Jessamyn Duke
Jessamyn Laurel Duke (born June 24, 1986) is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, signed to WWE as part of their NXT brand. She formerly competed for Ultimate Fighting Championship and Invicta Fighting Championships in the women's bantamweight division.
Jessamyn Duke | |
|---|---|
 Duke in January 2016 | |
| Born | Jessamyn Laurel Duke[1] June 24, 1986 Whitesburg, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Ring name(s) | Jessamyn Duke |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] |
| Billed weight | 136 lb (62 kg; 9.7 st) |
| Trained by | WWE Performance Center |
| Debut | August 25, 2018 |
| Mixed martial arts career | |
| Division | Bantamweight (135 lb) Featherweight (145 lb) |
| Reach | 73 in (190 cm)[2] |
| Style | Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Fighting out of | Richmond, Kentucky, United States |
| Team | Glendale Fighting Club (2013-present) |
| Rank | Purple belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu[3] |
| Years active | 2010–2016 (MMA) |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 9 |
| Wins | 3 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Losses | 5 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 2 |
| No contests | 1 |
| Amateur record | |
| Total | 7 |
| Wins | 5 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By submission | 3 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Losses | 2 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Other information | |
| University | Eastern Kentucky University |
| Notable school(s) | Whitesburg High School |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Duke started her amateur career in 2010. She fought mainly for Absolute Action MMA and Tuff-N-Uff. She obtained the amateur featherweight title in both organizations.[4][5]
In 2012, Duke moved to professional mixed martial arts and signed with Invicta FC.[6]
Invicta Fighting Championships
Duke made her professional and promotional debut against Suzie Montero on July 28, 2012, at Invicta FC 2. She won via TKO in the third round.[7]
Duke faced Marciea Allen on October 6, 2012 at Invicta FC 3. She won via submission due to an armbar in the first round.[8] This victory earned her a submission of the night bonus award, which was split between Duke and Stephanie Frausto, due to her submission victory over Amy Davis in the same event.[9]
Duke faced Miriam Nakamoto on April 5, 2013 at Invicta FC 5. The result was originally a KO victory for Nakamoto but was later overturned by the Missouri Office of Athletics to no contest due to an illegal knee.[10]
The Ultimate Fighter
In August 2013, Duke was announced as a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate.[11] She defeated Laura Howarth via submission due to a triangle choke during the entry round and was the second female pick of Team Rousey.[12]
Duke faced Raquel Pennington in the elimination round. Pennington defeated Duke via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)[13] and the performance earned both participants Fight of The Season honors.[14]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Duke made her promotional debut against TUF 18 teammate Peggy Morgan on November 30, 2013 at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. She won via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).[15]
In her second UFC fight, Duke faced Bethe Correia at UFC 172. She lost the fight via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27).
Duke faced Leslie Smith at UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Miller on July 16, 2014.[16] She lost the fight via TKO early in the first round after taking several punches to the face and body.
Duke faced Elizabeth Phillips at UFC on Fox 16 on July 25, 2015 in a rematch of their amateur bout at RFA 2 – Yvel vs. Alexander.[17] Duke lost the fight via unanimous decision and was subsequently released from the promotion.
Professional wrestling career
NXT (2018–present)
On May 7, 2018, WWE announced that Duke, along with Marina Shafir, had signed with WWE and reported to their Performance Center for training.[18]
On October 28 at WWE Evolution, Duke and Shafir made their WWE debuts as heels when they interfered during the NXT Women's Championship match, in which they helped Shayna Baszler win the title over Kairi Sane.[19] Duke and Shafir then aligned themselves with Baszler establishing themselves as heels in the process. They made another appearance at NXT TakeOver: WarGames when they interfered during Baszler and Sane's two out of three falls match, in which Baszler scored the first fall and the victory in the latter to retain the title.[20] On the December 19, 2018, episode of NXT Shafir and Duke made their NXT in-ring debut and lost to Io Shirai and Dakota Kai when Io pinned Shafir after a Moonsault. At NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, Duke and Shafir assisted Baszler in retaining the title against Bianca Belair. In October 2019, Duke and Shafir faced Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai in a number one contender's match for the Women's Tag Team Championship, but were defeated.
Raw (2020)
After several months of inactivity, Duke returned to WWE TV on August 17, 2020, reuniting with Baszler and Shafir. On the August 31 episode of Raw, she made her debut on Raw Underground, an underground fight club hosted by Shane McMahon, where she easily defeated local competitor Avery Taylor.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- The Ultimate Fighter 18 Fight of the Season vs. Raquel Pennington[14]
- Invicta Fighting Championships
- Submission of the night (one time) vs. Marciea Allen[9]
- Absolute Action MMA
- Tuff-N-Uff
- Tuff-N-Uff amateur featherweight title (one time)[5]
Muay Thai
- World Muay Thai Association
- WMA welterweight (152 lb) title[3]
Professional wrestling
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 69 of the top 100 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 100 in 2019[22]
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 9 matches | 3 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 2 |
| By submission | 1 | 1 |
| By decision | 1 | 2 |
| No contests | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 3–5 (1) | Cindy Dandois | Submission (armbar) | Invicta FC 18: Grasso vs. Esquibel | July 29, 2016 | 1 | 1:33 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | |
| Loss | 3–4 (1) | Irene Aldana | TKO (punches) | Invicta FC 16: Hamasaki vs. Brown | March 11, 2016 | 1 | 3:08 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 3–3 (1) | Elizabeth Phillips | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barão 2 | July 25, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | |
| Loss | 3–2 (1) | Leslie Smith | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Miller | July 16, 2014 | 1 | 2:24 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 3–1 (1) | Bethe Correia | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 172 | April 26, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 (1) | Peggy Morgan | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale | November 30, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| NC | 2–0 (1) | Miriam Nakamoto | No Contest (overturned) | Invicta FC: Penne vs. Waterson | April 5, 2013 | 1 | 2:20 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | Originally a KO victory for Nakamoto; overturned due to an illegal knee. |
| Win | 2–0 | Marciea Allen | Submission (armbar) | Invicta FC: Penne vs. Sugiyama | October 6, 2012 | 1 | 4:42 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | Submission of the Night. |
| Win | 1–0 | Suzie Montero | TKO (elbows and punches) | Invicta FC: Baszler vs. McMann | July 28, 2012 | 3 | 2:32 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States |
| Exhibition record breakdown | ||
| 2 matches | 1 win | 1 loss |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1–1 | Raquel Pennington | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate | October 9, 2013 (air date) | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | TUF 18 Quarter Final round. |
| Win | 1–0 | Laura Howarth | Submission (triangle choke) | September 4, 2013 (air date) | 1 | 3:50 | TUF 18 elimination round. |
| Amateur record breakdown | ||
| 7 matches | 5 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 1 |
| By submission | 3 | 0 |
| By decision | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 5–2 | Elizabeth Phillips | Submission (guillotine choke) | RFA 2 – Yvel vs. Alexander | March 30, 2012 | 2 | 0:58 | Kearney, Nebraska, United States | |
| Loss | 4–2 | Amanda Bell | TKO (punches) | Absolute Action MMA 20: Battle Against Breast Cancer 2 | November 19, 2011 | 3 | 2:35 | Florence, Kentucky, United States | Lost the AAMMA Amateur Featherweight Championship.[23] |
| Win | 4–1 | Autumn Richardson | Decision (unanimous) | Tuff-N-Uff: Future Stars of MMA | July 1, 2011 | 3 | 3:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won the Tuff-N-Uff Amateur Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 3–1 | Crystal Bentley | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Absolute Action MMA 13 | May 7, 2011 | 2 | 1:29 | Florence, Kentucky, United States | Defended the AAMMA Amateur Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 2–1 | Sarah Cook | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Absolute Action MMA 12: The Anniversary Show | April 2, 2011 | 1 | 0:52 | Florence, Kentucky, United States | Won the AAMMA Amateur Featherweight Championship. |
| Loss | 1–1 | Ashlee Evans-Smith | Decision (unanimous) | Tuff-N-Uff: Las Vegas vs. 10th Planet Riverside | January 7, 2011 | 3 | 2:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Alexandria Stobbe | TKO (punches) | Absolute Action MMA 5: Battle Against Breast Cancer | October 2, 2010 | 1 | 1:42 | Florence, Kentucky, United States |
Personal life
Duke is a self-confessed gamer;[24][25] in an interview, Ronda Rousey claimed that Duke "pays more of her bills streaming than she does from fighting".[26]
References
- "State Of Nevada" (PDF). Boxing.nv.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-11.
- "Fight Card – UFC Fight Night Dillashaw vs. Barao 2". UFC.com. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- "Jessamyn Duke: official UFC fighter profile". UFC.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- "AAMMA XII: The Anniversary Show official results". Mixedmartialarts.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- "The Future Stars of MMA official results". Mixedmartialarts.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Nathan McCarter (May 29, 2012). "MMA: Invicta Fighting Championships 2; fight card announced". Bleacherreport.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Brian Knapp (July 29, 2012). "Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann downs Shayna Baszler at Invicta FC 2". Sherdog.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Brian Knapp (October 6, 2012). "Jessica Penne triangles Naho Sugiyama captures atomweight gold at Invicta FC 3". Sherdog.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Robert Sargent (October 7, 2012). "Five fighters earn bonuses at Invicta Fighting Championships 3". MMArising.com. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
- Steven Marrocco (May 15, 2013). "Jessamyn Duke successfully appeals KO loss to Miriam Nakamoto at Invicta FC 5". MMAjunkie.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Guilherme Cruz (August 15, 2013). "TUF 18 cast revealed with male and female bantamweights". MMAfighting.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Mike Bohn (September 5, 2013). "Episode No. 1 recap: 'The Ultimate Fighter 18: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate'". MMAjunkie.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Mike Bohn (October 10, 2013). "Episode No. 6 recap: 'The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate'". MMAjunkie.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Geno Mrosko (December 1, 2013). "Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 season bonuses: Rakoczy, Duke, Pennington, and Moras bank $25K". MMAmania.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Ben Fowlkes (November 30, 2013). "TUF 18 Finale results: Jessamyn Duke punches way past Peggy Morgan". MMAjunkie.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Dave Doyle (2014-06-10). "Jessamyn Duke, Leslie Smith will face off at Atlantic City UFC Fight Night card". MMAfighting.com. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
- "Duke to face Phillips in Chicago at UFC Fight Night – LA Times". Glendalenewspress.com. 2015-05-28. Retrieved 2016-09-11.
- http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/article/jessamyn-duke-marina-shafir-join-wwe-performance-center
- Benigno, Anthony (October 28, 2018). "Shayna Baszler def. Kairi Sane to become the new NXT Women's Champion". WWE. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
- Trionfo, Richard (November 17, 2018). "BLACK VERSUS GARGANO: LIVE ONGOING WWE NXT TAKEOVER WAR GAMES II COVERAGE". PWInsider.
- "AAMMA XIII official results". Mixedmartialarts.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 100 Female Wrestlers Results". Wrestling Travel. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- Gary Thomas (November 11, 2011). ""Absolute Action MMA 20: Battle Against Breast Cancer 2" results and play-by-play". ProMMAnow.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- "Jessamyn Duke reveals her gamer side". Cage Pages.
- MMA Latest (23 June 2015). "Reinvented Jessamyn Duke Ready To Return To The Octagon". MMA Latest – Bringing you worldwide MMA news.
- "Ronda Rousey Interview: "I've Always Wanted to Be Samus"". GameSpot.
External links
- Jessamyn Duke on YouTube
- Jessamyn Duke at UFC
- Professional MMA record for Jessamyn Duke from Sherdog
- Jessamyn Duke on WWE.com
- Jessamyn Duke's profile at Cagematch.net