Kit Cope
Encyclopedia
Kristopher Lee Cope is an American
Muay Thai
kickboxer, mixed martial artist
and television personality. He is the former IPMTO Light Heavyweight Muay Thai World Champion (23-1, 9 KO) and in mixed martial arts
he has an unimpressive record of 4-7. His career accomplishments include a win at the 2004 Songkran Festival and 4 Muay Thai World titles.
Cope was featured on Fear Factor
, a reality television
game show
, on March 15, 2004. Cope was also featured along with Ben Garcia in MTV
's True Life: I'm a Muay Thai Fighter and again in MTV's True Life: I'm a Mixed Martial Arts Fighter. In 2007, he was one of three hosts on Wild World of Spike
, a television series featuring amateur sports footage and the hosts' attempts at recreating them.
After fighting in two professional boxing bouts, going 1-1, Kit began his venture into the world of mixed martial arts
. Looking to make the same impact on MMA as he did with Muay Thai, Kit is currently training with The Wand Fight Team, notably with MMA and Pride legend, current UFC fighter Wanderlei Silva. Kit made his UFC debut on November 5, 2005 on the TUF 2 Finale. He lost by submission to Kenny Florian
in the second round due to a rear naked choke. Kit suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery due to a motocross accident before the bout which was exacerbated by an armbar at the end of the first round.
A report from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) states that Kit Cope – competing in World Extreme Cagefighting main event against “Razor” Rob McCullough – has tested positive for the illegal substance Boldenone, which is an anabolic steroid.
A comment from NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer stated, “Although we have had only one MMA show this year (last Saturday's WEC), we already have a positive drug test for 2007 as Kit Cope tested positive for Boldenone," an anabolic steroid that is intended for use only by veterinarians, Boldenone is used specifically to help rehabilitate injured horses. It has several brand names for veterinary use, including Equigan, Equipoise, Ultragan, and Ganabol. It is on the banned substances list of all the major athletic commissions and sports leagues.
Kit will be competing on the next season of The Contender Asia
. Production on season two will begin at the end of June in Kuala Lumpur, and the show’s producers are upping the prize money from that offered on season one, making it the highest prize money ever to be paid out in the sport of muay thai. Besides Kit there are other notable kickboxers gone mixed martial artists such as Duane Ludwig
and Malaipet.
, Arizona
.
He was once engaged to Gina Carano
.
Kit is now working as a consultant for the Revolution Fight League, a new MMA organization run by friend Bryan Van Houten based out of Louisville, Kentucky
.
| Loss
|align=center| 4–7
|
Freddy Assuncao
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| FNE: Round 13 – Impact
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:47
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 4–6
| Corey Hill
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Raging Wolf VIII: CAGE SUPREMACY
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:30
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 4–5
| Cameron Dollar
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| ROF 36
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:38
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–4
| Zach Skinner
| TKO (punches)
| Fight Night Events
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:27
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–4
| Dave Cochran
| Submission (triangle choke)
| WFC Lockdown
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:32
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 2–4
| Rob McCullough
| Submission (injury)
| WEC 25
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:53
|
| For WEC Lightweight Championship
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 2–3
| Kenny Florian
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 0:37
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–2
| Mike Lucero
| TKO (strikes)
| Valor Fighting: Home of the Brave
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:50
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–2
| Emmett Olvera
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| Venom: First Strike
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:37
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 0–2
| Tiki Ghosn
| TKO (retirement)
| WFA 2: Level 2
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 0–1
| William Sriyapai
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| King of the Cage
1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:18
|
|
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
kickboxer, mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
and television personality. He is the former IPMTO Light Heavyweight Muay Thai World Champion (23-1, 9 KO) and in mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
he has an unimpressive record of 4-7. His career accomplishments include a win at the 2004 Songkran Festival and 4 Muay Thai World titles.
Cope was featured on Fear Factor
Fear Factor
Fear Factor is an American stunt/dare reality game show. The original Dutch version was called Now or Neverland. When Endemol USA and NBC adapted it to the American market in 2001, they changed the name to Fear Factor. The show pits contestants against each other in a variety of stunts for a...
, a reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, on March 15, 2004. Cope was also featured along with Ben Garcia in MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's True Life: I'm a Muay Thai Fighter and again in MTV's True Life: I'm a Mixed Martial Arts Fighter. In 2007, he was one of three hosts on Wild World of Spike
Wild World of Spike
Wild World of Spike was a television series airing Thursdays on Spike about unconventional sports. The three hosts, two of whom are athletes themselves, watch these from a couch on the set...
, a television series featuring amateur sports footage and the hosts' attempts at recreating them.
Fighting career
While competing in Muay Thai, Kit was featured in MTV' True Life series. The show chronicled Kit's training and journey to Thailand to fight in a bare knuckle match. Kit traveled to Mae Sot, Thailand on April 13, 2004 to fight Burmese opponents, Mojo, in the bare-knuckle fight event during the Songkran Festival. Kit won the fight by knockout in the first round.After fighting in two professional boxing bouts, going 1-1, Kit began his venture into the world of mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
. Looking to make the same impact on MMA as he did with Muay Thai, Kit is currently training with The Wand Fight Team, notably with MMA and Pride legend, current UFC fighter Wanderlei Silva. Kit made his UFC debut on November 5, 2005 on the TUF 2 Finale. He lost by submission to Kenny Florian
Kenny Florian
Kenneth Alan Florian is a Peruvian-American mixed martial artist who competes as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He has a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, and is known for his cerebral approach to the sport based on his meticulous game plans and...
in the second round due to a rear naked choke. Kit suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery due to a motocross accident before the bout which was exacerbated by an armbar at the end of the first round.
A report from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) states that Kit Cope – competing in World Extreme Cagefighting main event against “Razor” Rob McCullough – has tested positive for the illegal substance Boldenone, which is an anabolic steroid.
A comment from NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer stated, “Although we have had only one MMA show this year (last Saturday's WEC), we already have a positive drug test for 2007 as Kit Cope tested positive for Boldenone," an anabolic steroid that is intended for use only by veterinarians, Boldenone is used specifically to help rehabilitate injured horses. It has several brand names for veterinary use, including Equigan, Equipoise, Ultragan, and Ganabol. It is on the banned substances list of all the major athletic commissions and sports leagues.
Kit will be competing on the next season of The Contender Asia
The Contender Asia
The Contender Asia was a reality-based television series that follows 16 aspiring Muay Thai middleweight fighters from 12 countries as they compete in a series of outdoor challenges and sanctioned matches...
. Production on season two will begin at the end of June in Kuala Lumpur, and the show’s producers are upping the prize money from that offered on season one, making it the highest prize money ever to be paid out in the sport of muay thai. Besides Kit there are other notable kickboxers gone mixed martial artists such as Duane Ludwig
Duane Ludwig
Duane Paul Ludwig is an American Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is the former Middleweight Muay Thai world champion, and currently fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championships in their welterweight and lightweight divisions...
and Malaipet.
Personal life
Kit was born at Williams Air Force BaseWilliams Air Force Base
Williams Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base, located in Mesa, and about southeast of Phoenix, Arizona.It was active as a training base for both the United States Army Air Forces, as well as the USAF from 1941 until its closure in 1993...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
He was once engaged to Gina Carano
Gina Carano
Gina Joy Carano is an American model, actress, and mixed martial arts fighter. Carano appeared as the Gladiator "Crush" on American Gladiators...
.
Kit is now working as a consultant for the Revolution Fight League, a new MMA organization run by friend Bryan Van Houten based out of Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.
Mixed martial arts record
|-| Loss
|align=center| 4–7
|
Freddy Assuncao| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| FNE: Round 13 – Impact
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:47
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 4–6
|
Corey HillCorey Hill
Corey Cornelius Hill is an American mixed martial artist. He was a high school state champion wrestler on multiple occasions in Florida. Hill was a multi-time high school state champion wrestler in Florida and 2x National Finalist college wrestler.-The Ultimate Fighter:Hill competed as a...
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Raging Wolf VIII: CAGE SUPREMACY
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:30
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 4–5
|
Cameron Dollar| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| ROF 36
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:38
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–4
|
Zach Skinner| TKO (punches)
| Fight Night Events
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:27
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–4
|
Dave Cochran| Submission (triangle choke)
| WFC Lockdown
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:32
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 2–4
|
Rob McCulloughRob McCullough
Robert Alexander McCullough IV is an American Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was a five-time World Muay Thai Champion, and is a former WEC Lightweight Champion. He currently trains out of Huntington Beach, CA at HB Ultimate Training Center...
| Submission (injury)
| WEC 25
WEC 25
WEC 25: McCullough vs. Cope was the first mixed martial arts event held by the World Extreme Cagefighting under Zuffa management. The event was held on January 20, 2007. WEC 25s main event was a championship fight for the vacant WEC Lightweight Title, between rivals Rob McCullough and Kit Cope...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:53
|
| For WEC Lightweight Championship
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 2–3
|
Kenny FlorianKenny Florian
Kenneth Alan Florian is a Peruvian-American mixed martial artist who competes as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He has a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, and is known for his cerebral approach to the sport based on his meticulous game plans and...
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale
The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale
The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 5, 2005. Featured were the finals from The Ultimate Fighter 2 in both the Welterweight and Heavyweight divisions as well as a main event between Diego Sanchez and Nick...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 0:37
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–2
|
Mike Lucero| TKO (strikes)
| Valor Fighting: Home of the Brave
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:50
|
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–2
|
Emmett Olvera| Submission (guillotine choke)
| Venom: First Strike
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:37
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 0–2
|
Tiki GhosnTiki Ghosn
Tiki Ghosn is an American mixed martial artist veteran, competing since 1998 in the Welterweight division .-History:Tiki started his MMA career in high school when he discovered Muay Thai Kickboxing as a form of cross training for football, while attending MaterDei High School in Santa Ana,...
| TKO (retirement)
| WFA 2: Level 2
WFA 2: Level 2
WFA 2: Level 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by World Fighting Alliance on July 5, 2002 at The Joint in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.-Results: Marvin Eastman vs. Tom SauerEastman defeated Sauer via TKO in round 2 at 1:35...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
|
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 0–1
|
William Sriyapai| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| King of the Cage
King of the Cage
King of the Cage, also known as KOTC, is a mixed martial arts promotion based in Southern California, USA.-History:KOTC was founded in 1998 by Terry Trebilcock. KOTC features up and coming MMA stars as well as experienced combat fighters....
1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:18
|
|
Championships and Accomplishments
- 2004 Songkran Thailand Bare Knuckle Champion
- 2-time Nevada State Freestyle Wrestling Champ
- Member of 1995 United States Kickboxing Team
- Featured in both MTV's True LifeTrue LifeTrue Life is a documentary series running on MTV since 1998. Each episode follows a particular topic, such as heroin addiction as in the first episode, "Fatal Dose." The show is created by following a series of subjects by a camera crew through a certain part of their lives.-Topics covered:True...
: I'm a Mixed Martial ArtsMixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
Fighter and MTV's True LifeTrue LifeTrue Life is a documentary series running on MTV since 1998. Each episode follows a particular topic, such as heroin addiction as in the first episode, "Fatal Dose." The show is created by following a series of subjects by a camera crew through a certain part of their lives.-Topics covered:True...
: I'm a Muay ThaiMuay ThaiMuay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
fighter