

Rod Montoya Submission (rear naked choke) Extreme Challenge 181

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Win

Marshall Martin KO (punch) The Cage Inc. – Battle at the Border 8

Hankinson, North Dakota, United States Win

Marcus LeVesseur Submission (triangle choke) Seconds Out/Vivid MMA: Combat On Capital Hill 4

St. Paul, Minnesota, United States Win

Will Shutt Submission (arm-triangle choke) Extreme Challenge 162

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Win

Jon Knutson Decision (unanimous) The Cage Inc. – Battle at the Border 6

Hankinson, North Dakota, United States Loss

TJ O'Brien Submission (rear naked choke) Extreme Challenge – High Stakes

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Win

Cory Simpson Submission (rear naked choke) The Cage Inc. – Battle at the Border 5

Hankinson, North Dakota, United States Win

Carlos Cladio Submission (rear naked choke) The Cage Inc. – Proving Grounds 2

Hankinson, North Dakota, United States Win

Jeremy Malaterre Decision (unanimous) Victory FC 30 – Night of Champions

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Win

Alex Harper Decision (unanimous) Victory FC 29 – The Rising

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Loss

James Vick Decision (split) The Ultimate Fighter: Live

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States 1-round TUF entry fight

Bareknuckle boxing record Loss

Marcus Edwards TKO (punches) BKFC Fight Night Omaha: Cochrane vs. Edwards

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Will Santiago TKO (corner stop) BKFC on DAZN Mohegan Sun: Lane vs. VanCamp

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Win

Jeremie Holloway KO BKFC Fight Night Omaha: Trinidad-Snake vs. Pague

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Noah Cutter KO (punches) BKFC 43

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Eduardo Peralta KO (punches) BKFC 33

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Loss

Josh Dyer KO (punches) BKFC Fight Night Omaha: Cochrane vs. Dyer

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Loss

Mike Richman KO (punch) BKFC 21

Omaha, Nebraska, United States Win

Tyler Vogel TKO (doctor stoppage) BKFC 15

Biloxi, Mississippi, United States Win

Chris Leben Decision (unanimous) BKFC 6

Tampa, Florida, United States Win

Johny Hendricks TKO (punches) World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation

Casper, Wyoming, United States