Eddie Wineland

Eddie Wineland is a retired American mixed martial artist who spent nearly two decades competing in professional MMA, rising from regional circuits to become the inaugural WEC Bantamweight Champion and later a perennial UFC bantamweight. Born in Houston and raised in Indiana, Wineland grew up as a wrestler and founded his fighting identity on aggressive, high-volume striking. He began his pro career in 2003 and by 2006 had earned WEC gold, defeating Antonio Banuelos via first-round TKO. Though he lost the title in his first defense to Chase Beebe, Wineland remained a fixture in WEC until the organization merged with the UFC in 2010, at which point he transitioned seamlessly into the larger promotion.

Wineland's UFC tenure spanned 12 years and 16 fights, during which he faced elite competition including Urijah Faber, Renan Barao, John Dodson, and Demetrious Johnson. He scored notable wins over Scott Jorgensen (a first-ever knockout of the previously durable striker that earned Fight of the Night), Brad Pickett, Takeya Mizugaki, and Grigory Popov, along with two consecutive Knockout of the Night awards in WEC. His fighting style was that of a pure kickboxer and volume striker: high output, solid takedown defense, and a willingness to stand and trade. Though he never won UFC gold and finished his record at 24-16-1, Wineland earned respect across the sport for his durability, work ethic, and lack of excuses. Dana White specifically praised him as a fighter who would accept bouts on short notice and against any opponent.

Wineland retired in June 2022 after suffering a first-round TKO loss to Cody Stamann, announcing his departure on social media with a Jim Morrison lyric. Outside the cage, he worked as a full-time firefighter in Indiana and was motivated throughout his career by his younger brother, who survived a severe childhood burn injury. His legacy is that of a reliable, hard-hitting veteran of MMA's middle era: never a title holder, but a valued journeyman whose knockout power and willingness to compete kept him relevant for nearly two decades at the sport's highest level.