Frank Trigg

Biography

Frank Trigg is a former mixed martial arts fighter, Actor and Stunt performer for TV and Film, color commentator, television personality, radio host, and MMA spokesman. As a fighter, Frank Trigg has fought for some of the most prestigious fight promotions in the world, including Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, Rumble on the Rock, Icon Sport and World Fighting Alliance. Trigg began his fight career in 1996 fighting for various promotions and got his big break in 1999 when he signed on to fight for PRIDE Fighting Championships. Trigg made his debut for the promotion at Pride 8, where he clinched a TKO victory over Fabiano Iha. The Olympic trials wrestling finalist and second degree Judo Black Belt went on to claim numerous titles, including the World Fighting Alliance Welterweight World title and the Icon Middleweight Championship title. Trigg Stopped fighting in 2011 to pursue acting and stunt work full-time. As an Interviewer Trigg can be seen giving one of a kind interviews on MmaOddsBreaker.com with fighters from different promotions. As a radio personality, Trigg is the former co-host of the MMAWeekly.com radio show and TAGG radio. On television, Trigg has appeared on the VH1 reality show ‘Kept” where he tried to win the affections of former supermodel Jerry Hall, and was also featured on an episode of the popular sitcom ‘King of Queens, Hawaii Five-0, Murder in the first, Houdini, The Bridge and Ncis LA. He appeared in the movies Red Belt, Frank and Lola, Awakening, Street. When he is not busy acting and training for stunts, he spends his time with his family and giving back to the community through youth mentoring, involvement with Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and motivational speaking.

Mixed martial arts career

In 1995, Trigg began studying judo under Sensei and former Olympian, Patrick Burris. It was while training with Burris that Trigg earned his first black belt and was introduced to the world of Mixed Martial Arts.

After receiving his bachelor's degree in Public Affairs and Administration in 1997, Trigg took a coaching position at the University of Oklahoma while continuing to compete on his own at the amateur and professional levels. In 1999, Trigg fought at Pride 8 in Japan, defeating Fabiano Iha via TKO due to strikes. Less than a year later, in early 2000, Trigg qualified as an Olympic Trials Finalist in wrestling.

Beating some of the World's best athletes convinced Trigg that a legitimate professional wrestling and mixed martial arts career was the next step. By the end of 2000, Trigg fought the Shooto world champion Hayato Sakurai for his title. While Trigg initially controlled the bout, Sakurai staged a comeback and brutally knocked Trigg out in the second round due to knees, handing Trigg his first career loss.

Trigg joined the World Fighting Alliance from 2001–2002, where he held the WFA welterweight title. Trigg was undefeated in WFA.

After several successful years with the WFA, in 2003, Trigg joined the premier organization in the world for MMA, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Trigg earned an immediate title shot against champion Matt Hughes at UFC 45: Revolution. After a tactical grappling match-up early on, Trigg fell victim to a rear naked choke in the first round.

Trigg rebounded quickly, defeating Dennis Hallman and Renato Verissimo in UFC 48 and UFC 50 to earn another shot at Hughes' Welterweight Championship.

In their second fight at UFC 52, Trigg had Hughes at the brink of defeat after a knee to the groin went unnoticed by the referee. Hughes went on to reverse position and submit Trigg by rear naked choke later in the first round in what is considered one of the great comebacks in UFC history. After this loss, fans of Frank Trigg affectionately termed the choke the "rear naked Trigg."

Trigg returned at UFC 54 to take on future welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre where he lost by a rear naked choke in the opening round. The loss would be Trigg's final appearance in the UFC until UFC 103, almost 50 events later.

Trigg participated in Rumble on the Rock's 2006 welterweight tournament, winning his first round fight against Ronald Jhun. He was upset in the second round by Carlos Condit.

Trigg remained inactive after that loss, focusing on his broadcasting job with Pride FC.

He won the Icon Sport Middleweight title on December 6, 2006, TKO-ing Jason "Mayhem" Miller.

His next fight was on at Pride 33, on February 24, 2007, against Middleweight Grand Prix champion Kazuo Misaki. Trigg out wrestled Misaki and maintained control on the ground, winning by a 30–27 unanimous decision.

A month later, on March 31, 2007, Trigg unsuccessfully defended his Icon Sport middleweight title against Robbie Lawler, losing in the fourth round via KO.

On December 17, 2007, Trigg beat Edwin Dewees in the first round by submission at HDNet Fights- Reckless Abandon.[2] On August 24, 2008, Trigg traveled to Japan to compete at Sengoku 4 where he bested 2000 Judo Olympic Gold Medalist Makoto Takimoto via a unanimous decision. On October 3, 2008, Trigg won a unanimous decision over Falaniko Vitale at Strikeforce: Payback in Denver, Colorado. On February 14, 2009, Trigg won a unanimous decision over Danny Babcock (5–2) at XCF: Rumble in Racetown in Daytona, FL.

On July 11, 2015 Trigg was inducted into the newly restructured UFC Hall of Fame in the fights wing along with Matt Hughes for their second fight at UFC 52.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2008)

In addition to MMA, Frank Trigg was also an analyst and on-screen character in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2008, aligning himself with Kurt Angle, who used his passing resemblance to Trigg as part of a storyline. At No Surrender (2008) he faced A.J. Styles in an MMA style match, the match going to a draw due to an "unintentional" low blow on Trigg. The crowd was hostile to both combatants, chanting "This is bullshit", "We want wrestling", and "Fire Russo". After the match, Styles beat down Trigg using a kendo stick and declared that "I'm a wrestler, I don't do this crap!". Trigg has not appeared since the match.

Return to UFC (2009–2010)

On May 27, 2009, Trigg re-signed with the UFC after agreeing a four-fight deal with the company, where he returned to the welterweight division against Ultimate Fighter veteran Josh Koscheck at UFC 103. Koscheck defeated Trigg via first-round TKO.

After this disappointing loss, Trigg went on to face the former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra at UFC 109 and lost for a second time since his return via KO (punches) in the first round.

Trigg was released by the UFC following his loss to Serra.

Post-UFC release

After being released by the UFC, Trigg went into a semi-retirement, but returned for the inaugural Israel Fighting Championship on November 9. Trigg easily defeated Roy Neeman by strikes in the first round. After the fight, he said he didn't really know what was next for him.

BAMMA

At BAMMA 6, Trigg defeated British standout John Phillips by TKO (doctor stoppage) in round 1.

Trigg was scheduled to be the main event at BAMMA 7 against Tom Watson for the Middleweight title. However, on August 9, it was announced that Watson had to pull out due to a back injury and would be replaced by Jim Wallhead in a non-title fight. Trigg lost the fight via split decision.

Personal life

Frank Trigg has four children; Frankie, Kiara, Stone, and Lavin. Trigg welcomed his son Stone in September 2008. On October 2, 2010, Trigg welcomed his son Lavin.

In 2006, he appeared in the episode "Fight Schlub" on the sitcom The King of Queens. Frank is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, initiated in 1997 at the Xi Delta chapter at the University of Oklahoma

Championships and accomplishments