Chidi Njokuani
Chidi Godson Njokuani[1] (born December 31, 1988) is an American-Nigerian former Muay Thai kickboxer and current professional mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Middleweight division of Bellator MMA. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, he also formerly competed for the RFA, Tachi Palace Fights, and Legacy FC.
| Chidi Njokuani | |
|---|---|
| Born | Chidi Godson Njoku-Ani December 31, 1988 Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Other names | Chidi Bang Bang |
| Nationality | American Nigerian |
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Weight | 83 kg (183 lb; 13.1 st) |
| Division | Light Heavyweight (Kickboxing) Welterweight/Middleweight (MMA) |
| Reach | 79 in (201 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Team | Janjira Muay Thai One Kick's Gym Sergio Penha BJJ |
| Trainer | Saeksan Janjira Nick "One Kick" Blomgren Sergio Penha |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 14 |
| Wins | 12 |
| By knockout | 7 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 27 |
| Wins | 19 |
| By knockout | 11 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 7 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| By submission | 3 |
| By decision | 1 |
| No contests | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Notable relatives | Anthony Njokuani (brother) |
last updated on: March 7, 2014 | |
Background
Chidi Njokuani was born to Nigerian parents in Dallas, Texas on December 31, 1988. His name "Chidi" means "God exists" in Igbo.[2] He was introduced to Muay Thai by his older brother Anthony at the age of 10 and began competing at the age of 11. He was temporarily distracted from Muay Thai with skateboarding during his teenage years but eventually returned to fighting and discovered mixed martial arts at the age of 18.[3]
Career
Kickboxing & Muay Thai
Turning professional in 2007 after around fifteen amateur Muay Thai fights, Chidi Njokuani came to prominence competing in the -80.7 kg/178 lb division for the Oklahoma Destroyers in the team-based World Combat League kickboxing promotion during the 2007-08 season in which he lost matches to such notables as Raymond Daniels and Lyman Good. He suffered his first professional Muay Thai loss at the hands of Joe Schilling on April 25, 2009 (dropping a unanimous decision at Dominant Knockout 1 in Irving, Texas) but rebounded with back-to-back defeats of Edwin Aguilar (a UD win under Oriental kickboxing rules at Kickboxing Empire I in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 30, 2011[4]) and Ken Tran (a second round knockout at Lion Fight: Battle in the Desert 4 in Las Vegas on November 19, 2011)[5]).
Returning to the Muay Thai ring, Njokuani fought to a controversial majority draw with Simon Marcus on the Push Kick Promotions: Muay Thai World Stand Off 5 card in Las Vegas on September 29, 2013.[6][7] Njokuani started the fight well, using footwork to control the ring, but Marcus soon got inside and began landing knees and elbows from the clinch. In round two, Njokuani was twice given time to recover from illegal strikes, an elbow to the back of the head and a low blow. Each time the fight continued, Marcus would begin to again work in the clinch and Njokuani repeatedly turned his back, so the referee decided to break the fighters continually. Marcus was docked a point by referee Tony Weeks for landing a second low blow in round three and the fight turned into a brawl towards the end. When it went to the judges, the bout was declared a majority draw with two judges scoring the bout a draw and one scoring the bout for Njokuani. Simon Marcus then took to the microphone, calling Chidi Njokuani a "bitch" for his unwillingness to fight in the clinch and questioning the judges knowledge of the Muay Thai scoring system. These post-fight comments led to a heated confrontation between Marcus and Chidi's brother Anthony as they scuffled back stage.[8]
Resurrection Fighting Alliance
Having compiled a 7–3 record as a mixed martial artist, Njokuani signed with the Resurrection Fighting Alliance in 2012. He made his RFA debut at RFA 3: Stevenson vs. Cochrane, against Bobby Cooper. He won via the first decision of his career.
Njokuani then was paired up with Phil Dace at RFA 4. He won via TKO.[9]
Njokuani fought Jeremy Kimball at RFA 7 and lost via submission.[10]
Bellator MMA
In June 2015, it was announced that Njokuani had signed with Bellator MMA. He made his debut against Ricky Rainey at Bellator 146 on November 20, 2015. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
In his second fight for the promotion, Njokuani faced Thiago Jambo at Bellator 156 on June 17, 2016. He won that fight via knockout due to a combination of body kick and punches.
In his highest profile fight for the promotion, Njokuani faced undefeated prospect André Fialho at Bellator 167 on December 3, 2016. He won the fight via knockout just 21 seconds into the first round.
Making a quick return to the cage, Njokuani faced Melvin Guillard in the main event at Bellator 171 on January 27, 2017. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Njokuani faced former Bellator welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 182 on August 25, 2017. He lost the fight in the first round via a combination of punches and elbows.[11]
Njokuani next moved up to Middleweight to face Hisaki Kato at Bellator 189 on December 1, 2017.[12] He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Njokuani was scheduled to face Melvin Manhoef on November 30, 2018 at Bellator 210.[13] However, Manhoef withdrew from the bout due to injury and was replaced by John Salter.[14] Njokuani lost the bout via submission in the first round.
Njokuani faced Rafael Carvalho at Bellator 224 in a 190 pound Catchweight bout on July 12, 2019.[15] He lost the fight by unanimous decision. Njokuani was subsequently released from the promotion.[16]
Post-Bellator
After being released from Bellator, Njokuani signed a contract with Legacy Fighting Alliance. He made his promotional debut against Cristhian Torres at LFA 91: Njokuani vs. Torres on September 11, 2020, winning by second-round technical knockout.[17]
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 27 matches | 19 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 11 | 3 |
| By submission | 1 | 3 |
| By decision | 7 | 1 |
| No contests | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 19–7 (1) | Cristhian Torres | TKO (knee and punches) | LFA 91: Njokuani vs. Torres | September 11, 2020 | 2 | 4:10 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | |
| Loss | 18–7 (1) | Rafael Carvalho | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 224 | July 12, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | Catchweight bout (190 lbs). |
| Loss | 18–6 (1) | John Salter | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Bellator 210 | November 30, 2018 | 1 | 4:32 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 18–5 (1) | Hisaki Kato | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 189 | December 1, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | Middleweight debut. |
| Loss | 17–5 (1) | Andrey Koreshkov | TKO (punches and elbows) | Bellator 182 | August 25, 2017 | 1 | 4:08 | Verona, New York, United States | Catchweight (175 lb) bout; Njokuani missed weight.[18] |
| Win | 17–4 (1) | Melvin Guillard | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 171 | January 27, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Mulvane, Kansas, United States | Catchweight (179 lb) bout. |
| Win | 16–4 (1) | André Fialho | KO (punches) | Bellator 167 | December 3, 2016 | 1 | 0:21 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | Catchweight (175 lb) bout; Njokuani missed weight.[19] |
| Win | 15–4 (1) | Thiago Jambo | KO (body kick and punches) | Bellator 156 | June 17, 2016 | 3 | 2:39 | Fresno, California, United States | |
| Win | 14–4 (1) | Ricky Rainey | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 146 | November 20, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 13–4 (1) | Max Griffin | Decision (split) | Tachi Palace Fights 23 | May 7, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | Lemoore, California, United States | Won the Tachi Palace Fights Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 12–4 (1) | Gilbert Smith | Decision (unanimous) | RFA 22: Smith vs. Njokuani | January 9, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States | Non-title fight; Njokuani missed weight. |
| Win | 11–4 (1) | Steve Hanna | Decision (unanimous) | RFA 18: Manzanares vs. Pantoja | September 12, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | |
| NC | 10–4 (1) | Chris Heatherly | No contest (elbow to spine) | RFA 13: Cochrane vs. Escudero | March 7, 2014 | 1 | 3:31 | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States | |
| Win | 10–4 | LeVon Maynard | TKO (punches) | ShinZo Fight Sport 1 | August 16, 2013 | 1 | 4:40 | Guatemala City, Guatemala | |
| Loss | 9–4 | Jeremy Kimball | Submission (rear-naked choke) | RFA 7: Thatch vs. Rhodes | March 22, 2013 | 2 | 1:51 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Catchweight (180 lb) bout. |
| Win | 9–3 | Phil Dace | TKO (punches) | RFA 4: Griffin vs. Escudero | November 2, 2012 | 3 | 0:41 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–3 | Bobby Cooper | Decision (unanimous) | RFA 3: Stevenson vs. Cochrane | June 30, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Kearney, Nebraska, United States | |
| Win | 7–3 | John Reedy | TKO (leg kick) | TPF 13: Unfinished Business | May 10, 2012 | 1 | 0:55 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 6–3 | Jonathan Harris | TKO (knee and punches) | Legacy Fighting Championship 10 | February 24, 2012 | 1 | 1:54 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Loss | 5–3 | Brandon Thatch | TKO (punches) | ROF 41: Bragging Rights | August 20, 2011 | 1 | 0:53 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Catchweight (173 lbs) bout; Njokuani missed weight. |
| Win | 5–2 | Alan Jouban | TKO (body kick) | TPF 9: The Contenders | May 6, 2011 | 3 | 1:27 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 4–2 | Jack Montgomery | Submission (guillotine choke) | KOTC: Infusion | November 13, 2010 | 1 | 1:35 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 3–2 | Chris Kennedy | KO (punches) | MMA Xplosion: Vianna vs. Lacy | July 31, 2010 | 1 | 0:52 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 2–2 | Jorge Lopez | TKO (punches) | MMA Xplosion: Next Generation Fighter | May 22, 2010 | 1 | 4:15 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 2–1 | Warren Thompson | Submission (americana) | Bangkok Fight Night 3 | September 25, 2009 | 1 | 1:05 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Andrew Moncriefe | TKO (punches) | Supreme Warrior Championship 1: Inception | September 19, 2008 | 1 | 0:22 | Frisco, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | George Cortez | TKO (punches) | Fight Time Productions: Global Showdown | November 3, 2007 | 1 | 1:30 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States |
Kickboxing record
| Professional kickboxing record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 wins (7 KOs), 1 loss, 1 draw | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | Record |
| 2013-09-28 | Draw | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Simon Marcus | Push Kick Promotions: Muay Thai World Stand Off 5 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Draw (majority) | 3 | 3:00 | 12-1-1 |
| 2011-11-19 | Win | Ken Tran | Lion Fight: Battle in the Desert 4 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | KO | 2 | 2:34 | |
| 2011-07-30 | Win |  Edwin Aguilar | Kickboxing Empire I | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Decision (unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | 10-1 |
| 2009-04-25 | Loss |  Joe Schilling | Dominant Knockout 1 | Irving, Texas, USA | Decision (unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Amateur kickboxing record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | Record |
| 2008-00-00 | Loss | Lyman Good | World Combat League | United States | Decision (18-9) | 1 | 3:00 | |
| 2008-05-03 | Loss | Raymond Daniels | World Combat League | United States | Decision (18-6) | 1 | 3:00 | |
- Legend
- Win
- Loss
- Draw/No contest
- Notes
See also
References
- NSAC report of Elite Kickboxing
- "Chidi". Behind the Name. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
- Fight Path: Chidi Njokuani balances MMA and muay Thai careers with brother's help
- Malaipet, Yarborough, and Njokuani kickboxing results
- Results and Recap: Lion Fight Promotions "Battle in the Desert 4" Archived August 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- Push Kick Promotions set for 28 September in Las Vegas
- Simon Marcus vs. Chidi Njokuani set for 28 September at Push Kick's "Muay Thai World Stand Off Las Vegas"
- Push Kick Promotions "World Stand Off 5" Results and Recap: Marcus vs. Njokuani ends in controversial draw
- Patrick L. Stumberg (November 3, 2012). "RFA 4 results recap: Griffin outclasses Escudero, Njokuani blasts Dace". www.mmamania.com.
- Dallas Winston (March 23, 2013). "RFA 7 Gifs/Results: Thatch stops Rhodes, Kimball chokes Njokuani, Bektic remains unbeaten". www.bloodyelbow.com.
- Matt Erickson (August 25, 2017). "Bellator 182 results: Ex-champ Andrey Koreshkov pounds out Chidi Njokuani in first round". mmajunkie.com.
- "Chidi Njokuani Moves Up To Middleweight, Meets Hisaki Kato at Bellator 189 in Oklahoma".
- "Melvin Manhoef vs. Chidi Njokuani to headline Bellator 210". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
- "Melvin Manhoef Out, John Salter in Against Chidi Njokuani at Bellator 210". Sherdog. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
- Guilherme Cruz (May 27, 2019). "Rafael Carvalho vs. Chidi Njokuani targeted for Bellator 224". mmafighting.com.
- Nolan King (August 16, 2019). "Chidi Njokuani, Hisaki Kato among nine fighters released by Bellator". mmajunkie.com.
- Brian Knapp (September 11, 2020). "Chidi Njokuani Shreds Cristhian Torres in Gory Legacy Fighting Alliance 91 Main Event". sherdog.com.
- Staff (August 24, 2017). "Bellator 182 weigh-in results: Chidi Njokuani heavy, but set for Andrey Koreshkov". mmajunkie.com.
- Brent Brookhouse (December 3, 2016). "Bellator 167 results: Darrion Caldwell gets revenge over Joe Taimanglo with decision win". www.mmajunkie.com.
- Sherdog.com. "Chidi". Sherdog. Retrieved 2018-10-18.