Tim Elliott Bio
Timothy Samuel Elliott, born on December 24, 1986, is an American mixed martial artist competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has competed professionally since 2009 and holds the rank of former Titan FC Flyweight Champion. He is also the winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions, the reality competition series produced by the UFC. As of November 2025, he was ranked among the top ten flyweights in the UFC.
Early Life and Background
Timothy Samuel Elliott was born on December 24, 1986, in Arkansas City, Kansas. When he was in fourth grade, he moved with his father to Haysville, Kansas, where he first began wrestling. The sport quickly became a central part of his early life and laid the foundation for his later transition into mixed martial arts.
Elliott originally attended Campus High School, where he reached the state wrestling finals as a runner-up. He then transferred to Wichita South High School during his junior year and became a Kansas state champion in his senior year in 2005. After high school, he wrestled at Labette Community College before transferring to the University of Central Oklahoma, where he earned All-American honors. During his collegiate wrestling career, he placed every year and won the NJCAA national championship at 125 pounds in 2007. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in Science and General Studies.
Path to MMA
After his collegiate wrestling career concluded, Elliott transitioned into professional mixed martial arts in 2009 at the flyweight division. He compiled an early professional record of eight wins, two losses, and one draw across his first eleven fights, building experience against regional opposition. Among those early results was a notable knockout victory over former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, which helped raise his profile. Those results were enough to earn him a contract with the UFC in April 2012.
Tim Elliott Career
Early Career (2009-2012)
Elliott turned professional in 2009 and spent his first three years competing on the regional circuit, where he developed his striking and grappling while wrestling remained the foundation of his game. His eight-win, two-loss, one-draw run included a high-profile knockout of Jens Pulver, which became one of the defining moments of his pre-UFC career.
That body of work led to a UFC contract in April 2012, after which he relocated his training base and prepared for the biggest stage in the sport.
UFC Debut and First Stint (2012-2015)
Elliott made his UFC debut on May 5, 2012, at UFC on Fox 3, stepping in on short notice to face The Ultimate Fighter 14 winner John Dodson. He lost the fight by unanimous decision, but he quickly rebounded. At The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson Finale on December 15, 2012, he defeated Jared Papazian by unanimous decision and earned the Fight of the Night bonus. He added another decision win over Louis Gaudinot at UFC 164 in August 2013.
Elliott’s first UFC main card appearance came against Ali Bagautinov at UFC 167 on November 16, 2013, but he dropped a unanimous decision. He then suffered a first-round submission loss to Joseph Benavidez at UFC 172 in April 2014 and was later released from the promotion after a unanimous decision loss to Zach Makovsky at UFC Fight Night 60 on February 15, 2015.
Titan FC Championship Run (2015-2016)
After leaving the UFC, Elliott signed with Titan FC and faced Iliarde Santos for the inaugural Titan FC Flyweight Championship at Titan FC 34. He won the title by dominant unanimous decision. He defended the belt against Felipe Efrain at Titan FC 35 on September 19, 2015, finishing the fight by submission in the second round.
On March 5, 2016, at Titan FC 37, Elliott faced former UFC bantamweight Pedro Nobre and won by unanimous decision to record his second successful title defense. The reign as champion solidified his standing as one of the top flyweights outside the UFC and set the stage for his return to the promotion.
The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions (2016)
On July 21, 2016, Elliott was announced as a cast member on season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter. Despite being the number three seed, he was selected as the first overall pick by former opponent Joseph Benavidez. He submitted Charlie Alaniz in the first round with a bulldog choke, then tapped Matt Schnell with a front choke in the quarterfinals after absorbing a groin kick. He took a majority decision over Eric Shelton in the semifinals before beating Hiromasa Ougikubo by unanimous decision, 30-27, in the final to win the tournament and a shot at the UFC flyweight title.
Return to the UFC (2016-2020)
As the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 24, Elliott challenged flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale on December 3, 2016, but lost by unanimous decision. He earned a Fight of the Night bonus for his April 2017 win over Louis Smolka at UFC on Fox 24 and won a Performance of the Night bonus for his anaconda choke submission of Mark De La Rosa at UFC 219, which he dedicated to his coach Robert Follis. After tearing his ACL in June 2018, he returned in October 2019 and lost to Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC on ESPN+ 19. He dropped a unanimous decision to Askar Askarov at UFC 246 in January 2020, then lost to Brandon Royval at UFC on ESPN 9 in May 2020, a fight that earned him his third Fight of the Night award.
His first win since 2017 came on July 16, 2020, at UFC on ESPN 13, where he beat Ryan Benoit by unanimous decision and signed a new four-fight contract. A positive marijuana test led to a four-and-a-half-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He returned on March 6, 2021, at UFC 259 to defeat Jordan Espinosa by unanimous decision.
Next Generation MMA Era (2022-Present)
Elliott began training at Next Generation MMA in 2022 and won a controversial unanimous decision over Tagir Ulanbekov at UFC 272 on March 5, 2022, with twelve of seventeen media scores going to Ulanbekov. After pulling out of a scheduled bout with Amir Albazi, he returned at UFC on ESPN 46 on June 3, 2023, to beat Victor Altamirano by unanimous decision. He then dropped a third-round arm-triangle choke to Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 294 on October 21, 2023, before bouncing back with a first-round arm-triangle choke of Su Mudaerji at UFC Fight Night 233 on December 9, 2023, a win that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.
Style and Strengths
Elliott is a wrestling-first fighter whose NCAA Division II background gives him strong top control, takedown defense, and conditioning in long fights. He blends that base with a purple belt level of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, hunting for chokes such as the bulldog choke and the anaconda choke, and he has shown he can finish opponents even after absorbing heavy early strikes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Elliott’s signature moments are his NJCAA wrestling national title in 2007, his Titan FC Flyweight Championship run with two successful defenses, his tournament win on The Ultimate Fighter 24, and a series of UFC bonus awards that include multiple Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night honors.
Tim Elliott Career Wins
Across his professional career, Timothy Samuel Elliott has compiled a record of 21 wins against 13 losses and 1 draw, with stoppages coming by one knockout, six submissions, and six decisions according to available verified totals.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Elliott has recorded decision wins over Jared Papazian, Louis Gaudinot, Louis Smolka, Mark De La Rosa, Ryan Benoit, Jordan Espinosa, Tagir Ulanbekov, Victor Altamirano, and Su Mudaerji, and a guillotine choke finish over Kai Asakura at UFC 319 on August 16, 2025. His bonuses inside the Octagon include multiple Fight of the Night awards and Performance of the Night bonuses against Mark De La Rosa, Su Mudaerji, and Kai Asakura.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Elliott captured the inaugural Titan FC Flyweight Championship by beating Iliarde Santos and defended it twice against Felipe Efrain and Pedro Nobre. He also scored a notable knockout of former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver during his early regional career.
Tim Elliott Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Timothy Samuel Elliott grew up in Arkansas City, Kansas, and moved with his father to Haysville, Kansas, in fourth grade, where he first began wrestling. His father’s support during that early move helped introduce him to the sport that became the foundation of his career.
Personal Life
Elliott was previously engaged to fellow UFC fighter Gina Mazany, whom he announced he was marrying on his Instagram on July 28, 2020. He and Mazany have since divorced. He has one daughter from a previous relationship, and he currently resides in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
2025 Season Performance
Elliott’s 2025 campaign was anchored by his high-profile UFC 319 victory on August 16, 2025, where he submitted former UFC Flyweight Championship challenger Kai Asakura with a second-round guillotine choke. The finish earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and pushed him back into the UFC flyweight top ten.
The Asakura result was the headline result of his year and reinforced his reputation as a dangerous finisher against elite opposition. Coming off that momentum, Elliott remained a relevant figure in the flyweight division heading into 2026.
