James Wilks

Mixed martial arts career Wilks began training taekwondo and Jeet Kune Do while living in the United Kingdom. Wilks is a black belt in taekwondo, brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and an instructor of Jeet Kune Do and Combat Submission Wrestling.

He had his first professional fight against The Ultimate Fighter 5 competitor, Roman Mitichyan. Wilks won the fight via armbar submission in the second round. He came back to have his second fight and lost to Jimmy Smith. Before going to tape The Ultimate Fighter 9, Wilks won the Gladiator Challenge welterweight title. The Ultimate Fighter He defeated the highly regarded Che Mills by submission in an elimination match earning him a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete on the show. Wilks had his second fight against Team United States fighter Frank Lester; Wilks won by submission in the second round. In the semi-finals, Wilks faced Lester for a second straight time, after Lester returned to the tournament to defeat David Faulkner while substituting for Jason Pierce, who was removed from the competition by Dana White. In the rematch, Wilks defeated Lester by TKO via knees in the third round, earning a spot in the live finale.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Wilks made his debut for the UFC winning against DaMarques Johnson at The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom Finale on 20 June 2009. The fight crowned Wilks as the TUF 9 welterweight champion. Wilks dominated the fight against Johnson showing off strong striking and good submission attempts. Wilks finished the fight with Johnson via a rear naked choke submission in the closing seconds of the first round.

Wilks lost to Matt Brown via 3rd-round TKO, on 14 November 2009 at UFC 105. After being knocked down in the second and being saved by the bell from a submission attempt, Wilks came back early in the third round, attempting a kimura, before losing top position. Brown then secured the TKO victory. Prior to UFC 115, Wilks revealed that Brown had broken his orbital bone with an elbow strike after just 30 seconds of the first round.

Wilks then faced Peter Sobotta at UFC 115. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Wilks next fought Canadian prospect Claude Patrick at UFC 120 in London. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Wilks was expected to face Rory MacDonald on 30 April 2011 at UFC 129. However, Wilks was replaced on the card by Nate Diaz.

Wilks was expected to replace Duane Ludwig, and face Amir Sadollah at UFC Fight Night 24. However, Wilks was also injured and was replaced by DaMarques Johnson.

Retirement After suffering extensive injuries which included a fractured vertebra and after doctors told him he faced "significantly high risk of paralysis" if he continued to fight, Wilks announced his retirement from active MMA competition on 14 May 2012.

Personal life Wilks is an advocate of plant-based eating. Wilks is also a military (special forces) combatives instructor and law enforcement defensive tactics instructor.

The Game Changers Wilks had a leading role in the documentary film The Game Changers (2018), advocating a primarily plant-based diet in high-performance sport and produced by James Cameron.

Championships and accomplishments

Brazilian jiu-jitsu Gracie US Nationals Gracie US Nationals 2008 Gold Medalist (Advanced Division, 185lbs)

Mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Winner Gladiator Challenge GC Welterweight Championship (One time)

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Claude Patrick Decision (unanimous) UFC 120

London, England Win

Peter Sobotta Decision (unanimous) UFC 115

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Loss

Matt Brown TKO (punches) UFC 105

Manchester, England Win

DaMarques Johnson Submission (rear naked choke) The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Mike Robles Submission (armbar) GC 85: Cross Fire

San Diego, California, United States Win

John Cole TKO (knees) Apocalypse Fights 1: The First Sign

Coachella, California, United States Win

Shawn Nagano Submission (rear naked choke) UAGF 4: Kaos on the Kampus

Los Angeles, California, United States Loss

Patrick Speight Decision (unanimous) Total Combat 13: Anarchy

Del Mar, California, United States Win

Ray Lizama TKO (cut) KOTC 41: Relentless

San Jacinto, California, United States Loss

Jimmy Smith Submission (kneebar) KOTC 39: Hitmaster

San Jacinto, California, United States Win

Roman Mitichyan Submission (armbar) UAGF Ultimate Cage Fighting 4

Upland, California, United States Mixed martial arts exhibition record Win

Frank Lester TKO (knees)

Win

Frank Lester Submission (armbar)

Win

Che Mills Submission (heel hook)

Cheshire, England, United Kingdom