Miguel Torres

When Carlos Gracie founded the now world famous fighting technique "Gracie Ju Jitsu" in Brazil he had no idea his best fighter would be a skinny kid from East Chicago, Indiana. But Miguel Torres wasn't finished. In fact, Miguel Torres was just getting started.

In stunning fashion opponents quickly found out that this fighting machine that Carlson Gracie proclaimed his "best student ever" was more than the typical Ju Jitsu fighter bent on luring opponents in and then scoring a take down where he could use his skill on the mat to wrangle a submission or ride out a victory.

Instead they realized very quickly that Miguel was something much more. His striking game is diciplined, effective and has punished more than one fighter in spectacular fashion. His black belt Ju Jitsu turned into just one more tool that he could punish opponents with. And opponents understood that Torres was not bent on a winning, when he walked into the ring it was to make the man across the ring from him suffer and he did it very well.

Miguel Angel Torres
Birthdate: Jan 18th 1981
Birthplace: Indiana, USA
Graduate: Purdue University

Miguel Torres is one of the first MMA fighters of this generation to amass a record that has 30 or more wins and that's with a single loss. His fighting style is often described as brutal, but very technical. He is comfortable in every part of a fight mainly because of his uncounted amateur fights which number in the 20's. That's more than 50 fights with a single loss. Nothing short of amazing.

Miguel is proud of his Mexcian heritage and is proud to be born an American. Because he grew up in American his Mexican relatives tended to see him as an outsider but in the states because he was Mexican he was also seen as an outsider. Perhaps, this frustrating situation led to Torres' wrath in the ring. But what was once a frustration for Miguel has turned into a boon, as both American and Mexican fans are gathering to watch this slim, fierce, mixed martial arts icon enforce his will on the MMA world.

Miguel Torres:

Bantam Weight: #1 Pound for Pound Ranking
All Around: #4 Pound for Pound Ranking

Miguel Torres Growing Up

A boy growing up with a poster of Bruce Lee on the wall somewhere in the midwest of the United States. Practicing kicks and hoping to one day become the perfect weapon. Hoping against hope that will alone can propel a man to legendary status. For many children this dream remains exactly that... a dream.

But for one Mexcian American kid this dream met up with a slim, tall figure seeminly ill-suited to be in a fighting tournament with men weighing 25-60 pounds more than him. That man was Royce Gracie legendary winner of the very first world wide mixed martial arts competition: UFC #1.

Two years later he was fighting in smoking bars, often the only Mexican-Amercian in the place, against much larger competition with fans that rabidly wanted him to lose. But like the Martial Arts world those unfortunate men were not ready for Gracie Ju Jitsu.


Welcome to the Big Time, kid...

Miguel Torres finally got his big shot at the big time at WEC 30. Not the more famous big brother the UFC, the WEC had still garnered a reputation for attracting top level talent at the lower weight classes. Torres was one of those "talents" and he proved it in impressive fashion right out of the gate.

When UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir watched a Miguel Torres fight he instantly became a believer. This is from a champion who has dominated the competition with Ju Jitsu and so knows how to recognize true talent. Mir says Torres has a, "warrior mindset." Torres had come into his own. He has become the current mind over matter superstar that Royce Gracie once was.