60 Facts About Chris Leben

1.

Chris Leben began his UFC career with five victories in a row before suffering a knockout loss to future UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, and was known for his toughness, chin, determination, and powerful left hand.

2.

Chris Leben is from Portland, Oregon and has one older brother and one younger sister.

3.

Chris Leben grew up without his father around, and he did not meet his father until he was 23 years old.

4.

Chris Leben began training in boxing, and then was on the wrestling team at Benson Polytechnic High School, picking up the sport rather quickly.

5.

Chris Leben did not receive a very good education in his childhood, and did not know how to read or write even after graduating high school.

6.

Chris Leben soon joined the United States Army, falsely being told by the recruiter that he would be allowed to wrestle for the army's team.

7.

When he found that he would not be allowed to wrestle for the army, Chris Leben went AWOL and was discharged.

8.

Chris Leben won his first five fights, three of them by knockout, and in the process won the Gladiator Challenge, Sportfight, and WEC Middleweight titles.

9.

Chris Leben achieved wins against Benji Radach and Mike Swick, but suffered a decision loss to Joe Doerksen.

10.

Chris Leben was one of the most controversial and outspoken fighters on The Ultimate Fighter 1 due to his variously abrasive and melancholy personality.

11.

Chris Leben chose Leben, who was later defeated by Kenny Florian due to doctor stoppage in the first semi-final match after Florian opened a cut above Leben's eye with an elbow strike.

12.

Thacker was not amused when he watched the show and found out Chris Leben had used his bed as a urinal.

13.

The match was set up, and Chris Leben won 95 seconds into the first round after referee stoppage due to strikes.

14.

Chris Leben has competed in several UFC events since the show and is the only person to have fought in the first six Ultimate Fight Night events, during which he earned a string of victories: a split decision win over future TUF 4 finalist Patrick Cote, an armbar submission against Edwin Dewees, a first-round TKO over Jorge Rivera, and a unanimous decision over Luigi Fioravanti.

15.

Chris Leben was defeated by Anderson Silva at UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5 on June 28,2006, by KO 49 seconds into the first round, but returned at UFC Fight Night 6 on August 17,2006, where he defeated Jorge Santiago by knockout 35 seconds into the second round.

16.

Chris Leben is the only fighter to fight at every event under the "Fight Night" banner.

17.

Chris Leben then lost at UFC 66 to longtime UFC veteran Jason MacDonald via technical submission due to a modified guillotine choke with less than a minute remaining in the second round.

18.

Chris Leben then lost to Kalib Starnes by a very close unanimous decision at UFC 71 on May 26,2007.

19.

Chris Leben instead took on Terry Martin on the same UFC Fight Night 11 card.

20.

Chris Leben was kept in jail and temporarily held without bond for allegedly violating his probation.

21.

Chris Leben's next fight was against Michael Bisping at UFC 89, which he lost by a unanimous decision after a full three rounds.

22.

Chris Leben taunted Bisping throughout the last two rounds by dropping his arms and raising his chin.

23.

Chris Leben admitted he had used the substance several months prior to the fight, but stated he had assumed it would have been out of his system by then.

24.

Chris Leben then fought Jake Rosholt at UFC 102 in Chris Leben's hometown of Portland, Oregon.

25.

Chris Leben then faced Jay Silva on January 11,2010, at UFC Fight Night 20, winning via unanimous decision.

26.

Chris Leben was expected to face Aaron Simpson at UFC 114, but the bout took place on June 19,2010, at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs Team Ortiz Finale.

27.

On October 20,2010, Chris Leben was arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii for suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing his truck into a wall off of Kapiolani Boulevard.

28.

Chris Leben faced Brian Stann on January 1,2011, at UFC 125 He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.

29.

Many have commented that Chris Leben was very slow and looked off last night.

30.

Chris Leben had a fever and chills when he stepped into the cage.

31.

Chris Leben was vomiting in the locker room before the fight, and after a hard warm up he didn't have a drop of sweat.

32.

Chris Leben knocked out Silva with consecutive uppercuts from the clinch, 27 seconds into the fight, resulting in the fastest knockout win in Chris Leben's career.

33.

Chris Leben faced Mark Munoz on November 5,2011, at UFC 138, losing by TKO at the 5:00 mark of the 2nd round due to a cut on his left eyebrow and left him unable to see and forced a corner stoppage.

34.

On November 28,2011, Zuffa LLC, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, released information stating that Chris Leben tested positive for oxycodone and oxymorphone following his loss to Munoz at UFC 138.

35.

Chris Leben's return fight was expected to be against Karlos Vemola on December 29,2012, at UFC 155.

36.

Chris Leben fought Andrew Craig and lost by split decision on July 6,2013, at UFC 162.

37.

Chris Leben faced Uriah Hall on December 28,2013, at UFC 168.

38.

Chris Leben then reiterated "I'm done" multiple times before the fight was waved off.

39.

On January 20,2014, Chris Leben announced his retirement from MMA competition.

40.

Chris Leben will continue his martial arts legacy by focusing on coaching his students and pro fighters at his new MMA gym "The Training Center" in San Diego, California.

41.

Chris Leben cited an increasingly talented middleweight roster, his recent losing streak and the risk of serious injury as reasons for retiring.

42.

Chris Leben called himself fortunate to have never had surgery throughout his record 22-fight middleweight stint, though he predicted several of his nagging injuries will get worse with time.

43.

On February 5,2021, after his first round knockout win over Quentin Henry in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Chris Leben announced his official retirement from combat sports.

44.

In late 2018 Chris Leben came out of retirement after being given an all-clear by doctors.

45.

Chris Leben faced Phil Baroni at the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation debut card on November 9,2018.

46.

Chris Leben won the fight via TKO in the first round.

47.

In March 2019, reports surfaced that Chris Leben had sued WBKFF for $90,000 in unpaid salary.

48.

Chris Leben made his debut for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on April 6,2019.

49.

Chris Leben faced Justin Baesman in the show's co-main event.

50.

Chris Leben won the fight via knockout just 25 seconds into the first round.

51.

Chris Leben was supposed to face Brennan Ward at BKFC 6 on June 22,2019.

52.

Chris Leben faced Quentin Henry at BKFC: Knucklemania on February 5,2021.

53.

Chris Leben won the fight via knockout in the first round and subsequently announced his retirement from combat sports.

54.

In May 2007, Chris Leben moved to East Oahu, Hawaii to accept the main coaching job at Icon Fitness MMA Gym.

55.

Chris Leben is a playable fighter in the UFC Undisputed video games.

56.

In 2016, Chris Leben completed Herb Dean's mixed martial arts referee course, making him eligible to referee bouts in California.

57.

In February 2022, Chris Leben was hospitalized for breathing issues after contracting COVID-19.

58.

In October 2010, Chris Leben was arrested in Honolulu on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing his pick-up truck near the Kapiolani Boulevard exit on Interstate H-1.

59.

In June 2015, Chris Leben was arrested on multiple charges after breaking into his ex-wife's San Diego, California apartment.

60.

Chris Leben was sentenced to serve 120 days in jail and three years of probation after release.