Tim Elliott Bio
Timothy Samuel Elliott is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Competing professionally since 2009, Elliott is the former Titan FC Flyweight Champion and the winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions. Standing 170 cm tall with a 168 cm reach, he has built a reputation as a durable wrestler and a submission threat inside the UFC flyweight division.
As of November 18, 2025, Timothy Samuel Elliott is ranked number nine in the official UFC flyweight rankings. He has compiled a professional record of 21 wins and 13 losses, with his victories split between six decisions, six submissions, and one knockout. Trained out of Next Generation MMA in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, he continues to be one of the most experienced American competitors in the 125-pound class.
Early Life and Background
Timothy Samuel Elliott was born on December 24, 1986, in Arkansas City, Kansas. When he was in fourth grade, Elliott moved with his father to Haysville, Kansas, where he was first introduced to wrestling. The move shaped the early years of his athletic development and gave him his first structured training environment in combat sports.
Elliott originally attended Campus High School, where he was a state wrestling runner-up. He later transferred to Wichita South High School during his junior year and became a state champion in his senior season of 2005. Those high school results established him as one of the top amateur wrestlers in the state of Kansas.
After high school, Elliott continued his wrestling career at Labette Community College before transferring to the University of Central Oklahoma. He earned All-American honors, placed every year of his collegiate wrestling career, and became the NJCAA wrestling national champion in 2007. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Science and General Studies, balancing academics with a competitive grappling schedule.
Path to MMA
Following his collegiate wrestling career, Timothy Samuel Elliott transitioned into mixed martial arts and began competing professionally in 2009. He competed primarily in regional promotions, building a foundation in striking and submissions to complement his wrestling base. Those early years on the Midwestern circuit helped shape his well-rounded skill set.
Before reaching the UFC, Elliott compiled a record of eight wins, two losses, and one draw across his first eleven professional fights. Among those victories was a notable knockout win over former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, a result that elevated his profile and caught the attention of major promotions. He later captured the Titan FC Flyweight Championship and entered The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions, where he was selected as the number one overall pick by Joseph Benavidez.
Elliott won the TUF 24 tournament by defeating Hiromasa Ougikubo via unanimous decision in the final, earning the opportunity to face Demetrious Johnson for the UFC Flyweight Championship. The victory cemented his status as a top-tier flyweight prospect and marked his arrival on the sport’s biggest stage.
Tim Elliott Career
Early UFC Career (2012–2015)
Timothy Samuel Elliott signed with the UFC on April 17, 2012, and made his promotional debut against The Ultimate Fighter 14 winner John Dodson at UFC on Fox 3 on May 5, 2012, replacing an injured Darren Uyenoyama. He lost that fight by unanimous decision but gained valuable experience against an established contender. In his second appearance, he defeated Jared Papazian by unanimous decision at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson Finale, earning a Fight of the Night bonus in the process.
Elliott added a third UFC win over Louis Gaudinot at UFC 164 in August 2013, but losses to Ali Bagautinov, Joseph Benavidez, and Zach Makovsky followed. After the defeat to Makovsky at UFC Fight Night 60 in February 2015, he was released from the organization, closing out his first UFC stint with a 3-4 promotional record.
Titan FC Title Run (2015–2016)
Outside the UFC, Timothy Samuel Elliott faced former UFC flyweight Iliarde Santos at Titan FC 34 for the inaugural Titan FC Flyweight Championship and won by dominant unanimous decision to claim the title. He followed that result with a second-round submission win over Felipe Efrain at Titan FC 35 on September 19, 2015, in his first title defense.
Elliott then defeated former UFC bantamweight Pedro Nobre by unanimous decision at Titan FC 37 on March 5, 2016, recording his second successful title defense. The three-fight championship run established him as one of the top flyweights outside the UFC and set the stage for his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter 24.
The Ultimate Fighter 24 and Title Shot (2016)
On July 21, 2016, Timothy Samuel Elliott was announced as a cast member on the 24th season of The Ultimate Fighter, where the winner earned a chance to fight Demetrious Johnson for the UFC Flyweight Championship. Despite being the number three seed, he was selected as the first overall pick by former opponent Joseph Benavidez, kicking off a dominant tournament run.
Elliott submitted Charlie Alaniz by bulldog choke in the first round, then recovered from a groin strike to submit Matt Schnell by front choke in the first round of the quarterfinals. He decisioned Eric Shelton in the semifinals before defeating Hiromasa Ougikubo by unanimous decision, 30-27, in the final to win the tournament. The win earned him a December 3, 2016, title fight against Demetrious Johnson at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale, where he lost by unanimous decision.
Return to the UFC (2017–2020)
Following the title fight, Timothy Samuel Elliott began rebuilding his UFC career with a unanimous decision win over Louis Smolka at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Reis on April 15, 2017, earning his second Fight of the Night bonus. A submission loss to Ben Nguyen at UFC Fight Night 110 followed, and a planned bout with Justin Scoggins at UFC on Fox 26 fell through when replacement Pietro Menga missed weight and the fight was canceled.
Elliott submitted Mark De La Rosa with an anaconda choke at UFC 219 in December 2017, dedicating the win to his late coach Robert Follis and earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. A torn ACL in June 2018 sidelined him for roughly a year, after which he returned to face Deiveson Figueiredo, Askar Askarov, and Brandon Royval, dropping all three bouts. He snapped his losing streak with a unanimous decision win over Ryan Benoit at UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Ige in July 2020, his first victory since 2017.
Next Generation MMA Era (2022–Present)
Timothy Samuel Elliott trained out of Next Generation MMA during this era and added notable wins over Tagir Ulanbekov at UFC 272, Victor Altamirano at UFC on ESPN 46, and Su Mudaerji at UFC Fight Night 233, where his first-round arm-triangle choke submission earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. Losses to Matheus Nicolau, Muhammad Mokaev, and a planned bout with Tatsuro Taira that was scrapped due to injury punctuated the stretch.
On August 16, 2025, at UFC 319, Elliott faced former UFC Flyweight Championship challenger Kai Asakura and won by guillotine choke in the second round. The victory earned him his third Performance of the Night award and helped push him back into the top ten of the UFC flyweight rankings by November 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Timothy Samuel Elliott fights out of a wrestling-heavy stance, using his collegiate grappling base to control opponents on the mat and threaten from top position. He is also a dangerous submission hunter, with six of his 21 career wins coming by way of submission, including chokes such as the bulldog, front, anaconda, arm-triangle, and guillotine. His willingness to compete in high-pressure moments has produced multiple Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses throughout his UFC tenure.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most memorable moments of Timothy Samuel Elliott’s career are his Titan FC Flyweight Championship win over Iliarde Santos, his tournament victory on The Ultimate Fighter 24, and his submission finish of former title challenger Kai Asakura at UFC 319. He has also earned multiple post-fight bonuses and a Performance of the Night award for a win dedicated to his late coach Robert Follis.
Tim Elliott Career Wins
Across his professional career, Timothy Samuel Elliott has tallied 21 verified victories spanning regional promotions, Titan FC, and the UFC. His wins are distributed across decisions, submissions, and a single knockout, with multiple post-fight bonuses recognizing his performances on the sport’s biggest stage.
UFC Highlights
Timothy Samuel Elliott’s UFC resume includes notable decision wins over Jared Papazian, Louis Gaudinot, Louis Smolka, Mark De La Rosa, Ryan Benoit, Tagir Ulanbekov, Victor Altamirano, and Su Mudaerji, along with his high-profile submission of Kai Asakura at UFC 319. Several of those performances, including the De La Rosa, Mudaerji, and Asakura wins, were recognized with Performance of the Night bonuses.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Timothy Samuel Elliott captured the Titan FC Flyweight Championship with a unanimous decision win over Iliarde Santos and defended the title against Felipe Efrain and Pedro Nobre. He also built his early resume with a notable knockout of former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver during his pre-UFC tenure on the regional circuit.
Tim Elliott Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available details about Timothy Samuel Elliott’s immediate family are limited. He has spoken about moving with his father to Haysville, Kansas, during his childhood, where he was first introduced to organized wrestling.
Personal Life
Timothy Samuel Elliott was previously in a relationship with fellow UFC fighter Gina Mazany, and the two were engaged in July 2020 before later divorcing. He has one daughter from a previous relationship. Elliott currently resides in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, where he trains out of Next Generation MMA, and he holds a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
2025 Season Performance
Timothy Samuel Elliott’s 2025 campaign was anchored by his August 16, 2025, victory over former UFC Flyweight Championship challenger Kai Asakura at UFC 319, a second-round guillotine choke that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. The result marked his return to the UFC win column following a stretch of injuries and bookings that had been scrapped, and it reignited his position in the title picture.
By November 18, 2025, Elliott had climbed back into the UFC’s official flyweight top ten, sitting at number nine in the rankings. His placement reflects a combination of veteran experience, recent finishing ability, and the depth of a 21-13 professional record built over more than 16 years in the sport.
Looking ahead, Timothy Samuel Elliott is expected to continue campaigning in the flyweight division, with potential matchups against other ranked contenders likely to shape his push toward another title opportunity. His partnership with the Next Generation MMA coaching staff in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, is expected to remain central to his preparation as he builds on the momentum generated by the Asakura win.