Emanuel Newton

Emanuel Newton (born February 1, 1984) is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in Bellator's Light Heavyweight division, where he is a former Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion. He has also competed for WEC, King of the Cage, International Fight League, and MFC. He is also a former MFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Background Newton was born in Inglewood, California, and grew up in Torrance, California. Growing up, Newton had an interest in swimming, surfing, and lifeguarding. Newton's father had done some boxing and Muay Thai training, but died when Newton was 10 years old. Newton wrestled and played football, as a defensive end at North High School (Torrance, California). Then, six years later, Newton's mother died and Newton lost interest in his schoolwork. His poor grades did not allow him to continue playing football, but he had improved enough by the start of the wrestling season to continue in that sport. After high school, he went to Cerritos College, but began training with former UFC fighter Paul Herrera, who has also trained former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career: World Extreme Cagefighting and King of the Cage Newton started his MMA career in 2003. Despite having lost his first two bouts against Brian Ebersole and Tim McKenzie respectively, he has fought for WEC once on August 20, 2004, against André Mussi, getting then his first victory via unanimous decision after three rounds.

Newton also fought for KOTC, obtaining a draw against the UFC veteran Hector Ramirez and a victory over the WEC veteran Richard Montoya.

After his win over Jeff Quinlan in IFL, Newton celebrated by buying a motorcycle. Unfortunately, Newton was involved in a crash while driving at 152 miles per hour on a highway in California. He was hit by a car and fell onto the pavement at an estimated 140 mph. He had never broken any bones before but had broken his arm from this accident. He had to have five surgeries on his arm, and developed a staph infection. The infection was so bad that he was in danger of having the arm amputated. Fortunately, the infection died down but Newton received a space between two of the bones in his arm.

Newton faced Roger Hollett for the title on December 5, 2008, at MFC 19. He won via unanimous decision and became the new MFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Newton faced Trevor Prangley on May 15, 2009, at MFC 21. He lost his title via unanimous decision.

Newton also faced Ryan Jimmo, Dwayne Lewis, and Rodney Wallace on MFC. He lost his bout against Jimmo and won his last two bouts for MFC.

Newton was expected to face Ryan Jimmo again on April 8, 2011, at MFC 29 for the Light Heavyweight Championship. However, he was replaced by Zak Cummings due to injury.

On his two bouts for Shark Fights, he defeated Ilir Latifi and Ricky Shivers. In late 2011 he defeated UFC and K-1 veteran James McSweeney for Superior Cage Combat and closing a sequence of five consecutive victories, he signed with Bellator.

Bellator MMA Newton made his debut on June 22, 2012, at Bellator 71 against Roy Boughton in the quarterfinal match of Bellator 2012 Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament. He won via submission in the second round and advanced to the semifinals.

On July 20, 2012, at Bellator 72 in the semifinals of the tournament he faced Attila Végh. He lost via split decision.

Newton faced Atanas Djambazov on January 17, 2013, at Bellator 85 in the quarterfinal match of Bellator Season Eight Light Heavyweight Tournament. He won via submission in the second round and advanced to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Newton defeated former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Muhammed Lawal on February 21, 2013, at Bellator 90 via KO due to a spinning back fist.

In the finals at Bellator 94, Newton faced Mikhail Zayats and won via unanimous decision.

He was expected to face Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Attila Végh on November 2, 2013, at Bellator 106. However, due to Vegh getting injured, Newton instead had a rematch against Muhammed Lawal for the Bellator Interim Light Heavyweight Championship. He won the fight via unanimous decision to become the Interim Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion.

Newton faced current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Attila Végh at Bellator 113 for a title unification bout on March 21, 2014. He won the fight via split decision to become the current unified Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion.

Newton made his first title defense against Joey Beltran on September 12, 2014, at Bellator 124. He won the fight in the third round due to a spinning back fist, the second time he has landed in his Bellator career.

Newton next faced Linton Vassell on October 24, 2014, at Bellator 130. He successfully defended his title, winning via rear naked choke submission in the fifth round.

For the third defense of his title, Newton faced Liam McGeary on February 27, 2015, in the main event at Bellator 134. He lost the back-and-forth fight via unanimous decision, during the course of the fight, Newton was nearly submitted in the first and third rounds with two triangle chokes, even being rocked at one point in the fourth round. Days after the fight, it was revealed that Newton had tested positive for Marijuana and was subsequently issued a three-month suspension by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulations.

Newton was a participant in Bellator's one-night Light Heavyweight tournament at Bellator MMA & Glory: Dynamite 1 on September 19, 2015. He faced Phil Davis in the opening round and lost via submission.

Newton had a rematch with Linton Vassell on February 19, 2016, at Bellator 149. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

On October 5, 2016, Newton was released from Bellator.

Post-Bellator Newton faced UFC veteran Nikita Krylov on October 13, 2017, at Fight Nights Global 77. He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.

Championships and accomplishments Bellator Fighting Championships Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship (One time; former) Two successful title defenses Interim Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship (One time) Bellator Season Eight Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner Maximum Fighting Championship MFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time) Gladiator Challenge GC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Nikita Krylov KO (knee) Fight Nights Global 77: Krylov vs. Newton

Surgut, Russia Loss

Artur Astakhov Decision (unanimous) Fight Nights Global 61: Aleksakhin vs. Enomoto

Bryansk, Russia Loss

Evgeny Erokhin Decision (unanimous) League S-70: Plotforma 7th

Sochi, Krasnodar, Russia Win

Matt Baker Submission (arm-triangle choke) Fight Night 2: Medicine Hat

Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada Loss

Linton Vassell Decision (unanimous) Bellator 149

Houston, Texas, United States Loss

Phil Davis Submission (kimura) Bellator 142: Dynamite 1

San Jose, California, United States Loss

Liam McGeary Decision (unanimous) Bellator 134

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Win

Linton Vassell Submission (rear-naked choke) Bellator 130

Mulvane, Kansas, United States Win

Joey Beltran KO (spinning back fist) Bellator 124

Plymouth Township, Michigan, United States Win

Attila Végh Decision (split) Bellator 113

Mulvane, Kansas, United States Win

Muhammed Lawal Decision (unanimous) Bellator 106

Long Beach, California, United States Win

Mikhail Zayats Decision (unanimous) Bellator 94

Tampa, Florida, United States Win

Muhammed Lawal KO (spinning back fist) Bellator 90

West Valley City, Utah, United States Win

Atanas Djambazov Submission (rear-naked choke) Bellator 85

Irvine, California, United States Loss

Attila Végh Decision (split) Bellator 72

Tampa, Florida, United States Win

Roy Boughton Submission (rear-naked choke) Bellator 71

Chester, West Virginia, United States Win

James McSweeney Submission (rear-naked choke) Superior Cage Combat 3

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Ricky Shivers Decision (unanimous) Shark Fights 18

Sparks, Nevada, United States Win

Ilir Latifi Decision (unanimous) Shark Fights 17: Horwich vs. Rosholt 2

Frisco, Texas, United States Win

Rodney Wallace Submission (rear-naked choke) MFC 28

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Win

Dwayne Lewis Decision (unanimous) MFC 25

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Loss

Ryan Jimmo Decision (unanimous) MFC 23

Enoch, Alberta, Canada Loss

Raphael Davis Submission (rear-naked choke) Called Out MMA 1

Ontario, California, United States Loss

Trevor Prangley Decision (unanimous) MFC 21

Enoch, Alberta, Canada Win

Roger Hollett Decision (unanimous) MFC 19: Long Time Coming

Enoch, Alberta, Canada Win

David Heath Submission (rear-naked choke) MFC 18: Famous

Enoch, Alberta, Canada Win

B.J. Lacy Submission (rear-naked choke) PureCombat 5: Hard Core

Visalia, California, United States Win

Jeff Quinlan Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke) IFL: Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, United States Win

Marcos Rodriguez Submission (armbar) COF 6: It's On!

Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico Win

Arthur César Jacintho Decision GC 59: St. Paddywack

Sacramento, California, United States Win

Kyacey Uscola TKO (punches) GC 51: Madness at the Memorial

Sacramento, California, United States Win

Richard Montoya Decision (unanimous) KOTC: Heavy Hitters

Coarsegold, California, United States Win

John Lansing TKO (punches) KOTC: Outlaws

Globe, Arizona, United States Draw

Hector Ramirez Draw KOTC 58: Prime Time

San Jacinto, California, United States Win

Nate Ducharme Decision GC 36: Proving Grounds

Lakeport, California, United States Return to Light Heavyweight. Loss

Mike van Arsdale Submission (kimura) MMA Mexico: Day 1

Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico Win

Bryan Pardoe Decision (unanimous) Venom: First Strike

Huntington Beach, California, United States Win

André Mussi Decision (unanimous) WEC 11

Lemoore, California, United States Heavyweight debut. Loss

Tim McKenzie Decision (unanimous) Rage on the River

Redding, California, United States Loss

Brian Ebersole TKO (punches) CFM: Ultimate Fighting Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico