Sako Chivitchian
Encyclopedia
Sako Chivitchian is an Armenia
n-born mixed martial arts
(MMA) fighter who competes in the lightweight
division. He immigrated to the United States of America and is presently based in Los Angeles
. A full-time professional MMA competitor since 2009, Chivitchian mostly competed in his regional circuit of California
before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship
to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
.
at the age of six with his uncle Gokor Chivichyan
; he has won a total of eleven U.S. national titles including junior titles in 2000 and 2001, and two junior Olympic championships. In 2001–2002, he was named the United States Judo Federation's
National Youth Male Athlete of the Year. He has placed first and third in the Junior U.S. Open Judo Championships, and competed in the 2003 World Judo Championships in South Korea
.
In addition to judo, Chivitchian took up wrestling
, and by age 14 had placed second at the California State Championships and third at the Freestyle State Championships. He next took up mixed martial arts
(MMA) and won his inaugural fight (at age 15) in 98 seconds by armbar
. Chivitchian's opponent in his first fight was Timothy Morris, who has previously lost to teammate Manny Gamburyan. In the years following, he took up jiu-jitsu
and boxing
.
Chivitchian was involved in a shooting at age 19, after he and his friends were jumped by a gang. Chivitchian suffered a gunshot wound to his leg which made him temporarily unable to train, prompting his move to college and into real estate.
Chivitchian presently trains in Glendale, California
at the Hayastan Studio, alongside The Ultimate Fighter 5
runner-up and World Extreme Cagefighting
featherweight
contender Manny Gamburyan.
Despite having first fought professionally in MMA in 1999, Chivitchian did not take up fighting full-time until 2009. He won his return bout in January 2009 by technical knockout (TKO) and achieved a submission victory two months later. In October 2009, Chivitchian won a further fight via submission, before claiming a split decision
victory in December.
(UFC) to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
. He competed on the debut episode against Toby Grear, taking a unanimous decision
victory. In the next episode, the team picks were made and Josh Koscheck
selected Chivitchian as his third pick (fifth overall).
Chivitchian faced Dane Sayers in his opening round matchup. His performance was criticised for grabbing the fence to avoid being taken down on multiple occasions, yet he was not penaised with any point deduction. Chivitchian won the fight by unanimous decision as all three judges scored the fight 20–18.
In the quarter finals, Chivitchian faced Jonathan Brookins
. Brookins was able to throw Chivitchian to the mat, which forced Chivitchian to try to stand up. Brookins then got hooks in and worked for a rear naked choke, eventually sealing it soon after, eliminating Chivitchian from the competition.
against Kyle Watson
and lost by unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28). He along with Aaron Wilkinson
was released from the promotion.
|Loss
|align=center|5–1
|
Kyle Watson
|Decision (unanimous)
|The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5–0
| Marcos Gonzalez
|Decision (split)
|NFAMMA - Resurrection
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:00
|Ventura, California
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4–0
| Sergio Salcido
|Submission (Armbar)
|Long Beach Fight Night 6
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:28
|Long Beach, California
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3–0
| Frank Baldivia
|Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
|California Xtreme Fighting
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:28
|El Monte, California
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2–0
| Noe Rodriguez
|TKO (punches)
|California Xtreme Fighting
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|0:14
|El Monte, California, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
| Timothy Morris
|Submission (Armbar)
|Kage Kombat 14
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:38
|Los Angeles, California
, United States
|
|Lose
|align=center|2-1
| Jonathan Brookins
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:05
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-0
| Dane Sayers
|Decision (unanimous)
|The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-0
| Toby Grear
|Decision (unanimous)
|The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n-born 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...
(MMA) fighter who competes in the lightweight
Lightweight (MMA)
The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
division. He immigrated to the United States of America and is presently based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. A full-time professional MMA competitor since 2009, Chivitchian mostly competed in his regional circuit of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck is the twelfth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter....
.
Early career
Chivitchian began training in judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
at the age of six with his uncle Gokor Chivichyan
Gokor Chivichyan
Gokor Chivichyan is an Armenian Judo, submission grappling, and mixed martial arts instructor. Gokor currently trains professional and amateur fighters at the Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood. Chivichyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia....
; he has won a total of eleven U.S. national titles including junior titles in 2000 and 2001, and two junior Olympic championships. In 2001–2002, he was named the United States Judo Federation's
United States Judo Federation
The United States Judo Federation is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting judo in the United States. Its national office is located in Ontario, Oregon. In 2007 it will sanction competitions and tournaments in at least nine different states....
National Youth Male Athlete of the Year. He has placed first and third in the Junior U.S. Open Judo Championships, and competed in the 2003 World Judo Championships in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
In addition to judo, Chivitchian took up wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, and by age 14 had placed second at the California State Championships and third at the Freestyle State Championships. He next took up 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...
(MMA) and won his inaugural fight (at age 15) in 98 seconds by armbar
Armlock
An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow joint and/or shoulder joint. An armlock that hyperflexes or hyperrotates the shoulder joint is referred to as a shoulder lock, and an armlock that hyperextends the elbow joint is called...
. Chivitchian's opponent in his first fight was Timothy Morris, who has previously lost to teammate Manny Gamburyan. In the years following, he took up jiu-jitsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....
and boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
.
Chivitchian was involved in a shooting at age 19, after he and his friends were jumped by a gang. Chivitchian suffered a gunshot wound to his leg which made him temporarily unable to train, prompting his move to college and into real estate.
Chivitchian presently trains in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
at the Hayastan Studio, alongside The Ultimate Fighter 5
The Ultimate Fighter 5
The Ultimate Fighter 5 was the fifth season of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter...
runner-up and World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
featherweight
Featherweight (MMA)
The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...
contender Manny Gamburyan.
Despite having first fought professionally in MMA in 1999, Chivitchian did not take up fighting full-time until 2009. He won his return bout in January 2009 by technical knockout (TKO) and achieved a submission victory two months later. In October 2009, Chivitchian won a further fight via submission, before claiming a split decision
Split decision
A split decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which two of the three judges score for the same fighter as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other...
victory in December.
The Ultimate Fighter
Chivitchian then signed with the Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipUltimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
(UFC) to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck is the twelfth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter....
. He competed on the debut episode against Toby Grear, taking a unanimous decision
Unanimous decision
A unanimous decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which all three judges agree on which fighter won the match....
victory. In the next episode, the team picks were made and Josh Koscheck
Josh Koscheck
Josh D. Koscheck is an American mixed martial artist from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, a former collegiate wrestling champion and is currently fighting at welterweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He made his debut with the organization on the first season of the reality television show,...
selected Chivitchian as his third pick (fifth overall).
Chivitchian faced Dane Sayers in his opening round matchup. His performance was criticised for grabbing the fence to avoid being taken down on multiple occasions, yet he was not penaised with any point deduction. Chivitchian won the fight by unanimous decision as all three judges scored the fight 20–18.
In the quarter finals, Chivitchian faced Jonathan Brookins
Jonathan Brookins
Jonathan Brookins is a mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Brookins has mostly fought in Florida, as well as competing in The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck...
. Brookins was able to throw Chivitchian to the mat, which forced Chivitchian to try to stand up. Brookins then got hooks in and worked for a rear naked choke, eventually sealing it soon after, eliminating Chivitchian from the competition.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Chivitchian made his UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck FinaleThe Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs Team Koscheck Finale, also referred to as The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on December 4, 2010.-Background:This was the first...
against Kyle Watson
Kyle Watson
Kyle Watson is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2003, Watson mostly competed in his regional circuit, before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs...
and lost by unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28). He along with Aaron Wilkinson
Aaron Wilkinson
Aaron Wilkinson is an English professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Wilkinson mostly competed in the English domestic circuit, before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to appear on The Ultimate Fighter:...
was released from the promotion.
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Loss
|align=center|5–1
|
Kyle WatsonKyle Watson
Kyle Watson is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2003, Watson mostly competed in his regional circuit, before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs...
|Decision (unanimous)
Unanimous decision
A unanimous decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which all three judges agree on which fighter won the match....
|The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5–0
|
Marcos Gonzalez|Decision (split)
Split decision
A split decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which two of the three judges score for the same fighter as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other...
|NFAMMA - Resurrection
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:00
|Ventura, California
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4–0
|
Sergio Salcido|Submission (Armbar)
|Long Beach Fight Night 6
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:28
|Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3–0
|
Frank Baldivia|Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
|California Xtreme Fighting
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:28
|El Monte, California
El Monte, California
El Monte is a residential, industrial, and commercial city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city's slogan is "Welcome to Friendly El Monte," and historically is known as "The End of the Santa Fe Trail." As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 113,475,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2–0
|
Noe Rodriguez|TKO (punches)
|California Xtreme Fighting
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|0:14
|El Monte, California, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
|
Timothy Morris|Submission (Armbar)
|Kage Kombat 14
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:38
|Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
Mixed martial arts exhibition record
|-|Lose
|align=center|2-1
|
Jonathan BrookinsJonathan Brookins
Jonathan Brookins is a mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Brookins has mostly fought in Florida, as well as competing in The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck...
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck is the twelfth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter....
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:05
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-0
|
Dane SayersDane Sayers
Dane Sayers is a Native American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. Sayers mostly competed in the regional circuit, before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championships to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs...
|Decision (unanimous)
|The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck is the twelfth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter....
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-0
|
Toby Grear|Decision (unanimous)
|The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck
The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck is the twelfth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter....
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-