Devin Powell (born March 1, 1988) is an American retired mixed martial arts fighter who competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator MMA.

Devin Powell
BornDevin Powell
(1988-03-01) March 1, 1988 (age 36)
Somersworth, New Hampshire, United States
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
DivisionLightweight
Reach74 in (188 cm)
Fighting out ofSouth Berwick, Maine, United States
TeamSeacoast BJJ and MMA (formerly)[1]
The Shop MMA (until 2014)[2]
Port City BJJ[2]
Nostos MMA (2014–present)[3]
Rank1st degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Jay Mansfield and James Deluca[4][3]
Years active2010–2020
Mixed martial arts record
Total15
Wins10
By knockout3
By submission4
By decision3
Losses5
By decision5
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Background

edit

A once-aspiring professional guitarist who played in a rock band in his teens, Powell graduated from Marshwood High School in South Berwick in 2006.[5] He attended college for a year before dropping out,[6] and taking a clerical job at the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Seeking a creative outlet from the tedium of his day job, Powell began attending an MMA gym in town. Powell started participating in jiu-jitsu tournaments and found some success.[5]

Mixed martial arts career

edit

Early career

edit

Powell had his first amateur fight in 2010, losing by split decision. In a little over a year, Powell won his next three amateur fights. When he fought his first professional bout in 2012, he was ranked #1 among amateur lightweight MMA fighters in the Northeastern United States.[5]

In May 2014, Powell took over The Shop MMA academy in Somersworth, New Hampshire when its owners decided to call it quits. Powell revamped the facility, founding Nostos MMA, a small family-friendly MMA gym which is owned by Powell and managed by his wife Carol Linn Hawkins.[7]

In 2016, Powell went on a rapid win streak of four wins in six months. In February, he defeated Jeff Anderson by unanimous decision at Combat Zone 57. In April, despite hurting his back during the fight, Powell finished Jesse Erickson by first-round TKO to win the New England Fights professional lightweight championship. In June, he debuted on World Series of Fighting, winning a split decision over Tom Marcellino.[5]

While taking a break from training and spending some time recuperating from lingering injuries in the days after a winning the Marcellino fight, Powell was asked in mid-July to step in on short notice to fight in New England Fights' upcoming event Dana White: Looking for a Fight on August 6 in Bangor, Maine. UFC president Dana White would be attending this event, scouting talent to sign to his promotion. The event would also be filmed and promoted through White's reality web series of the same name.[6] Powell, the reigning NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion, agreed to rematch Jon Lemke in a three-round non-title fight at a catchweight of 160 pounds.[8]

At Looking for a Fight, Powell pressed the action for most of the fight, using kicks to keep Lemke at range. Despite getting caught with a punch at one point that resulted in a visibly broken nose, Powell continued to press the action. Powell dropped Lemke with an uppercut and immediately took his back for a rear naked choke submission in the first round.[5] During the fight, Powell tore his LCL.[9]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

edit

A few days after his performance in Bangor, Powell was signed to a non-guaranteed four-fight contract with the UFC. In November he was booked to fight at UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Penn on January 15, 2017.[9] Powell's original opponent was Jordan Rinaldi, but Rinaldi pulled out just before Christmas due to an injury.[5] The UFC quickly signed newcomer Drakkar Klose to his own four-fight contract to replace Rinaldi on short notice.[10] In their fight, Klose defeated Powell decisively, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27 for Klose.[11]

Powell faced Darrell Horcher on June 25, 2017 at UFC Fight Night 112.[12] He lost the fight via split decision.[13]

Powell faced Álvaro Herrera on July 28, 2018 at UFC on Fox 30.[14] He won the fight via knockout due to kicks to the body in the first round.[15]

Powell was expected to face Claudio Puelles on November 17, 2018 at UFC Fight Night 140.[16] However, it was reported that Puelles pulled out from the event due to injury and he was replaced by newcomer Jesus Pinedo.[17] He lost the fight via unanimous decision and was subsequently released from the promotion.[18]

Bellator MMA

edit

Powell made his debut for Bellator MMA at Bellator 232 on October 26, 2019, against Marcus Surin. He won the fight by technical submission after his opponent appeared to be unconscious at the end of the second round.[19]

He made his sophomore appearance against Manny Muro at Bellator 252 on November 12, 2020. He lost the fight via unanimous decision and subsequently retired after the loss.[20]

Personal life

edit

Powell has a daughter , Clementine Carol linn Powells step daughter (born 2012).[3][21]

Mixed martial arts record

edit
Professional record breakdown
15 matches 10 wins 5 losses
By knockout 3 0
By submission 4 0
By decision 3 5
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 10–5 Manny Muro Decision (unanimous) Bellator 252 November 12, 2020 3 5:00 Uncasville, Connecticut, United States
Win 10–4 Marcus Surin Technical Submission (mounted guillotine) Bellator 232 October 26, 2019 2 5:00 Uncasville, Connecticut, United States
Loss 9–4 Jesus Pinedo Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Ponzinibbio November 17, 2018 3 5:00 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Win 9–3 Álvaro Herrera TKO (body kicks and punches) UFC on Fox: Alvarez vs. Poirier 2 July 28, 2018 1 1:52 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Loss 8–3 Darrell Horcher Decision (split) UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Lee June 25, 2017 3 5:00 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Loss 8–2 Drakkar Klose Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Penn January 15, 2017 3 5:00 Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Win 8–1 Jonathan Lemke Submission (rear-naked choke) NEF: Lookin' for a Fight August 5, 2016 1 3:50 Bangor, Maine, United States Catchweight (160 lbs) bout.
Win 7–1 Tom Marcellino Decision (split) WSOF 31 June 17, 2016 3 5:00 Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win 6–1 Jesse Erickson TKO (punches) NEF 22: All Roads Lead Here April 23, 2016 1 4:00 Lewiston, Maine, United States Won the vacant NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Championship.
Win 5–1 Jeff Anderson Decision (unanimous) CZ 57: Clash of the Titans February 5, 2016 3 5:00 Salem, New Hampshire, United States
Win 4–1 Scott Jurgen TKO (elbows) T2T: Toe 2 Toe Fights 2 May 9, 2015 1 1:40 Portland, Maine, United States
Win 3–1 Jonathan Lemke Submission (guillotine choke) NEF: Fight Night 13 May 10, 2014 1 0:24 Lewiston, Maine, United States
Loss 2–1 Bruce Boyington Decision (unanimous) Coliseum To The Cage: Ruckus December 6, 2013 3 5:00 Derry, New Hampshire, United States
Win 2–0 Andy Robertson Technical Submission (triangle choke) Cage Titans 9: Live Free and Fight Hard July 21, 2012 1 0:37 Dover, New Hampshire, United States
Win 1–0 Anthony Loycano Decision (unanimous) CZ 41: Cage Rage at The Rock April 27, 2012 3 5:00 Salem, New Hampshire, United States Lightweight debut.

[22]

References

edit
  1. ^ Monta Wiley (11 June 2016). "WSOF 31: Devin Powell Talks Promotional Debut against Tom Marcellino". mymmanews.com.
  2. ^ a b Alex Barber (December 17, 2016). "South Berwick native prepared for UFC debut". seacoastonline.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Devin Powell". nostosmmagym.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Devin Powell - Official UFC Profile". UFC.com. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Craig, Steve (January 15, 2017). "Devin Powell's big break puts him in UFC's big-time cage tonight". Portland Press Herald.
  6. ^ a b Encarnacao, Jack (January 15, 2017). "Native son Powell set for UFC debut". MMA Notes. Boston Herald. p. 71.
  7. ^ Barber, Alex (May 11, 2017). "Fighting is a family business". Business Limelight. Foster's Daily Democrat.
  8. ^ "Erickson out, Powell in to face Lemke in front of UFC president" (Press release). Bangor, Maine: New England Fights. July 18, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Clark, Ernie (November 16, 2016). "Bangor performance lands Maine fighter UFC contract". Bangor Daily News.
  10. ^ Crider, Aaron (January 1, 2017). "Former SH wrestler signs with UFC". The Herald-Palladium.
  11. ^ Gerbasi, Thomas (January 15, 2017). "Klose wins debut, Mendes, Oleinik, Martin also triumph". UFC.com.
  12. ^ Staff (2017-05-16). "Darrell Horcher vs. Devin Powell set for UFC Fight Night 112". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  13. ^ "UFC Fight Night 112 results: Darrell Horcher earns first UFC win with decision vs. Devin Powell". MMAjunkie. 2017-06-25. Retrieved 2017-06-26.
  14. ^ DNA, MMA (7 July 2018). "Devin Powell treft Alvaro Herrera tijdens UFC on FOX 30 in Calgary". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  15. ^ "UFC on FOX 30 results: Devin Powell wrecks Alvaro Herrera with body-kick knockout". MMAjunkie. 2018-07-28. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
  16. ^ Gino Alva Oliveira (2018-09-02). "UFC: Peruvian Claudio Puelles will face Devin Powell on November 17". El Comercio. elcomercio.pe. Retrieved 2018-09-04. (in Spanish)
  17. ^ DNA, MMA (2018-10-17). "Jesus Pinedo maakt UFC debuut tegen Devin Powell tijdens UFC Buenos Aires". MMA DNA. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  18. ^ "UFC Argentina results: Peru's Jesus Pinedo victorious in octagon debut". MMAjunkie. 2018-11-18. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  19. ^ McDonagh, Joe (2019-10-27). "Bellator 232: Devin Powell Only Interested in Big Opportunities". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  20. ^ Thomas Albano (November 12, 2020). "Bellator 252: Devin Powell retires following loss to Manny Muro".
  21. ^ Steve Craig (January 15, 2017). "Devin Powell's big break puts him in UFC's big-time cage tonight". Portland Press Herald.
  22. ^ "Devin Powell". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2017-11-02.
edit