Gerald Strebendt
| Gerald Strebendt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
March 1, 1979 Coos Bay, Oregon, United States |
| Other names | The Finishing Machine |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) |
| Division | Lightweight |
| Style | BJJ, Shooto, MCMAP, 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, Judo. |
| Fighting out of | Los Angeles, California |
| Team | 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu |
| Years active | Since 2008 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 16 |
| Wins | 9 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By submission | 8 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 5 |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Gerald Strebendt is a mixed martial artist, having competed in MMA organisations such as the UFC and Cage Rage. The highlight of Gerald's career was at UFC 44, where he took on top lightweight,[1] Josh Thomson - losing in the first round by KO. Despite losing, Gerald showed an aggressive grappling style in his match, living up to his name "The Finishing Machine" - A name that has stood by him for his entire MMA career, where he has never gone to a decision, win or lose.
A former member of the United States Marine Corps,[2] Strebendt is known for training with world-renowned grappler, Eddie Bravo where he adopted Eddie's rubber guard game. In 2004 Gerald became the first fighter to execute a Twister in an MMA match - a spine lock submission made famous by Eddie Bravo. In the past, Gerald also trained with comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan. [3]
Strebendt currently owns and operates Northwest Training Center in Springfield, Oregon. He has continued his involvement in MMA by training several successful amateur and professional fighters.
Strebendt was a key witness in the 2005 murder trial of Rafiel Torre.[2] Torre initially offered Strebendt $10,000 to kill the victim, 32-year-old Bryan Richards, who had a sizable life insurance policy and with whose wife Torre was having an affair.[2] After Strebendt refused, Torre committed the murder himself, then told Strebendt a few days later that he had killed Richards in self-defense with a rear naked choke.[2] Torre asked Strebendt to provide him with an alibi, a request which was met with Strebendt's refusal.[2] More than a year after the killing, Strebendt voluntarily came forward and provided his story to detectives, out of concern that Torre would escape punishment for the murder.[2] Torre was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole; he is appealing the sentence.
On January 29, 2014, Strebendt shot and killed 53-year-old David Paul Crofut, also of Springfield, during an altercation following a traffic collision between the two drivers' vehicles.[4] Strebendt called 911 following the collision but before shooting Crofut and was still connected with the 911 call when the shot was fired.[5] Strebendt claims self-defense in the shooting; Strebendt's attorney, Mike Arnold of Eugene, states that Strebendt reached into his vehicle and retrieved his weapon, a loaded .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle, because Crofut verbally threatened his life.[5] Carrying a loaded rifle in a vehicle is legal in Oregon.[6] Crofut was unarmed during the altercation, and no weapons other than Strebendt's rifle were found at the scene.[7] Following the shooting, Strebendt was handcuffed and taken into custody, but was released later that night.[5] According to Strebendt on the 911 call, Crofut hit him "on purpose with his vehicle." [8] Strebendt can be heard on the 911 call instructing Crofut to "back away" and "don't fucking come near me."[8] At the time of his death, Crofut had a blood alcohol content of 0.156%. [9] The legal limit for driving under the influence of alcohol in Oregon is 0.08%.[10]
Strebendt was arrested and charged with murder on March 6, 2014, after a grand jury indictment.[11] Lane County Circuit Court Judge Debra Vogt imposed a gag order preventing the prosecution and defense from talking about the case and sealed court documents over the objections of the local newspaper; Strebendt's attorneys objected.[12] On May 21, 2015, the murder charge was dismissed and Strebendt pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide due to police establishing "some mitigating evidence" favoring Strebendt.[9] His attorney Mike Arnold and co-counsel Emilia Gardner went on to write a book about Strebendt and the case called Finishing Machine.[13]
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 16 matches | 9 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 2 |
| By submission | 8 | 5 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 9-7 | Lyle Beerbohm | Submission (injury) | EWC 3: Capitol Invasion | January 12, 2008 | 1 | 2:42 | N/A | |
| Win | 9-6 | Will Shutt | Submission (rear-naked choke) | SF 20: Homecoming | October 27, 2007 | 1 | N/A | N/A | |
| Loss | 8-6 | Vitor Ribeiro | Submission (guillotine choke) | Cage Rage 12 | July 12, 2005 | 1 | 1:13 | N/A | |
| Loss | 8-5 | Sean Sherk | TKO (punches) | Extreme Challenge 58 | June 11, 2004 | 1 | 3:52 | N/A | |
| Loss | 8-4 | Jean Silva | Submission (triangle choke) | Cage Rage 6 | May 23, 2004 | 2 | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | 8-3 | Dave Elliot | Submission (twister) | Cage Warriors 7: Showdown | May 9, 2004 | 1 | 0:48 | N/A | |
| Win | 7-3 | Pat Carr | Submission (rear-naked choke) | XFC 2: The Perfect Storm | November 9, 2003 | 4 | 4:53 | N/A | |
| Loss | 6-3 | Josh Thomson | KO (punches) | UFC 44 | September 26, 2003 | 1 | 2:45 | N/A | |
| Win | 6-2 | Jean Silva | Submission (rear naked choke) | Cage Rage 2 | February 22, 2003 | 1 | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | 5-2 | Carmelo Serrato | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Ultimate Cage Fighting 1 | May 9, 2002 | 1 | N/A | N/A | |
| Loss | 4-2 | Charles Bennett | Submission (punches) | GC 7: Casualties of War | November 4, 2001 | 1 | 1:40 | N/A | |
| Win | 4-1 | Noah Shinable | TKO (cut) | GC 6: Caged Beasts | September 9, 2001 | 1 | 4:23 | N/A | |
| Win | 3-1 | Aaron Anderson | Submission (triangle choke) | GC 5: Rumble in the Rockies | August 19, 2001 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | 2-1 | Mike Meto | Submission (armbar) | Kage Kombat | July 9, 2001 | 1 | 1:52 | N/A | |
| Loss | 1-1 | Eiji Mitsuoka | Submission (strikes) | KOTC 9: Showtime | June 23, 2001 | 1 | 2:23 | N/A | |
| Win | 1-0 | Aaron Herring | Submission (armbar) | Bushido 2 | April 21, 2001 | 1 | 2:54 | N/A |
References
- ↑ Professional MMA record
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Leveque, Rod. "DA says man used martial arts move to kill lover's husband", The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, Canada), July 29, 2005.
- ↑ Strebendt, Gerald. "Gerald's Tweet with Photo of Joe Rogan". Twitter. Gerald Strebendt (official twitter) @StrebendtGerald. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
- ↑ Moran, Jack. "Police investigate deadly shooting", The Register-Guard (Eugene, Oregon) January 31, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Moran, Jack. "Shooting details under scrutiny", The Register-Guard (Eugene, Oregon) February 6, 2014
- ↑ Martin, Damon. "Police investigating deadly shooting involving former UFC fighter Gerald Strebendt", Fox Sports Haymaker, February 5, 2014
- ↑ Dudley, Kelsey. "Police still piecing together car crash and deadly shooting", KMTR Newssource 16 (Eugene, Oregon) February 4, 2014
- 1 2 Strebendt, Gerald (January 29, 2014). "911 Call of Gerald Strebendt (YouTube)". 911 Call of terrified UFC vet Gerald Strebendt shooting. Gerald Strebendt (YouTube). Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- 1 2 "Man who shot and killed motorist pleads guilty to lesser charge". Retrieved 2015-09-28.
- ↑ "ORS 813.010 - Driving under the influence of intoxicants - 2013 Oregon Revised Statutes". www.oregonlaws.org. Retrieved 2015-09-28.
- ↑ "Murder charge for man who claimed self-defense in shooting". Retrieved 2015-09-28.
- ↑ "Attorney Puzzled by Secrecy in Ex-Marine's Shooting Case". Retrieved 2015-09-28.
- ↑ Arnold, Mike; Gardner, Emilia (12 October 2016). Finishing Machine (Ebook ed.). Eugene, Oregon, USA: Versus Publishing. p. 1. ISBN 9780997848427. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
