Sports
Belton’s TJ Waldburger wins UFC fight in Sydney, Australia
Friday, 20 April 2012 by Chuck Kelly
Mixed Martial Arts fighter TJ Waldburger relaxes at home in Belton between UFC bouts around the world. A 2006 alumnus of Belton High School is hitting the big time in Mixed Martial Arts.
TJ Waldburger started training (and still trains) at the Grapplers' Lair on Old Waco Road when he was just two months shy of his 17th birthday --- recently, he participated in his fourth fight with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at the All Phones Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Waldburger won the exciting but short fight in just 55 seconds of the first round via submission with an arm bar. Some of TJ's fans are now referring to him as the "Submission Specialist". They say Waldburger is bringing the beautiful sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu back to MMA (mixed martial arts).
The Belton native's career with the UFC has been far from average. In his very first fight with the organization, he and his opponent set a record for the most (ever) submission attempts in the UFC.
In his third fight, he was granted the "Submission of the Night" bonus.
It has been argued across the board that Waldburger should have won "Submission of the Night" for the second time in his recent bout in Australia. Instead, it was awarded to the last fight of the night.
The sturdy fighter is the son of Lee and Carla Wohlfert of Belton and the grandson of Carlton and Mildred Smith, also of Belton.
TJ married his high school sweetheart, Shayla Waldburger, at First Baptist Church in Belton last year and the couple has a four-month-old son, Colt Mason Waldburger.
His father-in-law is John Moore, also his coach and owner of the Grapplers' Lair.
TJ Waldburger's future and career look bright in the UFC and local MMA fans can expect to see him often in major matches from now on.
