Pete Williams : The Hard One

That time of the week guys. Pete "El Duro" Williams was one of the top Heavyweights in the MMA world for a 3 year period and a dangerous opponent for anyone. Mainly because of his toughness. Most of you know him for the sickest head kick of the early UFC days but there is much more to Pete. He was a High School wrestling team mate with Jerry Bohlander and when Jerry went to the Lions Den Pete followed shortly after.

Pete entered in the 1996 Pancrase Neo Blood Tournament and won his first bout via decision vs the tough Kiuma Kunioku. Pete wins in the next round of the tournament the next day. He defeats Osami Shibuya via decision and finds himself in the finals vs Yuki Kondo. In a 20 minute bout Pete losses by unanimous decision. He is 2-1 and in 2 days has fought 3 tough Pancrase vets.

Pete then enters in a SuperBrawl tournament and wins both fights to win his bracket beating Donald De La Cruz and Joe Charles by Knockout and a knee bar. Pete fights in Superbrawl several months later and defeats John Renfroe in 2 minutes via armbar. Pete's record is 5-1.

Pete then wins 2 more fights in a row 1 in Pancrase, vs 2 fighters that I know noting about. His record is know 7-1 and he recieves the biggest oppurtunity of his career. Pete is offered a Dan Severn fight. He accepts, but the fight falls through, UFC scrambles to put something together for UFC 17. Mark Coleman is coming off his first loss (Maurice Smith) so they decide to pit Coleman against Pete Williams. The plan is for Coleman to get back on the winning track.

Everything goes according to plan and Coleman is able to take Williams down almost at will. Still Williams had that classic Lions Den guard (hold on and give little space, not really BJJ) and is able to stay safe with Coleman on top. The first round (12 Minutes) is ended and Coleman gets off of Williams, Coleman bends over and has his hands on his knee's he is sucking wind. Pete pops up and struts to his corner.

Watching this live I had no clue what was coming. Even though it was ovious Coleman was gassed I was scared. In the corner Jerry Bohlander is telling Pete you have to push him, he wants you on the ground, go knock him out he is tired. Williams does just that. The 1st Overtime starts Williams walks right across the cage to Coleman who seemingly hasnt left his corner at all. Coleman shoots and Pete sprawls Coleman into a huge knee to the head.

Coleman shakes his head "no", that didnt hurt. Pete throws some punches stalks Coleman, points at his head and tells Coleman "Im smarter than you," and then boom, the leg is thrown, Coleman guesses wrong and tries to catch a leg kick. All he catches is a kick square in his mouth. Coleman is out before he hits the ground and his eyes are rolling in the back of his head. Pandomoneum breaks out, the Lions Den rushes the cage and a huge upset has happened and Lions Den is 2-0 vs Coleman. More importantly Pete Williams is know 8-1 and has beaten a great fighter.

Worst thing that could happen happens though. Pete gets confident and looks complacent verse Tsuyoshi Kosaka in UFC Brazil and is handed a decision loss. He says it was all his fault and he will train harder. He is know 8-2.

UFC 19 see's Pete Williams knee bar in under 2 minutes. He then wins against Marco Ruas protege Travis Fulton via armbar in a very impressive fight. Pete is 3-1 in the UFC and 10-2, he is one of the top Heavyweights in the world and he is given the biggest oppurtunity of his career.

At UFC 23 Pete Williams faces off against Kevin Randleman for Randy Couture's vacated Heavyweight Title. In a standard 5 minute 5 round fight Pete can never seem to get off his back vs Randleman. He still has his moments and was trying to get Randleman gassed and then level the boom like he did vs Coleman. Sadly the boom never comes and Randleman wins a decision. Williams is know 10-3.

Pete than goes to King of the Cage with alot of the other Lions Denner's. His first fight goes perfect. 6 seconds. Thats it, huge right hand knockout vs Roger Neff, he then wins at KOTC 7 via TKO. These are the last wins of Pete's career. He is 12-3.

He then signs back on with Dana White's UFC. At UFC 31 he faces Semmy Schilt and looks good at times, but ends up getting TKO's in the 2nd. I really think that this fight changed Pete for the worst. TO make matters worse, Pete gets matched against Ricco Rodriguez next. Same story, different fight , Pete has his moments but is knocked out in the second.

In Pete's last MMA bout he is submitted by Frank Mir in under a minute. Pete retires from the sport and becomes a top chef. He was always a nice person and a good fighter. His career ended with a 12-6 record. 1-5 vs Pancrase and UFC Champions (Coleman, Kondo, Rodriguez, Randleman, Schilt, Mir).

Doesnt get enough credit was a tough son of a bitch and all around good person.