# Jared Gordon

Jared Gordon (born September 6, 1988) is an American mixed martial artist. He was the lightweight champion of Duelo de Gigantes in Mexico and featherweight champion for Cage Fury Fighting Championships in the United States. He competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

## Background

Gordon was born and raised in Queens, New York. The grandson of late professional boxer Sal Ferello, Gordon started boxing and wrestling at a young age and he was obsessed with MMA when he was in high school. He found an MMA school, Combined MMA, and started training BJJ. Gordon spent most of his adolescence in Westport CT attending Staples High School. In his time in Westport Gordon learned valuable skills from his uncle Oliver Barkley. Four months later, at age of 17, Gordon fought his first amateur MMA fight. He taught boxing and Muay Thai at Church Street Boxing in New York prior to turning professional. During this time, he was trained by his coach Jason Strout.
Gordon is in long-term recovery from chaotic drug use and would like to use the octagon as the platform to voice his support and give hope to those who suffer the same addiction.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

Gordon amassed a record of 12–1 prior joining UFC. He was the lightweight champion of Duelo de Giagantes in Mexico and featherweight champion for Cage Fury Fighting Championship in United States.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Gordon was scouted by Dana White on UFC web series show "Dana White: Looking for a fight" second season episode two at Cage Fury Fighting Championships where Gordon won the Featherweight title that night. White was impressed with his performance and signed him onto UFC.
Gordon was scheduled his promotional debut to face Michel Quiñones at UFC 211. However, Gordon pulled out of the fight on the day before the event due to stomach illness and the bout was rescheduled to June 25, 2017 at UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Lee in Oklahoma City. At the weigh-in, Gordon missed the required featherweight limit for the fight of 146Ibs. As a result he was fined 20% of his pay, and the bouts proceeded at catchweight. Gordon secured his first UFC win on round two via TKO.
Gordon faced Hacran Dias at the lightweight bout on October 28, 2017 at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Gordon faced Carlos Diego Ferreira on February 18, 2018 at UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Medeiros. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round. After the loss, Gordon decided to move to Milwaukee to train at Roufusport under Duke Roufus.
Gordon faced Joaquim Silva on December 15, 2018 at UFC on Fox 31. He lost the fight via knockout in round three. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award. Despite losing the two last fights of his rookie contract, he signed a new four-fight contract with the UFC after the Silva fight.
Gordon faced Dan Moret on June 29, 2019 at UFC on ESPN 3. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Gordon was expected to face Leonardo Santos on November 16, 2019 at UFC Fight Night 164. However, Santos withdrew from the fight and was replaced by Charles Oliveira. He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.
Gordon was scheduled to face Matt Sayles on May 16, 2020. However, on April 9, Dana White, the president of UFC announced that this event was postponed to a future date due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Gordon faced Chris Fishgold in a featherweight bout on July 16, 2020 at UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige. At the weigh-ins, Fishgold weighed in at 149 pounds, 3 pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. He was fined 20% of he purse which went to Gordon and their bout proceeded at catchweight. Gordon won the fight via unanimous decision. With one fight left on his contract, Gordon subsequently signed a new contract with the UFC.
Gordon faced Danny Chavez on February 20, 2021 at UFC Fight Night 185. At the weigh-ins, Gorden weighed in at 150 pounds, four pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. He was fined 30% of his purse which went to his opponent Chavez and the bout proceed at catchweight. Gordon won the fight via unanimous decision.
Gordon faced Joe Solecki on October 2, 2021 at UFC Fight Night 193. He won the fight via split decision.
Gordon was scheduled to face Rafael Alves on April 30, 2022 at UFC on ESPN 35. However Alves withdrew from the event for undisclosed reasons and he was replaced by Grant Dawson. He lost the bout via rear-naked choke late into the third round.
Gordon faced Leonardo Santos on August 20, 2022 at UFC 278. He won the bout via unanimous decision.
Gordon faced Paddy Pimblett on December 10, 2022, at UFC 282. He lost the bout via unanimous decision. The decision was seen as controversial, as many media outlets, fighters, and fans expressed their belief that Gordon had won the fight. 23 out of 24 media sources scored the fight in his favor.
Gordon faced Bobby Green on April 22, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 222. Late in the first round, Gordon was knocked down via a headbutt that went unnoticed by referee Keith Peterson, with Gordon being finished by knockout moments later. Subsequently the ringside officials reviewed the finishing sequence, and it was determined that a clash of heads did indeed occur. The headbutt was unintentional by Bobby Green. As a result, the fight was ruled a no contest.
Gordon was scheduled to face Jim Miller, replacing Ľudovít Klein, on June 3, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 46. Simultaneously, Gordon signed a new multi-fight contract with the UFC. However he pulled out because of a concussion sustained in his last fight versus Bobby Green.
Gordon faced Mark Madsen on November 11, 2023, at UFC 295. He won the bout at the end of the first round via TKO stoppage after dropping Madsen with an elbow and finishing him with ground and pound.
Gordon faced Nasrat Haqparast on June 22, 2024, at UFC on ABC 6. He lost the fight by a close split decision.
Gordon was scheduled to face Kauê Fernandes on February 15, 2025 at UFC Fight Night 251. However, Fernandes withdrew from the fight due to visa issues and was replaced by promotional newcomer Mashrabjon Ruziboev. In turn, although Gordon made weight, the bout was cancelled due to Ruziboev's illness.

## Personal life
### Drug addiction

Gordon used prescription pain medication to manage his pain from an injury and led him to drug addiction at the age of 19 and by 21 he was addicted to heroin. At 23, he was homeless and panhandling in the streets to support his drug habit. At some point, Gordon managed to get into a rehab program and became clean. He returned to fighting soon after. His fight against Jeff Lentz ended with Gordon suffering a broken orbital bone in five places. Due to this injury, he was given pain medication to help him deal with his injured eye and he became addicted, ultimately leading to an overdose incident. Gordon managed to beat his drug addiction and stay sober by checking himself in rehab after the third overdose in 2015 left him legally dead for two minutes. He is now in long-term recovery from problem drug use.
   I overdosed three times. I was facing 25 years to life at one point. I’ve been homeless, panhandling, I’ve been to psych wards. I’ve been to rehab 10 times, and I’ve had near-death situations. At this point, I just consider myself grateful and extremely lucky and blessed to be where I am.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Joaquim Silva
* Duelo de Gigantes
** Duelo de Gigantes Lightweight Champion (One time) vs. Alejandro Roman
* Cage Fury Fighting Championships
** CFFC Featherweight Championship (One time) vs. Bill Algeo

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 28 matches | 20 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 7 | 4 |
| By submission | 2 | 1 |
| By decision | 11 | 2 |
| No contests | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 20–7 (1) | Nasrat Haqparast | Decision (split) | UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov | June 22, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |
| Win | 20–6 (1) | Mark Madsen | TKO (elbow and punches) | UFC 295 | November 11, 2023 | 1 | 4:42 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| NC | 19–6 (1) | Bobby Green | NC (accidental clash of heads) | UFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes | April 22, 2023 | 1 | 4:35 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Unintentional headbutt by Bobby Green led to Gordon being knocked out unconscious. |
| Loss | 19–6 | Paddy Pimblett | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 282 | December 10, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 19–5 | Leonardo Santos | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 278 | August 20, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Loss | 18–5 | Grant Dawson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Vera | April 30, 2022 | 3 | 4:11 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 18–4 | Joe Solecki | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Walker | October 2, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Lightweight. |
| Win | 17–4 | Danny Chavez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis | February 20, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Catchweight (150 lb) bout; Gordon missed weight. |
| Win | 16–4 | Chris Fishgold | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige | July 16, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Return to Featherweight; Fishgold missed weight (149 lb). |
| Loss | 15–4 | Charles Oliveira | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré | November 16, 2019 | 1 | 1:26 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 15–3 | Dan Moret | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos | June 29, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | |
| Loss | 14–3 | Joaquim Silva | KO (punches) | UFC on Fox: Lee vs. Iaquinta 2 | December 15, 2018 | 3 | 2:39 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 14–2 | Carlos Diego Ferreira | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Medeiros | February 18, 2018 | 1 | 1:58 | Austin, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 14–1 | Hacran Dias | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida | October 28, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Return to Lightweight. |
| Win | 13–1 | Michel Quiñones | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Lee | June 25, 2017 | 2 | 4:24 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | Catchweight (149 lb) bout; Gordon missed weight. |
| Win | 12–1 | Bill Algeo | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Fury FC 63 | February 18, 2017 | 4 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Defended the Cage Fury FC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 11–1 | Dawond Pickney | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Fury FC 60 | August 6, 2016 | 2 | 3:10 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Lightweight bout. |
| Win | 10–1 | Anthony Morrison | KO (head kick) | Cage Fury FC 59 | July 9, 2016 | 1 | 1:48 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Won the vacant Cage Fury FC Featherweight Championship. |
| Loss | 9–1 | Jeff Lentz | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Cage Fury FC 48 | May 9, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Featherweight debut. For the vacant Cage Fury FC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–0 | Jay Coleman | TKO (punches) | Cage Fury FC 45 | February 7, 2015 | 1 | 4:47 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 8–0 | Corey Bleaken | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Fury FC 44 | December 13, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Johnson Jajoute | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Fury FC 28 | October 26, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Alejandro Roman | Decision (unanimous) | Duelo de Gigantes: Round 4 | June 22, 2013 | 5 | 5:00 | Zumpango, Mexico | |
| Win | 5–0 | Luiz Gustavo Felix dos Santos | Decision (unanimous) | Duelo de Gigantes: Round 3 | June 15, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Zumpango, Mexico | |
| Win | 4–0 | Oscar De La Parra | TKO (punches) | Duelo de Gigantes: Round 2 | June 8, 2013 | 3 | 2:14 | Zumpango, Mexico | |
| Win | 3–0 | Alvaro Enriquez | TKO (punches) | Duelo de Gigantes: Round 1 | June 2, 2013 | 2 | 4:25 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Win | 2–0 | Robert Fabrizi | TKO (punches) | Cage Fury FC 19 | February 2, 2013 | 2 | 2:31 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Anthony D'Agostino | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Fury FC 6 | February 5, 2011 | 2 | 1:42 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Lightweight debut. |