# Kurt Holobaugh

Kurt Holobaugh (born September 8, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial artist (MMA) who competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

## Mixed martial arts
### Early career

Holobaugh compiled an amateur record of 3-0 before making his professional MMA debut in March 2011. Over the next year-and-a-half, he amassed an undefeated record of 9 wins and no losses, with all but one of his wins coming by stoppage before the final bell.

### Strikeforce and Ultimate Fighting Championship

In 2013, Holobaugh joined the Strikeforce organization. He made his debut against Pat Healy at Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine on January 12, 2013. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Following the Strikeforce event, the organization was folded and merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Holobaugh's contract was honored and he made his UFC debut against Steven Siler at UFC 159 on April 27, 2013. He lost the fight by unanimous decision and was subsequently released by the promotion.

### Post UFC career

After his UFC release, Holobaugh fought for various independent MMA promotions. He found the most success in Titan Fighting Championships, where he compiled a record of 5-1 within the promotion, and held both the Featherweight Championship and Interim Lightweight Championship.

### Second UFC stint

Holobaugh would then be invited to compete in the main event of the inaugural edition of Dana White's Contender Series, facing Bellator veteran Matt Bessette. Holobaugh won the fight via knockout in round one, securing a UFC contract.
He faced Raoni Barcelos at UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Ivanov and lost via knockout in the third round. Despite the loss, the win earned Holobaugh his first Fight of the Night bonus award.
Holobaugh next faced Shane Burgos at UFC 230 on November 3, 2018. He lost the fight via submission in the third round.
Holobaugh faced Thiago Moisés on May 11, 2019 UFC 237. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.
Holobaugh was released by the UFC in December 2019.

### Post UFC

Holobaugh faced Joziro Boye at XFC 43 on November 11, 2020. He won the bout via first round TKO.
As the semifinal of XFC Lightweight tournament Holobaugh was initially scheduled to face Scott Hudson at XFC 44 on May 28, 2021. However, Hudson withdrew and was replaced by Jose Luis Verdugo. He won the bout via KO at the beginning of the second round and advanced to the final.

### The Ultimate Fighter 31

In March 2023, it was announced that Holobaugh would be competing in the thirty-first season of The Ultimate Fighter.
In the quarterfinal Holobaugh faced team McGregor's number 1 ranked lightweight prospect Lee Hammond, who is also a training partner to McGregor at his gym in Ireland. After being behind for the majority of the fight, Holobaugh managed to win the fight via guillotine choke submission late in the second round.
In the semi-final, Holobaugh faced fellow teammate Jason Knight, and won the fight via TKO in the second round.
Holobaugh faced former LFA Lightweight Champion and fellow teammate Austin Hubbard in the tournament final on August 19, 2023 at UFC 292. He won the fight via a triangle choke submission in the second round to become TUF 31 lightweight winner.

### Return to UFC

Holobaugh faced Trey Ogden on March 23, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 53. He lost the bout by unanimous decision.
Holobaugh faced Kaynan Kruschewsky on July 20, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 60. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Holobaugh faced Alexander Hernandez on March 15, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 254. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** The Ultimate Fighter 31 Lightweight Tournament Winner
** Fight of the Night (one time) vs. Raoni Barcelos
* Titan Fighting Championship
** Titan FC Featherweight Championship (One time)
** Interim Titan FC Lightweight Championship (One time)
* Xtreme Fighting Championships
** XFC Louisiana Featherweight Championship (One time)

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 31 matches | 21 wins | 9 losses |
| By knockout | 7 | 1 |
| By submission | 10 | 1 |
| By decision | 4 | 7 |
| No contests | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 21–9 (1) | Alexander Hernandez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 | March 15, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 21–8 (1) | Kaynan Kruschewsky | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Lemos vs. Jandiroba | July 20, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 20–8 (1) | Trey Ogden | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas | March 23, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 20–7 (1) | Austin Hubbard | Submission (triangle choke) | UFC 292 | August 19, 2023 | 2 | 2:39 | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Won The Ultimate Fighter 31 Lightweight Tournament. |
| Win | 19–7 (1) | Jose Luis Verdugo | KO (punch) | XFC 44 | May 28, 2021 | 2 | 0:11 | Des Moines, Iowa, United States | XFC Lightweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 18–7 (1) | Joziro Boye | TKO (knees and punches) | XFC 43 | November 11, 2020 | 1 | 0:26 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | |
| Loss | 17–7 (1) | Thiago Moisés | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 237 | May 11, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Return to Lightweight. |
| Loss | 17–6 (1) | Shane Burgos | Submission (armbar) | UFC 230 | November 3, 2018 | 1 | 2:11 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Loss | 17–5 (1) | Raoni Barcelos | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Ivanov | July 14, 2018 | 3 | 1:29 | Boise, Idaho, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| NC | 17–4 (1) | Matt Bessette | NC (overturned) | Dana White's Contender Series 1 | July 11, 2017 | 1 | 2:59 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Featherweight. Originally a KO (punch) win for Holobaugh; overturned due to his prohibited prefight use of an IV. |
| Win | 17–4 | Gesias Cavalcante | TKO (punches) | Titan FC 44 | May 19, 2017 | 4 | 2:45 | Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States | Won the interim Titan FC Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 16–4 | Yosdenis Cedeno | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Titan FC 42 | December 2, 2016 | 3 | 1:22 | Coral Gables, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 15–4 | Luciano dos Santos | TKO (punches) | Titan FC 39 | June 10, 2016 | 2 | 4:21 | Coral Gables, Florida, United States | Return to Lightweight. |
| Loss | 14–4 | Magomedrasul Khasbulaev | Decision (unanimous) | WFCA 16 | March 12, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Grozny, Russia | 2016 WFCA Featherweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal. |
| Loss | 14–3 | Andre Harrison | Decision (unanimous) | Titan FC 34 | July 18, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | Lost the Titan FC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 14–2 | Desmond Green | Decision (split) | Titan FC 33 | March 20, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | Mobile, Alabama, United States | Won the Titan FC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 13–2 | Lloyd Woodard | TKO (punches) | Titan FC 29 | August 22, 2014 | 1 | 0:15 | Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States | |
| Win | 12–2 | Eric Marriott | Decision (unanimous) | Titan FC 27 | February 28, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | Lightweight bout. |
| Win | 11–2 | Calvin Miller | Submission (rear naked choke) | XFC: Louisiana | August 24, 2013 | 1 | 2:10 | Ponchatoula, Louisiana, United States | Won the vacant XFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 10–2 | John LeBlanc | Submission | In Ya Face: Caged Warrior 1 | July 12, 2013 | 1 | 1:13 | Houma, Louisiana, United States | Lightweight bout. |
| Loss | 9–2 | Steven Siler | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 159 | April 27, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 9–1 | Pat Healy | Decision (unanimous) | Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine | January 12, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | Lightweight bout. |
| Win | 9–0 | Wesley Dunlap | KO (punch) | Fight Force International: Blood and Sand 13 | October 27, 2012 | 1 | 1:21 | Biloxi, Mississippi, United States | |
| Win | 8–0 | Wellington Brito | TKO (punches) | XFC: Natural Disaster 3 | August 25, 2012 | 1 | 3:31 | Denham Springs, Louisiana, United States | Featherweight debut. Won the vacant XFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–0 | Ronnie Rogers | Submission (rear naked choke) | Fight Force International: Blood and Sand 12 | June 30, 2012 | 2 | 1:15 | Biloxi, Mississippi, United States | Catchweight (160 lb) bout. |
| Win | 6–0 | Will Cruthirds | Submission (rear naked choke) | Fight Force International: Blood and Sand 11 | April 28, 2012 | 1 | 1:55 | Biloxi, Mississippi, United States | |
| Win | 5–0 | J.C. Pennington | Submission (triangle choke) | XFC: Chaos at the Castine Center 2 | April 7, 2012 | 3 | 3:12 | Mandeville, Louisiana, United States | Won the vacant XFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Booker Arthur | Decision (unanimous) | XFC: Nightmare on the Northshore | October 29, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Mandeville, Louisiana, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Paul Soileau | Submission (guillotine choke) | Felix's FC: Night of Champions 2 | July 23, 2011 | 1 | 0:32 | Gonzales, Louisiana, United States | Won the Felix's FC Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 2–0 | Phil Daru | Submission (armbar) | XFC: Chaos at the Castine Center | July 9, 2011 | 1 | 1:55 | Mandeville, Louisiana, United States | Lightweight debut. |
| Win | 1–0 | Derrick Breaux | Submission | In Ya Face: Karnival Karnage | March 12, 2011 | 1 | 0:39 | Houma, Louisiana, United States | Welterweight debut. |

## Mixed martial arts exhibition record

| Exhibition record breakdown | Exhibition record breakdown | |
| 2 matches | 2 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 2–0 | Jason Knight | TKO (punches) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler | Aug 8, 2023 (airdate) | 2 | 2:56 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | The Ultimate Fighter 31 Semi-final round. |
| Win | 1–0 | Lee Hammond | Submission (guillotine choke) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler | Jul 4, 2023 (airdate) | 2 | 3:21 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | The Ultimate Fighter 31 Quarterfinal round. |