James Head fighter

James Head, born on February 9, 1984, is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC's Welterweight division. He began training at Lovato's in 2008, earning a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu after winning silver at the 2010 World Championships as a blue belt. With over six years of boxing experience and a title as Southwest Regional Amateur Champion in Texas, Head holds an 8-2 professional MMA record and a 5-0 amateur record. He also studies Muay Thai, contributing techniques to Lovato's Team.

In his early career, Head suffered his first loss to Jesse Forbes in August 2009 but rebounded with a TKO win over Bill Albrecht. His standout victory came against UFC veteran Gerald Harris via unanimous decision. In the UFC, Head debuted at UFC 131 against Nick Ring, losing by submission. He faced several changes in opponents due to injuries and replacements. Notably, he won his welterweight debut against Papy Abedi with a rear naked choke and defeated Brian Ebersole by split decision.

Head's career encountered setbacks, including a canceled fight with Nick Catone due to Catone's hospitalization for dehydration. His final UFC bout was a loss to Jason High via guillotine choke, leading to his release from the UFC. Head was recognized as #9 in the 2012 UFC.com Awards for Upset of the Year following his victory over Ebersole.