Member News

April 4, 2007

Former Junior World Team Member to Compete TONIGHT on “The Ultimate Fighter”

Manvel Gamburyan (North Hollywood, Calif. / HayastanAcademy), an eight-time Junior National Champion and 2000 Junior World Team member, will be on the television show “The Ultimate Fighter 5” on Spike TV tonight, April 5, at 10 p.m. (EST / PST).

The show features 16 athletes who train and live together at The Ultimate Fighter House.  The athletes, all mixed martial artists who fight in the 155lbs. division, are coached by former UFC Champions Jens Pulver and BJ Penn.

The athletes train in a variety of styles, including judo, jujitsu, boxing and wrestling with the goal of advancing to a final match and the title of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

In addition to his junior national honors, Gamburyan is a second-degree black belt and a 2002 and 2003 Senior Nationals medalist who holds a 5-1 record in Mixed Martial Arts competition where he goes by the nickname “Pitbull.”

Gamburyan, who moved with his family to the United States from Armenia in 1991, is the cousin of UFC fighter Karo Parisyan.