1. Early Life and Background
Jack Hermansson's journey into combat sports began at a young age in Sweden, leading him to relocate to Norway to further his training in mixed martial arts.
1.1. Childhood and Martial Arts Beginnings
Hermansson was born and raised in Uddevalla, Sweden, on June 10, 1988, among six siblings. He began his martial arts career in Greco-Roman wrestling in 1997, at the age of nine. Subsequently, he explored other disciplines like Muay Thai before fully transitioning to mixed martial arts in 2008.
1.2. Move to Norway and Training
At 19, Hermansson moved to Oslo, Norway, seeking work. It was in Oslo that he also started his serious mixed martial arts training. He initially trained for several years at Joachim Hansen's gym, "Team Hellboy," before later moving to Frontline Academy to continue his development as a fighter. Hermansson identifies with both his Swedish and Norwegian heritage, representing both nations when he competes.
2. Mixed Martial Arts Career
Jack Hermansson's professional mixed martial arts career began in 2010, seeing him compete across various promotions before reaching the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he has become a long-standing contender.
2.1. Early Professional Career
Hermansson turned professional in 2010, quickly amassing an impressive 5-0 record within just over a year, with all victories coming by stoppage (four by knockout and one by submission). In his debut fight, he secured the East Coast Fight Factory Middleweight Championship with a third-round knockout. Two of his other early victories, both by knockout, took place in the notable British promotion Cage Warriors Fighting Championship.
2.2. Bellator MMA
Following his early success, Hermansson signed with Bellator MMA in 2012. He made his promotional debut against Daniel Vizcaya on December 14, 2012, at Bellator 84, losing a back-and-forth contest by split decision. His next fight was against Jason Butcher on March 21, 2013, at Bellator 93, where he suffered a loss by submission due to a triangle choke.
2.3. Independent Promotions and Championships
After his two fights in Bellator MMA, Hermansson returned to Europe and the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship. His first fight back was against Enoc Solves Torres on March 22, 2014, at Cage Warriors 66, which he won by TKO in the third round. Less than a month later, on April 18, 2014, he faced Ion Pascu at Cage Warriors: Fight Night 11, winning by unanimous decision, marking the first decision victory of his career.
Hermansson then challenged for the Cage Warriors Middleweight Championship against veteran and former Bellator fighter Norman Paraisy on June 7, 2014, at Cage Warriors 69. He emerged victorious, becoming the champion after defeating Paraisy by rear-naked choke submission at the end of the fourth round. He successfully defended his title against Deyan Topalski on August 22, 2014, at Cage Warriors 71, securing a first-round TKO victory.
In February 2015, the Cage Warriors promotion became inactive due to changes in leadership, leading to uncertainty about its future events. Hermansson himself faced a nearly year-long layoff due to injuries during this period.
He returned to action in a title fight in the British promotion Warrior Fight Series, facing UFC veteran Karlos Vemola on August 1, 2015, at Warrior Fight Series 4. Hermansson won the fight by armbar submission in the first round, claiming the vacant WFS Middleweight Championship. He was scheduled to face Kévin Del for the Lion FC promotional championship on November 29, 2015, but the bout was cancelled when Del withdrew due to injury. Instead, he fought the undefeated Polish fighter Maciej Rozanski on December 12, 2015, at Venator FC 2, winning by unanimous decision.
Although a defense of his WFS title was targeted for Warrior Fight Series 5 on February 13, 2016, no opponent was confirmed, and the title defense ultimately did not materialize at that event. Cage Warriors announced its return on February 11, 2016, after a period of inactivity. Hermansson defended his CWFC title against Alan Carlos in the promotion's first event back, Cage Warriors 75, on April 15, 2016, winning by knockout in the third round. His undefeated record in Cage Warriors stands at 7-0. On May 21, 2016, Hermansson faced Ireneusz Cholewa at Venator FC 3, securing a TKO victory in the third round, his eighth consecutive win.
2.4. Ultimate Fighting Championship
Jack Hermansson signed with the UFC in May 2016, embarking on a new chapter in his career in the world's premier mixed martial arts organization.
2.4.1. 2016
Hermansson made his UFC debut against Scott Askham on September 3, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 93, securing a unanimous decision victory. His next opponent was Cezar Ferreira on November 19, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 100, where he suffered a submission loss in the second round.
2.4.2. 2017
On May 28, 2017, Hermansson faced Alex Nicholson at UFC Fight Night 109. This bout marked his first professional fight in his native Sweden, and he won by TKO in the first round. He then fought Brad Scott on August 5, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 114, winning by TKO in the first round. Hermansson's last fight of the year was against Thiago Santos on October 28, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 119, where he was defeated by TKO in the first round, marking the first time he had been TKO'd in his professional career.
2.4.3. 2018
Hermansson faced Thales Leites on May 12, 2018, at UFC 224. Despite suffering a severe costochondral separation rib injury after being taken down in the first round, Hermansson endured significant pain and survived multiple submission attempts in the first two rounds. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, he rallied to win the fight via TKO in the third round, an emotional comeback victory. He then fought Gerald Meerschaert on December 15, 2018, at UFC on Fox 31, securing a first-round guillotine choke submission victory.
2.4.4. 2019
Hermansson continued his impressive run in 2019, starting with a fight against David Branch on March 30, 2019, at UFC on ESPN 2. He won the fight via guillotine choke submission just 49 seconds into the first round, earning him the Performance of the Night award.
Following this quick victory, Hermansson stepped in on short notice, replacing an injured Yoel Romero, to face former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo Souza on April 27, 2019, in the main event of UFC Fight Night 150. Despite taking the fight with only about three weeks' notice due to Romero's withdrawal from pneumonia, Hermansson won by unanimous decision. On July 17, he signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC. Hermansson's winning streak came to an end when he faced Jared Cannonier on September 28, 2019, in the main event of UFC Fight Night 160. He lost the fight via TKO in the second round after being caught by a counter right uppercut during a takedown attempt.
2.4.5. 2020
Hermansson was initially scheduled to face Chris Weidman on May 2, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Weidman. However, the event was cancelled by UFC President Dana White on April 9 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He instead faced Kelvin Gastelum on July 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2. Hermansson won the fight by heel hook submission in the first round. This submission was later ranked as the #7 Submission of the Year by UFC.com. Hermansson was then scheduled to face Darren Till on December 5, 2020, at UFC on ESPN 19. However, Till was forced to withdraw on November 6 due to injury. Kevin Holland was announced as his replacement, but Holland also pulled out on November 28 after testing positive for COVID-19. Ultimately, Hermansson faced Marvin Vettori at the event. He lost the fight via unanimous decision but earned the Fight of the Night award for their memorable five-round war.
2.4.6. 2021
Hermansson was scheduled to face Edmen Shahbazyan on May 15, 2021, at UFC 262. However, Hermansson contracted COVID-19, causing the bout to be postponed. The fight eventually took place at UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt on May 22, 2021. He won the fight via unanimous decision after dominating with his grappling in the second and third rounds.
2.4.7. 2022
Hermansson faced Sean Strickland on February 5, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 200. He lost the fight via split decision. He was then scheduled to face Darren Till again on July 23, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 208. Till, however, withdrew due to an undisclosed injury, and Hermansson instead faced Chris Curtis. Hermansson won this fight via unanimous decision. Hermansson was slated to fight Derek Brunson on December 3, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 42, but Brunson pulled out due to an injury and was replaced by Roman Dolidze. Hermansson lost the bout via ground and pound TKO in the second round.
2.4.8. 2023
Hermansson was scheduled to face Brendan Allen on June 3, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 46. However, Hermansson withdrew from the bout in late April due to an undisclosed injury.
2.4.9. 2024
Hermansson faced Joe Pyfer on February 10, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 236. After being outstruck in the initial two rounds, Hermansson mounted a comeback in the final three rounds, ultimately winning the bout by unanimous decision.
3. Grappling Career
Beyond his mixed martial arts pursuits, Jack Hermansson has also competed in grappling competitions. On March 5, 2016, he participated in a superfight at Oslo Submission Series 2, facing Norwegian black belt Christopher Hermanstad. Hermansson secured a victory via armbar in overtime under EBI rules. He also competed in a freestyle wrestling match against fellow UFC contender Khamzat Chimaev on November 19, 2021, at Sweden-based Bulldog Fight Night 9, losing 8-0 on points.
4. Personal Life
Jack Hermansson's personal journey reflects his dual national identity and his dedication to his fighting career. Before becoming a full-time professional fighter, Hermansson held various jobs. These included working in a pet store, being a bartender, and serving as a substitute teacher, demonstrating his commitment to his career path as a fighter. He has been in a relationship with his girlfriend, Nora, since 2012.
5. Championships and Accomplishments
Jack Hermansson has earned several championship titles and significant awards throughout his career in both mixed martial arts and submission wrestling.
5.1. Mixed Martial Arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Marvin Vettori
- Performance of the Night (One time) vs. David Branch
- Most significant body strikes landed in a UFC middleweight bout (64) vs. Sean Strickland
- Most total strikes attempted in a UFC middleweight bout (496) vs. Ronaldo Souza
- Fifth most significant strikes landed in UFC Middleweight division history (999)
- Fourth most total strikes landed in UFC Middleweight division history (1366)
- UFC.com Awards
- 2020: Ranked #7 Submission of the Year vs. Kelvin Gastelum
- Cage Warriors Fighting Championship
- CWFC Middleweight Championship (One time)
- Two successful title defenses
- Undefeated in the CWFC (7-0)
- Warrior Fight Series
- WFS Middleweight Championship (One time)
- East Coast Fight Factory
- ECFF Middleweight Championship (One time)
- Nordic MMA Awards - MMAViking.com
- 2014 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
- 2018 Nordic Fighter of the Year
- 2018 Comeback of the Year vs. Thales Leites
- 2019 Submission of the Year vs. David Branch
- 2019 Fighter of the Year
- 2020 Submission of the Year vs. Kelvin Gastelum
- CombatPress.com
- 2019 Upset of the Year vs. Ronaldo Souza
5.2. Submission Wrestling
- Oslo Submission Series
- OSS 2 (2016) Super Fight Winner
6. Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 24-8 | Joe Pyfer | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer | February 10, 2024 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 23-8 | Roman Dolidze | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland | December 3, 2022 | 2 | 4:06 | Orlando, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 23-7 | Chris Curtis | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall | July 23, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | London, England | |
| Loss | 22-7 | Sean Strickland | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Strickland | February 5, 2022 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 22-6 | Edmen Shahbazyan | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt | May 22, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 21-6 | Marvin Vettori | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori | December 5, 2020 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 21-5 | Kelvin Gastelum | Submission (heel hook) | UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 | July 19, 2020 | 1 | 1:18 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 20-5 | Jared Cannonier | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier | September 28, 2019 | 2 | 0:27 | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Win | 20-4 | Ronaldo Souza | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson | April 27, 2019 | 5 | 5:00 | Sunrise, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 19-4 | David Branch | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje | March 30, 2019 | 1 | 0:49 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 18-4 | Gerald Meerschaert | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC on Fox: Lee vs. Iaquinta 2 | December 15, 2018 | 1 | 4:25 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 17-4 | Thales Leites | TKO (punches) | UFC 224 | May 12, 2018 | 3 | 2:10 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Loss | 16-4 | Thiago Santos | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida | October 28, 2017 | 1 | 4:59 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 16-3 | Brad Scott | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno | August 5, 2017 | 1 | 3:50 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Win | 15-3 | Alex Nicholson | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs. Teixeira | May 28, 2017 | 1 | 2:00 | Stockholm, Sweden | |
| Loss | 14-3 | Cezar Ferreira | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. Nogueira 2 | November 19, 2016 | 2 | 2:11 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 14-2 | Scott Askham | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Arlovski vs. Barnett | September 3, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Hamburg, Germany | |
| Win | 13-2 | Ireneusz Cholewa | TKO (punches) | Venator FC 3 | May 23, 2016 | 3 | 1:05 | Milan, Italy | |
| Win | 12-2 | Alan Carlos | TKO (punches) | Cage Warriors 75 | April 15, 2016 | 3 | 4:45 | London, England | Defended the Cage Warriors Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 11-2 | Maciej Różański | Decision (unanimous) | Venator FC 2 | December 12, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Rimini, Italy | |
| Win | 10-2 | Karlos Vémola | Submission (armbar) | Warrior Fight Series 4 | August 1, 2015 | 1 | 2:08 | London, England | Won the vacant WFS Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 9-2 | Deyan Topalski | TKO (punches) | Cage Warriors 71 | August 22, 2014 | 1 | 4:09 | Amman, Jordan | Defended the Cage Warriors Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 8-2 | Norman Paraisy | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Warriors 69 | June 7, 2014 | 4 | 4:49 | London, England | Won the vacant Cage Warriors Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 7-2 | Ion Pascu | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Warriors: Fight Night 11 | April 18, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Amman, Jordan | |
| Win | 6-2 | Enoc Solves Torres | TKO (submission to punches) | Cage Warriors 66 | March 22, 2014 | 3 | 4:36 | Ballerup, Denmark | |
| Loss | 5-2 | Jason Butcher | Submission (triangle choke) | Bellator 93 | March 21, 2013 | 1 | 2:24 | Lewiston, Maine, United States | |
| Loss | 5-1 | Daniel Vizcaya | Decision (split) | Bellator 84 | December 14, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Hammond, Indiana, United States | |
| Win | 5-0 | Mike Ling | KO (punches) | Cage Warriors: Fight Night 2 | September 8, 2011 | 1 | 3:30 | Amman, Jordan | |
| Win | 4-0 | Andor Filo | KO (punch) | World FC 2: Bad Boys | July 9, 2011 | 1 | 0:28 | London, England | |
| Win | 3-0 | Ali Arish | KO (punch and head kick) | Cage Warriors 41 | April 24, 2011 | 2 | 1:39 | London, England | |
| Win | 2-0 | Ian Farquharson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Into the Cage 1 | November 20, 2010 | 1 | 0:43 | Andover, England | |
| Win | 1-0 | Chris Greig | KO (punch) | East Coast Fight Factory: Impact | July 1, 2010 | 3 | 0:46 | Norwich, England | Middleweight debut. Won the ECFF Middleweight Championship. |
7. Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 2-0 | Martin Johansson | TKO (knees) | Adrenaline 4: The New Generation | February 13, 2010 | 2 | N/A | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Win | 1-0 | Martin Lavin | TKO (punches) | Swedish Shootfighting League 09: Shoot Challenge 5 | May 23, 2009 | 2 | 1:02 | Stockholm, Sweden |