PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born: Henry Fadipe, Lagos, Nigeria
Nickname: Herculeez
Date of Birth: 1992
Weight: 185LBS/ 83.91kgs
Division: Welterweight and Middleweight
Pro MMA Record: [14-13-1]
EARLY LIFE
The fighter started life in Nigeria but moved to Dublin, Ireland, in 2002 with his family. Fadipe and his brother were the only black kids in their school and got bullied for it. They’d get stoned and chased by guys with samurai swords and had to be driven home by the school principal. Fadipe finally had enough and decided to take up self-defense classes.
After gaining admission into IT to study Electro-Mechanical Engineering, he fell in love with MMA and began training at 17. Since then, he has been in five amateur fights and twenty-six professional matches. He is affiliated with Fantom Dublin but has been signed to EFC, where he represented Ireland and won the world title in 2014. The fighter isn’t competing in any international fight due to immigration issues, but he’s looking to resolve the issue and get back in the game.
MMA CAREER
Fadipe is an outstanding fighter who brings tenacity and ferocity anytime he gets into the cage. The fighter has contested at different MMA tournaments, including Battle Zone FC, Clan Wars, Rush Fighting Academy, Man of War, Ireland Regional, United Kingdom Regional, Cage Warriors, EFC Africa, EFC Worldwide, BAMMA 30, Cage Legacy, KSW, and Fantom Bull Fight. His first fight against Dominik Oryszcak saw him emerge victorious after delivering a round of strikes and punches that led to a TKO in round one. Next, he faced Ryan Kelly. He lost the fight after a series of strikes and a fatal elbow that led to a first-round TKO. Soon after, he faced Dewayne Hinds and lost the fight after his opponent scored a rear naked choke in round one.
His next opponent was John Redmond, and he finally scored a win after landing a barrage of blows that led to a KO in the opening round. Subsequently, he faced John Micheal Shell but lost the fight in round one after a TKO. Afterward, he went up against Conor Cooke and lost after suffering a KO in the first round.
Successively, he squared up against Ronon McKay and lost the fight after suffering blows and punches that led to a retirement in the second round. After this, he faced Redmond again, but this time redeemed himself and won the match after a rear naked choke that led to Redmond’s submission. Soon afterward, he faced French fighter Kevin Del. Del went in for a takedown in round one but got flipped over during the grapple. He suffered Fadipe’s hammer fist before the match ended with a TKO in the first round.
Afterwards, he faced off against UK fighter Charlie Watts. He knocked his opponent down with a right hand before heavy hammer fists. Fadipe mounted Watts and pummeled him with strikes and vicious elbows before the referee called off the match, and he emerged the winner. Next, he faced Fabio Ferrari at the Ireland Regional. He lost the match after suffering a round of punches and blows that led to his defeat in the third round.
His next match saw him go up against SA fighter Tumelo Maphutha, but the match ended in a draw via split decision. Following this, he squared up against Danny Roberts. Fadipe closed the distance during the fight, but Roberts performed a takedown and tried to put Fadipe in a headlock. He managed to reverse positions before round one came to an end.
Round two began with Fadipe coming in hot, but Roberts went for a takedown. Robert suffered a vicious cut on his forehead but continued to deliver heavy ground pounding before the referee paused the match for the medic to attend to Roberts. After positive confirmation, the match resumed with Roberts grappling Fadipe, but he got back on his feet. Fadipe wrestled Roberts to a corner, but Roberts went in for a takedown. He landed deadly punches while keeping his head covered until the round ended. Roberts grappled Fadipe to the canvas in round three and landed vicious elbow hits before going for a rear naked choke, leading to Fadipe’s submission.
Next, he went up against Martin Van Staden at the EFC 23. Both opponents started the match cautiously before Fadipe threw a punch that landed Staden on the mat. He soon recovered and got back on his feet, but Fadipe remained on the attack and delivered blows and a knee to the body. Fadipe went for a takedown and an ankle lock that led to Staden’s submission in round one.
Subsequently, he fought Michiel Opperman and KO’ed him after a vicious elbow in round three. Soon after, he defeated Dino Bagattin after landing fatal strikes and a deadly punch, leading to a KO in round one. Later, he took on SA fighter Adam Speechly and lost the round after a unanimous decision in round three. He soon went up against Bruno Mukulu and won the fight after a TKO in round three.
After this, he faced Romanian fighter Ion Pascu at BAMMA 30. Pascu went in for leg kicks that almost took Fadipe down. He followed through with quick jabs, but Fadipe responded with low kicks of his own. Pascu went for a takedown and rained down strikes, punches, and hammer fists, leading to a TKO in round one.
Next, he faced Ali Mclean, who grappled Fadipe to the canvas and tried for a headlock. Back on their feet, Mclean went for a head kick, and Fadipe retaliated with a right-hand punch before the end of round one. Round two began with Fadipe going for a flying knee, but Mclean blocked the attack. Fadipe landed a big right-hand punch that rocked Mclean and followed through with a left-right combo before Mclean dropped to the ground.
Soon after, he faced Lukasz Stanek and won the match following a TKO in round two. He faced his old-time rival Redmond and defeated him in round two via KO. Later, he squared up against Polish fighter Albert Odzimkowski and defeated his opponent in round two after locking him in a Peruvian Necktie that led to his submission.
Afterward, he faced Marcin Krakowiak and lost the fight after a unanimous decision in round three. He faced Krystian Kaszubowski and defeated his opponent via split decision. His next fight was against Artue Szczepaniak, but he lost the game after receiving fatal punches that led to a knockout in round two. Next, he went up against Dawid Borzecki and lost after a split decision. Matus Juracek was his last recorded opponent, and he lost the fight after a TKO in round one.
