Abel Trujillo

Abel Nazario Trujillo (born September 18, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist.

He last competed in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Trujillo attended Riverside High School in Durham, North Carolina where he competed in wrestling.

In 2002, Trujillo won the NCHSAA 4A state wrestling championship at 145-pounds.

He also helped his team win the 2002 NCHSAA 4A state tournament championship.

Trujillo continued his wrestling at the collegiate level for William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

During his college career, he was a four-time NAIA All-American.

Trujillo lost by knockout against future World Extreme Cagefighting competitor Zach Micklewright in his amateur debut, on July 22, 2006.

Almost three years later, he rebounded and won his next amateur bout by submission in just 54 seconds.

Trujillo made his professional MMA debut in 2009, losing via armbar to Ted Wothington.

He went 5–3 in his next eight fights, before winning four straight over Lucas Gwaltney, Andre Garcia, James Edson Berto and Frank Carrillo in less than a year.

In the summer of 2012, Trujillo was signed by the UFC on the strength of a four-fight win streak.

He was expected to make his promotional debut on September 1, 2012, at UFC 151 against Tim Means.

However, after UFC 151 was cancelled, Trujillo/Means was rescheduled for UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Diaz on December 8, 2012.

Then on the day of the weigh in for the event, Means was forced out of the bout after sustaining a head injury caused by a fall in a hotel sauna and was replaced by Marcus LeVesseur.

Trujillo was successful in his debut, defeating LeVesseur via TKO (knees to the body) at 3:56 of the second round.

In the fight, he successfully connected on 57 of his 75 significant strikes and also defended eight of his opponent's ten takedown attempts.

Trujillo faced Khabib Nurmagomedov on May 25, 2013, at UFC 160.

He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

A fight in which Trujillo was taken down a record 21 times, breaking a record once held by former lightweight champion Sean Sherk.

Trujillo faced Roger Bowling on August 28, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 27.

The fight ended in controversial fashion as Trujillo landed what appeared to be an illegal knee to the face of Bowling at the end of round two.

With Bowling unable to continue, the referee deemed the bout a no contest.

A rematch with Bowling took place on December 14, 2013, at UFC on Fox 9.

Trujillo won via TKO in the second round.

Trujillo was expected to face Bobby Green on February 1, 2014, at UFC 169.

However, Green pulled out of the bout for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Jamie Varner.

Trujillo won the back-and-forth fight via knockout in the second round.

The win also earned him Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonus awards totaling $125,000.

The win also earned Trujillo his first knockout and fight of the night awards and with this win became the first man to stop Varner by KO.

Trujillo was expected to face Myles Jury on June 28, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 44.

However, Jury pulled out of the bout with an injury and was replaced by Frank Trevino.

Then on June 8, Trevino pulled out of the bout with an injury and Trujillo was removed from the event entirely.

A bout with Bobby Green was expected to take place on August 2, 2014, at UFC 176.

However, after UFC 176 was cancelled, Green/Trujillo was rescheduled and was then expected to take place on August 16, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 47.

However, Green was removed from his fight on July 11 as he stepped in as an injury replacement for Michael Johnson against Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox: Lawler vs. Brown on July 26, 2014.

Trujillo was expected to face Ross Pearson at the event.

However, on August 4, he pulled out of the bout due to injury.

Trujillo faced Tony Ferguson on December 6, 2014, at UFC 181.

Despite winning the first round, Trujillo lost the fight via submission in the second round.