Fighter Profile: Frank Trigg

Overall Record: 19-7

UFC Record: 2-4

Height: 5’8” Weight: 170

Age: 37

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg is a twelve year mixed martial arts veteran who recently resigned with the UFC where he plans on fighting in the welterweight division. The thirty-seven year old father of three, trains and fights out of the popular Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas. He is a former college wrestler from the University of Oklahoma who specializes in judo and boxing.

After receiving his degree and completing his wrestling career at OU, Trigg accepted a position at his alma mater as a wrestling coach. The desire to compete was still present so Trigg began training for his MMA debut early in 1997. There was immediate success for the New York native, winning his first seven bouts all coming via stoppage. The highlight of his career beginning streak was a November 1999, PRIDE 8, TKO win against UFC veteran Fabiano Iha.

“Twinkle Toes” suffered his first defeat in December 2000 during a Shooto card when Japanese superstar, Hayato Sakurai used strikes for the technical knockout. The loss to “Mach” seemed to light a fire under Trigg and motivate him, as evidence of his three straight World Fighting Alliance victories following the loss. Laverne Clark, Jason Medina, and Dennis Hallman all were put away early by Trigg during their WFA bouts.

With a 10-1 record within his first five years of competition, Trigg finally received the call to fight in the famed Octagon for the UFC. At UFC 45 in November 2003, Trigg was given an opportunity to fight for the welterweight belt in his first fight with the organization against Matt Hughes. Trigg was competitive on the ground but was eventually overwhelmed by the champion who submitted him from a rear naked choke late in the 1st round.

Trigg put together back to back wins at UFC 48 and UFC 50 against notables Dennis Hallman, for the second time, and Renato Verissimo to earn another crack at the welterweight gold against his nemesis, Matt Hughes. At UFC 52 Trigg all but had Hughes beat with a choke until Hughes reversed position and submitted him, going down as one of the best comebacks in UFC history.

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The current Las Vegas resident returned in August 2005 at UFC 54 against future champion, Georges St. Pierre for one last chance to show that he belonged with the top 170 pound fighters in the UFC. St. Pierre demonstrated why he was so highly regarded as the future of the division when he submitted Trigg with another 1st round rear naked choke. His loss at UFC 54 brought his organizational record to 2-3, and meant the end of his run at the welterweight title, for now.

After parting ways with the UFC, Trigg bounced around fighting for several notable organizations including the Hawaiian based Rumble on the Rock. During ROTR’s welterweight tournament Trigg fought UFC veteran Ronald Jhun for three rounds and barely escaped with the decision win. He followed his opening round victory with an upset loss against future WEC champion, Carlos Condit at ROTR 9 in April ’06.

Getting ousted from the welterweight tournament spelled the end of his ROTR career, however he landed with Icon Sport, his second Hawaiian promotion within the year. He was brought in to headline an event against Jason “Mayhem” Miller in December of 2006. Trigg delivered as the main event headliner, using soccer kicks to stop Miller midway through the 2nd round.

Trigg returned to PRIDE for the first time in eight years getting matched up against Kazuo Misaki at PRIDE 33. The fight lacked action but Trigg showed enough to earn a unanimous decision victory over the longtime PRIDE and DEEP veteran. The win marked his third, out of four bouts, since splitting with the UFC.

Trigg returned to Icon Sport in March of 2007 as a main event against heavy handed UFC and PRIDE veteran, Robbie Lawler. Trigg controlled Lawler for much of the bout until midway through the fourth round of their five round affair when Lawler connected with a right hand sending Trigg unconscious across the mat.

With the goal of getting back to the big-time promotions, Trigg was relegated to putting his time in and working his way back up through the ranks. He began his comeback tour with a HD Net Fights bout against Edwin Dewees in December of 2007. Trigg was the aggressor and caught “The Ultimate Fighter 4” cast member in a kimura submission only 1:40 into the fight. For his next bout, he returned to Japan to fight in the Sengoku promotion against Olympic medalist, Makoto Takimoto. Trigg and Takimoto exchanged leather for three rounds resulting in Trigg coming away with another victory, albeit a decision victory.

Two months after his Sengoku victory, “Twinkle Toes” returned to America fighting for Strikeforce on the “Payback” card. Again, it took three full rounds but Trigg was victorious in the end taking the decision over Falinko Vitale. Trigg ran his current winning streak to four consecutive by defeating 5-1 Danny Babcock via unanimous decision on the XCF: Rumble in Racetown card in February 2009.

His career came full circle once again this summer when Trigg resigned with the UFC, agreeing to a four-fight deal. He plans on making a run in the top-heavy welterweight division, beginning this September at UFC 103 when he takes on The Ultimate Fighter 1 star, Josh Koscheck. His bout with Koscheck is currently scheduled as part of the televised main event and can be viewed on pay-per-view.

Recent Frank Trigg MMA News:

• October 2008 – Defeated Falinko Vitale at Strikeforce: Payback via Unanimous Decision

• February 2009 – Defeated Danny Babcock at XCF: Rumble in Racetown 1 via Unanimous Decision

• May 2009 – Signed a four-fight deal with the UFC

• Lost to Matt Serra by KO in Round 1 at UFC 109 on February 6, 2010 - UFC 109 results

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer
Published June 2009