Joshua Burkman

Joshua Burkman, nicknamed 'The People's Warrior,' is a Salt Lake City-born MMA journeyman whose 28-fight career spanned the UFC, WSOF, and regional promotions from 2005 to 2019. After excelling in football and wrestling as a three-sport athlete in high school, Burkman turned down a college football scholarship at the University of Utah to pursue mixed martial arts. He made his UFC debut in 2005 on The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale, scoring a lightning-quick knockout of Sammy Morgan in 21 seconds. Early wins over Josh Neer and Forrest Petz showed promise, but he struggled against elite welterweights and was cut from the promotion in 2008 after three consecutive losses.

Burkman rebuilt his career outside the UFC, competing in regional shows and the World Series of Fighting. His defining moment came on June 14, 2013, at WSOF 3, when he pulled off a stunning upset over former UFC veteran Jon Fitch, dropping him with a series of punches and locking in a guillotine choke in just 41 seconds. The victory earned Submission of the Year and Upset of the Year honors from Yahoo Sports and other outlets, cementing Burkman's reputation as a submission specialist and comeback fighter.

He returned to the UFC in 2014 and competed at welterweight and briefly at lightweight across major events including UFC 182, UFC 187, and UFC Fight Night. Burkman's style relied on wrestling, clinch control, and submission hunting, with significant striking volume from the standing position. Notable matches included a back-and-forth Fight of the Night performance against Patrick Côté at UFC Fight Night 74, though his second UFC tenure saw him face an uphill battle against top contenders. His final stretch included losses to Michel Prazeres, Drew Dober, and Alex Morono, leading to his release from the UFC once more. Burkman announced his retirement in 2019 after a final bout at LFA 66, closing out a 13-year career as a respected veteran known for his durability, grit, and genuine love of competition.