Pat Miletich

Patrick Jay Miletich (; born March 9, 1968) is a retired American mixed martial artist and former sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Winner. Miletich is also known as a highly successful trainer and coach, having founded Miletich Fighting Systems. This camp is considered one of the most successful in MMA history and has produced several world champions. On July 6, 2014, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Early life Miletich, the youngest of five children, was born in Davenport, Iowa, to second generation Croatian immigrant parents. Two of his brothers are deceased. Miletich started wrestling at the age of five, continuing at Bettendorf High School. Miletich shared the Bettendorf High School wrestling room with future MMA champion Mark Kerr. He said he wanted to be a world champion in something and wrestling was something he was good at. Although Miletich originally planned to pursue football after graduating high school, he eventually chose to wrestle in junior college.

Mixed martial arts career Early career Miletich started his MMA training at 26. with Grand Master Nick Tarpein, where he learned much of what he knows about karate, and was introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the very first time.

His next fight was a KO win over Shonie Carter at UFC 32.

Move up to middleweight After the fight with Carter, Miletich moved up to the Middleweight division. This was also partly due to encouragement by UFC management and because his teammate, Matt Hughes, defeated Carlos Newton to win the UFC Welterweight Championship. Miletich lost to Nunn via split decision.

Return After a near fifteen year hiatus, Miletich returned to face rival Mike Jackson on October 14, 2023 at Caged Aggression 36. Despite finding initial success against his younger foe, Miletich succumbed to fatigue, and lost via technical knockout after his corner stopped the fight before the start of the third round.

Coaching Miletich founded Miletich Fighting Systems, a mixed martial arts academy in his hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa. MFS has trained over 90 televised fighters and 11 MMA world champions, including former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, former two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia, former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, and former EliteXC Middleweight Champion and former UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler.

Law enforcement/military training For over 15 years Miletich has trained local, state, and federal law-enforcement officers and military groups from all service branches, including special-operations groups attached to those branches. He has also written and designed defensive tactics and combatives courses for other combatives companies.

Miletich is also the co-founder of Fire Horse combatives which trains LEO and military personnel.

Personal life Miletich is married and has three daughters. He is a Freemason.

Miletich was arrested on June 29, 2020, in Moline, Illinois and was charged with DUI. This was Miletich's second DUI arrest, his first coming in September 2018, a charge to which he pleaded guilty in March 2019.

Championships and accomplishments Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC Hall of Fame (Pioneer Wing, Class of 2014) UFC Welterweight Championship (One time, first) Four successful title defenses UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Winner UFC Viewers Choice Award UFC Encyclopedia Awards Knockout of the Night (One time) Submission of the Night (One time) Sherdog Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Fame George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame George Tragos Award (2011) Resurrection Fighting Alliance & AXS TV Lifetime Achievement Award

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Mike Jackson TKO (retirement) Caged Aggression 36

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

Thomas Denny KO (punches) Adrenaline MMA 2

Moline, Illinois, United States Loss

Renzo Gracie Submission (guillotine choke) IFL 9

Moline, Illinois, United States Loss

Matt Lindland TKO (punches) UFC 36

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Shonie Carter KO (head kick) UFC 32

East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States Loss

Carlos Newton Submission (bulldog choke) UFC 31

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Win

Kenichi Yamamoto Submission (guillotine choke) UFC 29

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Kiyoshi Tamura Decision (majority) Rings: Millennium Combine 3

Yokohama, Japan Win

John Alessio Submission (armbar) UFC 26

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States Loss

José Landi-Jons TKO (corner stoppage) WEF 8 - Goin' Platinum

Rome, Georgia, United States Win

Shonie Carter Decision (unanimous) Extreme Challenge 27

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

André Pederneiras TKO (doctor stoppage) UFC 21

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States Win

Clayton Miller Submission (triangle choke) Cage Combat 2

Ottumwa, Iowa, United States Loss

Jutaro Nakao Technical Submission (triangle choke) SuperBrawl 11

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States Win

Jorge Patino Decision (unanimous) UFC 18

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States Win

Mikey Burnett Decision (split) UFC Brazil

São Paulo, Brazil Draw

Dan Severn Draw Extreme Challenge 20

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

Al Buck, Jr. Submission (choke) Midwest Shootfighting 1

Clinton, Iowa, United States Win

Chris Brennan Submission (shoulder choke)

Win

Townsend Saunders Decision (split)

Win

Chris Brennan Decision (unanimous) EC - Extreme Challenge Trials

Davenport, Iowa, United States Draw

Chris Brennan Draw (majority) Extreme Challenge 9

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

Chuck Kim Submission (rear-naked choke) Extreme Challenge 7

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States Loss

Matt Hume TKO (doctor stoppage) Extreme Fighting 4

Des Moines, Iowa, United States Win

Chad Cox TKO (submission to punch) Extreme Challenge 3

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

Paul Kimbro Submission (armbar) Extreme Challenge 2

Des Moines, Iowa, United States Win

Jason Nicholson Decision (unanimous) SuperBrawl 3

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States Win

Earl Loucks Submission (americana) Extreme Challenge 1

Des Moines, Iowa, United States Win

Pat Assalone Submission (armbar) Brawl at the Ballpark 1

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

Matt Andersen TKO (submission to punches) Gladiators 1

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

Yasunori Matsumoto TKO (doctor stoppage) QCU 2

Moline, Illinois, United States Win

Andrey Dudko Submission (rear-naked choke)

Win

Bob Gholson KO (punches)

Win

Rick Graveson Submission (rear-naked choke)

Win

Rick Graveson Submission (rear-naked choke)

Win

Ed McLennan Submission (armbar)

Win

Kevin Marino Submission (rear-naked choke)

Win

Angelo Rivera Submission (rear-naked choke)

Win

Yasunori Matsumoto Submission (rear-naked choke)

Professional boxing record