Jacob “Stitch” Duran
Legendary cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran has been instrumental in some of the greatest fights in MMA history. Stitch has been assigned to the likes of Forrest Griffin, Cain Velasquez and Lyoto Machida in the athletes’ most vulnerable moments. Considered to be one of the most valuable cutmen on the planet, elite fighters have been known to campaign for Stitch’s presence during title fights and pivotal battles.

Don House
The multi-talented Don House is world renowned for his training insight and technical expertise. House boxed in the US Army, accumulating a record of 74 wins and just 3 losses with 40 knockouts. He used his degree in engineering and his fighting knowledge to develop and patent a revolutionary fight glove that is currently used by the UFC. As a cutman, House has worked with MMA legends such as Chuck Liddell, Georges St. Pierre and Rampage Jackson.

Leon Tabbs
Celebrated cutman, Leon Tabbs is known for his ability to get elite fighters out of tough situations. Recognized as a “miracle worker” by many of the fighters that he has worked with, Tabbs has the ability to aid fighters in overcoming injury and allowing them to persevere. Given his long track record in the UFC, Tabbs is considered a great asset to all athletes.

Rudy Hernandez
World famous trainer Rudy Hernandez has been influential in the lives of countless professional fighters. Hernandez has fostered the success of many boxers and helped them to achieve the highest honors of the sport. His incredible boxing insight as a trainer has built superstars, and his skills as a cutman in the UFC have been instrumental in determining significant fights.

At 31 years old, Brian Eberosle has 65 professional fights; nearly triple the amount of George St. Pierre. The Indiana native has averaged over 5 fights a year since 2001, competing in an unheard of 15 bouts in 2002 alone. Despite his prolific career, Ebersole is just now starting to break into the scene on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts.

Born in La Porte, Indiana, Ebersole has fought all over the globe, spending much time fighting in Australia. Along his journeyman path, Ebersole has picked up quite a few quirks in addition to some spectacular fighting styles. While the hardcore fans may know Ebersole from his cartwheel kick knockout in 2009, he has made sure that the new MMA fans are taking notice thanks to his unusual body art. Ebersole shaves a large arrow in his chest, pointing to his face in order to show his opponents where to aim. Since joining the TapouT family, Ebersole sported a TapouT logo shaved into his chest hair for his UFC 140 battle with Claude Patrick.

With a tongue-in-cheek nickname like “TWAS,” standing for “The White Anderson Silva,” Ebersole is certainly blending his ruthless fight game with a fan-friendly attitude. Now 3-0 in the UFC, Ebersole looks to take on the best welterweights in the world and solidify himself as a top contender. Whether its forhis cartwheel kick or outrageous chest etchings, watch Brian Ebersole as he climbs to the top of the UFC’s welterweight ladder.

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Born in West Linn Oregon, Chael Sonnen is currently one of the top middleweight mixed martial artists in the world today. Chael is primarily known for his wrestling abilities which he honed at the University of Oregon, where he earned the status of NCAA Division 1 All American wrestler. He parlayed his successful collegiate career into an alternate position on the United States Olympic wrestling team.

Sonnen is perhaps equally known for his microphone presence as he is for his double-leg takedown. Recognized as the most prolific trash-talker in the game, Sonnen has used his wit and charisma to position himself as one of the most enteratining UFC athletes currently competing. His post fight interviews and television appearences provide compelling and hilarious drama that always garner the attention of the media.

Although Sonnen’s main career is MMA, it is simply one dimension of a man with various interests and focusses. Sonnen was extremely active in getting his home state of Orgeon to sanction mixed martial arts. Due to his knack for politics and drive to serve the public, Sonnen ran for Oregon’s House State Representative in District 37 as a Republican before he decided to drop out of the race on June 16, 2010.

Above all else, Sonnen can be characterized by his blue collar work ethic. Wether it’s training, fighting or campaigning, Sonnen is a firm believer in hard work fostering success.

Born in Hammond Indiana, Stephan Bonnar is known for helping propel mixed martial arts to new heights of popularity. “The American Psycho” always had an affinity for martial arts. At the age of 16, Bonnar earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do and constantly sought to advance his skill set. Stephan began training jiu jitsu under the legendary Carlson Gracie Jr., and honed his boxing skills as evident by his Chicago Golden Gloves titles in 2002 and 2004.

In 2004, Bonnar was chosen to compete on the UFC’s first ever season of The Ultimate Fighter. In the finals, Stephan battled Forrest Griffin in a fight that is largely credited for putting the UFC on the map. After earning his UFC contract, Bonnar has gone on to take part in some of the most entertaining fights in modern UFC history. He is known for throwing caution to the wind and standing toe to toe in the center of the Octagon.

Currently fighting out of Las Vegas Nevada, Stephan is on a quest to cement his legacy as one of the best light heavyweights in the world. When he’s not training, Stephan can be seen on ESPN as an MMA analyst or calling fights as a color commentator. With a clean bill of health and nagging injuries behind him, Bonnar plans on making 2012 the year of the “American Psycho.”

A member of the legendary Gracie Clan, Kyra Gracie continuously strives to break barriers throughout her life. Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Kyra was surrounded by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, an art form that her family famously pioneered. Kyra’s predominantly male family originally discouraged her from actively pursuing a career in Jiu-Jitsu. After seeing her mother achieve blue-belt status, however, Kyra dedicated herself to training, and competed in the Rio de Janeiro State Championships at age 11.

After tasting success at such an early age, Kyra shattered everyone’s expectations by going on to win the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships at age 13. Since breaking on to the scene, Kyra has gone on to become one of the most prolific female grapplers in the world, winning the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Championships three times.

Kyra continues to train with legendary uncle, Renzo Gracie, proving that she can hang with the boys at the highest level of the sport. She aims to one day balance the hardships and pressures of being a world-class athlete with the responsibilities of raising her own family.

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The Ruffo Brothers are living proof that it’s all about the size of the fight in the dog! Carlos Jr., Giovanni, and Royce Ruffo are considered to be MMA prodigies, with their full skills on display in TapouT’s television commercial. The precocious scrappers began training at only 18 months of age in various disciplines, including Muay Thai and Jeet Kun Do.

All three Ruffo brothers exhibit the dedication and passion that is fundamental to all TapouT athletes. Their goal to capture college scholarships demonstrates the importance of core values to their success.

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A staple on TapouT’s roster, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone consistently displays the heart of a champion and the gameness of a true warrior. Born in Colorado Springs, Donald Cerrone realized his penchant for fighting and began training in Muay Thai Kickboxing. After an unbelievable 28-0 undefeated streak as a kickboxer, the TapouT crew featured Cowboy on their versus series, sponsoring him for his victory over Anthony Njokuani. Since the initial sponsorship, Cowboy has become synonymous with TapouT, brandishing the bold logo on his patented cowboy hat.

Cerrone gained mainstream recognition with his jaw-dropping battles in World Extreme Cagefighting, where his feuds with Jamie Varner and Ben Henderson propelled him to stardom. Overshadowing Cowboy’s fighting abilities is his willingness to throw down on short notice. Since moving to the UFC, Cerrone has gone 3-0, taking two of his three fights only weeks out. His crowd-pleasing style and knack for beating opponents at their own game puts Cowboy on a short list of possible title contenders for 2012.

Cowboy currently lives in his “TapouT Ranch,” where he trains and mentors up and coming fighters. Donald dedicates his time and facility to young athletes who he believes in, much like TapouT supported him when he was starting out.

Through his charitable work and unbreakable fighting spirit, Donald Cerrone perfectly exemplifies the TapouT lifestyle.

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Ryan Bader’s iron chin and “never say quit” attitude make him a scary challenge for anyone inside the Octagon. It was outside of the cage, however, that Ryan cultivated his indomitable spirit that would allow him to succeed as a professional mixed martial artist. Born in Reno, Nevada, Ryan Bader’s propensity for wrestling led him to two high school state championships. Bader later utilized his incredible wrestling abilities to capture three PAC-10 championships at Arizona State University, alongside current UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

Bader broke on to the scene with his stint on the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter Season 8. Ryan’s disdain for defeat drove him to successfully beat four of his fellow contestants to win the TUF 8 title and the coveted UFC contract. Since Bader captured the contract, he hasn’t looked back.

Opening his pro-career with 12 straight victories, Bader became equally known for his powerful right hand as his famous wrestling abilities. Bader’s double leg takedown is considered to be one of the most feared in the sport, and his capacity to absorb shots to punish his opponents is nearly unmatched. While current light heavyweight champion derailed Bader’s undefeated streak, he is more motivated than ever to win the UFC’s light heavyweight title.

Ryan Bader’s athleticism and ferociously competitive nature is what makes him a TapouT athlete. His dedication to improving as a fighter and as a person allows him to be a great ambassador for the sport.

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Born in the mountains of California, Jake Shields epitomizes the adage of hard work breeding success. Shields began competing in wrestling at age nine, eventually earning two-time all American status at Cuesta College. After dabbling in mixed martial arts, Jake earned a wrestling scholarship to San Francisco State University. While competing at the university, Jake simultaneously began training MMA with the renowned Cesar Gracie team. His unparalleled work ethic allowed Jake to excel at Cesar Gracie’s, and his persistence earned him a training partner in UFC Hall of Famer, Chuck Liddell. Shields eventually developed his own brand of grappling, called “American Jiu-Jitsu,” which he utilized to win several of the world’s most prestigious grappling tournaments, including the 2005 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships.

Jake’s incredible heart and passion for MMA enabled him to go on an amazing 15 fight winning streak, beating the likes of Dan Henderson, Mayhem Miller, Paul Daley and Martin Kampmann. Jake reached the pinnacle of the sport when he battled welterweight king, George St. Pierre at UFC 129. Despite a loss to the champion, Jake bested GSP in rounds four and five on two of the judge’s scorecards.

Jake’s unique story as a lifelong vegetarian, dedicated single father and fierce competitor perfectly embodies the TapouT spirit. Jake’s loyalty to his family and his love for the fans make him a true champion and a revered member of the fight community.

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