Vernon White Biography

Vernon Verdell White (born December 3, 1971) is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter who has fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Pride Fighting Championships, Strikeforce, King of the Cage, Pancrase, and the International Fight League (IFL). He lives in California, and belongs to the fighting team The Lion's Den.

White is also a former MMA champion, winning the King of the Cage Light Heavyweight Championship, and King of the Cage Light Heavyweight Superfight Championship.

MMA career

White debuted at 23 years of age in the Pancrase organization in Japan after being recruited by Ken Shamrock. Thrown right into the fire from the beginning, a very inexperienced White would go 8-17-1 in Pancrase to start his career.

However, White would turn his career around in a big way towards the latter part of the decade. He turned in an impressive showing against MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba at PRIDE 2, landing a hard punch in the opening seconds to stagger Sakuraba and fighting very competitively, showcasing excellent submission defense and escapes throughout the fight until he was finally caught in an armbar late in round 3.

From 1998 to 2002, White found great success in mixed martial arts competition, compiling a record of 9-1 and winning the King of the Cage Middleweight Championship. White defended the title four times before losing a decision to MMA pioneer Jeremy Horn. This was especially impressive because at the time, King of the Cage was an upper echelon MMA promotion. He evolved into one of one of the more talented and well known mixed martial arts fighters in the world and developed excellent striking to go along with a solid submission wrestling base.

White also had impressive showings in the UFC, fighting to a draw with Ian Freeman in a fight that he took on short notice, and also turning in a competitive, hard fought loss to former UFC Light Heavyweight ChampionChuck Liddell at UFC 49 in 2004.

Pro Wrestling

White appeared on the April 7, 1997 airing of the World Wrestling Entertainment program Raw is War, losing a worked 'shoot fight' to Ken Shamrock.

Personal life

Vernon and his wife Melissa Kline were married on April 30, 2007. The couple had their first child, a son, on May 31, 2008.

Mixed martial arts record

|- | Loss | align=center| 26"33"2 | Jason MacDonald | Submission (triangle choke) | W1 Bad Blood | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 2:12 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 26"32"2 | Lew Polley | Decision (unanimous) | WarGods 5 | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 26"31"2 | Jeremiah Constant | DQ | XCC 6 " Western Threat | | align=center| 1 | align=center| | | |- | Loss | align=center| 25"31"2 | Marcelo Tigre | TKO (injury - broken hand) | X-1- Grand Prix 2007 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 3:26 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 25"30"2 | Mike Whitehead | TKO (punches) | International Fight League- Las Vegas | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 0:54 | | |- | Win | align=center| 25"29"2 | Sam Hoger | Submission (rear naked choke) | International Fight League- Moline | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 3:25 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 24"29"2 | Bobby Southworth | Decision (unanimous) | Strikeforce: Triple Threat | | align=center| 5 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 24"28"2 | Victor Valimaki | Decision (unanimous) | EF 2 " The Ultimate Decision | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 24"27"2 | Lyoto Machida | Decision (unanimous) | WFA: King of the Streets | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 24"26"2 | Jason Guida | TKO (doctor stoppage) | World Extreme Cagefighting 18 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 23"26"2 | Alex Stiebling | KO (punch) | World Extreme Cagefighting 17 | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 0:09 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 22"26"2 | Matt Horwich | Submission (rear-naked choke) | SF 12 " Breakout | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 2:38 | | |- | Win | align=center| 22"25"2 | Justin Burgin | Decision (unanimous) | Valor Fighting " Medford Mayhem | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 21"25"2 | Chris Peak | TKO | Valor Fighting " Home of the Brave | | align=center| 1 | align=center| | | |- | Loss | align=center| 20"25"2 | Chuck Liddell | KO (punch) | UFC 49 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 4:05 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 20"24"2 | Marvin Eastman | Decision (unanimous) | King of the Cage 32 | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Draw | align=center| 20"23"2 | Ian Freeman | Draw | UFC 43 | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 20"23"1 | Jeremy Horn | Decision (unanimous) | King of the Cage 23 | | align=center| 5 | align=center| 5:00 | | Lost KOTC Light Heavyweight Championship |- | Win | align=center| 20"22"1 | Mike Rogers | Decision (split) | King of the Cage 16 | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | Defended KOTC Light Heavyweight Championship |- | Win | align=center| 19"22"1 | James Lee | Submission (heel hook) | KOTC 11 - Domination | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 1:00 | | Defended KOTC Light Heavyweight Championship |- | Win | align=center| 18"22"1 | Joe Priole | TKO (punches) | WMMAA 1 " MegaFights | | align=center| 2 | align=center| | | |- | Win | align=center| 17"22"1 | Marvin Eastman | Decision (split) | KOTC 8 - Bombs Away | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | Defended KOTC Light Heavyweight Championship |- | Win | align=center| 16"22"1 | David Dodd | KO (flying knee) | KOTC 6 - Road Warriors | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 3:43 | | Defended KOTC Light Heavyweight Championship |- | Win | align=center| 15"22"1 | Marcos da Silva | Submission | IFC- Battleground 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| | | |- | Loss | align=center| 14"22"1 | Allan Goes | Decision (unanimous) | PRIDE 9 | | align=center| 2 | align=center| 10:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 14"21"1 | Todd Medina | KO (punch) | KOTC 3 - Knockout Nightmare | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 0:09 | | Won KOTC Light Heavyweight Championship |- | Win | align=center| 13"21"1 | Vladimir Matyushenko | Decision (split) | IFC " Montreal Cage Combat | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 25:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 12"21"1 | David Terrell | Decision (unanimous) | IFC WC 4 " Warriors Challenge 4 | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 11"21"1 | Kazushi Sakuraba | Submission (armbar) | PRIDE 2 | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 6:53 | | |- | Win | align=center| 11"20"1 | Brian Gassaway | Submission (ankle lock) | WPC " World Pankration Championships 1 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 1:26 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 10"20"1 | Vladimir Matyushenko | Submission (neck crank) | IFC 5 " Battle in the Bayou | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 5:44 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 10"19"1 | Mario Sperry | Decision (unanimous) | Caged Combat 1 " Australian Ultimate Fighting | | align=center| 3 | align=center| 5:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 10"18"1 | Pedro Rizzo | KO (kick) | WVC 2 " World Vale Tudo Championship 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 6:30 | | |- | Win | align=center| 10"17"1 | Iouri Oulianitski | KO (kick) | WVC 2 " World Vale Tudo Championship 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 1:21 | | |- | Win | align=center| 9"17"1 | Cees Bezems | Submission (heel hook) | WVC 2 " World Vale Tudo Championship 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 2:10 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 8"17"1 | Osami Shibuya | Decision (lost points) | Pancrase - Truth 7 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 20:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 8"16"1 | Kazuo Takahashi | KO (head kick) | Pancrase - 1996 Anniversary Show | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 19:43 | | |- | Win | align=center| 7"16"1 | Minoru Suzuki | Decision (majority) | Pancrase - 1996 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 15:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 6"16"1 | Masakatsu Funaki | Submission (ankle lock) | Pancrase - Truth 6 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 2:34 | | |- | Draw | align=center| 6"15"1 | Takaku Fuke | Draw (unanimous) | Pancrase - Truth 5 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 10:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 6"15 | Ryushi Yanagisawa | Submission (ankle lock) | Pancrase - Truth 3 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 12:47 | | |- | Win | align=center| 6"14 | Kazuo Takahashi | Decision (lost points) | Pancrase - Truth 3 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 10:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 5"14 | Frank Shamrock | Submission (achilles hold) | Pancrase - Eyes Of Beast 7 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 5:23 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 5"13 | Katsuomi Inagaki | Decision (majority) | Pancrase - Eyes Of Beast 6 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 10:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 5"12 | Gregory Smit | Decision (1"0) | Pancrase - 1995 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 10:00 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 5"11 | Manabu Yamada | Submission (heel hook) | Pancrase - Eyes Of Beast 5 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 10:26 | | |- | Win | align=center| 5"10 | Larry Papadopoulos | Submission (heel hook) | Pancrase - Eyes Of Beast 3 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 9:54 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 4"10 | Takafumi Ito | Submission (armbar) | Pancrase - Eyes Of Beast 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 7:26 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 4"9 | Masakatsu Funaki | Submission (armlock) | Pancrase: King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 5:37 | | |- | Win | align=center| 4"8 | Leon van Dijk | Submission (heel hook) | Pancrase: King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 3:45 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 3"8 | Todd Bjornethun | Decision (lost points) | Pancrase - Road To The Championship 5 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 15:00 | | |- | Win | align=center| 3"7 | Richard Saar | KO (palm strikes) | Pancrase - Road To The Championship 4 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 3:25 | | |- | Win | align=center| 2"7 | Katsuomi Inagaki | Submission (heel hook) | Pancrase - Road To The Championship 3 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 4:15 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 1"7 | Remco Pardoel | TKO (lost points) | Pancrase - Road To The Championship 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 14:24 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 1"6 | Bas Rutten | Submission (guillotine choke) | Pancrase - Pancrash! 3 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 1:16 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 1"5 | Masakatsu Funaki | KO (palm strike) | Pancrase - Pancrash! 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 1:13 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 1"4 | Andre Van Den Oetelaar | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Pancrase - Pancrash! 1 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 6:22 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 1"3 | Ryushi Yanagisawa | TKO (lost points) | Pancrase " Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers 4 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 8:55 | | |- | Win | align=center| 1"2 | Katsuomi Inagaki | TKO (doctor stopage) | Pancrase " Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 3 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 22:04 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 0"2 | Minoru Suzuki | Submission (leg scissor choke) | Pancrase " Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 2 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 2:36 | | |- | Loss | align=center| 0"1 | Takaku Fuke | Submission (armbar) | Pancrase " Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 1 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 1:19 | |

Notes and references