MMA’s Greats of the States | Vermont: Tom Murphy

Mixed martial artists come from every corner of the globe, bearing a variety of styles. Sometimes, fighters are products of their environment, favoring disciplines prevalent in the country or state from which they hail. Various regions of the United States are considered factories for great fighters, though that certainly is not the case with each state. In this weekly Sherdog.com series, the spotlight will shine on the best mixed martial artist of all-time from each of the 50 states. Fighters do not necessarily need to be born in a given state to represent it; they simply need to be associated with it.

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Vermont has given rise to two United States presidents, Carlton Fisk and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, but it has not proven to be a haven for mixed martial artists. While “The Green Mountain State” has produced its share of fighters over the years, Ultimate Fighting Championship alum Tom Murphy put himself at the top of the list.

A St. Albans, Vermont, native, Murphy can point to an accomplishment few others can: He retired undefeated. The Tristar Gym representative executed seven finishes in compiling an 8-0 record. Murphy struck Jason Guida into submission in November 2004 and then knocked out Josh Hendricks in a mere 90 seconds at a King of the Cage event a little less than four months later. His exploits on the regional circuit resulted in his being cast on Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, as he was eliminated from the heavyweight tournament by Rashad Evans. Murphy made his promotional debut at UFC 58 in March 2006 and put away Icho Larenas with punches before disappearing from the MMA scene for more than two years.

Murphy never again fought in the UFC. He won three more fights outside the Octagon between June 7, 2008 and Feb. 27, 2010 before calling it a career.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Chris Gallipo