Corey Hill
Corey Cornelius Hill (October 3, 1978 – May 15, 2015) was an American mixed martial artist. In high school in Florida he won state wrestling championships on multiple occasions and was a two-time national finalist college wrestler.[1]
Corey Hill | |
---|---|
Born | Martinsburg, West Virginia, United States | October 3, 1978
Died | May 15, 2015 36) Tampa, Florida, United States | (aged
Other names | The Real Deal |
Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Weight | 167 lb (76 kg; 11.9 st) |
Division | Lightweight Welterweight |
Reach | 80 in (203 cm) |
Fighting out of | Brooksville, Florida, United States |
Team | TCH MMA KO Evolution |
Mixed martial arts record | |
Total | 15 |
Wins | 6 |
By knockout | 2 |
By submission | 3 |
By decision | 1 |
Losses | 9 |
By knockout | 3 |
By submission | 3 |
By decision | 3 |
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog |
Mixed martial arts career
The Ultimate Fighter
Hill competed as a lightweight on The Ultimate Fighter 5 television series. During tryouts and production of the show, he told the UFC that his record was 10–0, but it was actually 2–0, both wins from amateur bouts. His first professional fight (albeit technically an exhibition) was on the show. It was scheduled against Gabe Ruediger, but he was expelled from the show for failure to make weight. Instead, Hill's match was against Rob Emerson and he won by a very controversial unanimous decision after three rounds. After defeating Emerson by decision in the preliminaries of TUF 5, Hill went on to lose in the quarterfinals by a triangle choke in the first round to fellow Team Pulver teammate, and future TUF 5 champion, Nate Diaz.[1] Although he lost, Hill's performance validated the comments made several weeks prior by guest coach Jeremy Horn on Episode 3 of TUF 5, who suggested Hill had the potential to be a dominating force in the UFC Lightweight division—even going so far as to offer to train Hill after his run on the show.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
In his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 12, Corey Hill defeated Joe Veres with a second-round TKO.[2] Hill followed up with an appearance at UFC 86 against former ICON Sport Lightweight champion Justin Buchholz, who submitted him via rear-naked choke in the second round.[3]
During the UFC: Fight for the Troops event in December 2008, Hill broke his right leg while throwing a kick that was checked by Dale Hartt in what is widely considered one of the most gruesome injuries in mixed martial arts history.[4] Recovery from the injury was expected to take 12–18 months.[5] With regard to organizational support, Hill told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports: "The UFC was awesome throughout this whole thing and was so good to me, I feel indebted to them."[6] His major sponsor, Fighter Warehouse, had paid a bonus and the XFC utilized an event which helped to raise money for the injured UFC fighter.[7]
MMA Comeback
On January 23, 2010, Hill picked up a unanimous decision victory in his comeback fight against Jason Trzewieczynski just 13 months after his career-threatening leg injury.[4]
On March 20, 2010, Hill lost to Canadian Mark Holst via kimura submission at XKL: Evolution 1.[8] On July 17, 2010, Hill defeated WEC Veteran Kit Cope at Raging Wolf 8: Cage Supremacy via triangle choke submission and on September 9, 2010,[9] Hill lost to former WEC lightweight champion Rob McCullough at Tachi Palace Fights 6 via unanimous decision.[10]
On July 14, 2012, Hill defeated Darryl Madison at Complete Devastation 5 via anaconda choke submission.[11]
Xtreme Fighting Championships
In November 2011, Hill signed a long term multi-fight contract with XFC.[12]
On December 2, 2011, Hill made his XFC debut getting a first round submission win over Ultimate Fighter alumni Charlie Rader at XFC 15: Tribute.[13]
On December 7, 2012, Hill lost to UFC & Bellator veteran Ryan Thomas at XFC 21: Night of Champions 2 via armbar submission.[11]
Personal life
Hill attended Springstead High School in Spring Hill, Florida. He and his wife Lauran had three children, daughter Seytia and sons Keynan and Corey, Jr.[14][15] Hill lived in Spring Hill, FL.[16]
Hill also attended Colby Community College in Colby, Kansas, where he was a National champ on a National Championship wrestling team, alongside Daniel Cormier, under coach Steve Lampe.[17]
Death
On May 14, 2015, it was reported that Hill had died after suffering from sudden pneumonia. According to friend Jennifer Swift, he had been diagnosed with pneumonia several weeks prior. It was reported that he underwent a lung transplant, but the lung collapsed. It was also reported that Hill was placed on life support until his family ultimately made the decision to remove him.[18]
Despite a statement from the UFC which claimed that Hill had died, his wife, Lauran Hill, later denied that he had died. She stated: "[Hill] is resting and still alive, and we're praying he makes a full recovery. My husband is fighting for his life. We want him in everyone's prayers." She would not comment on statements made earlier by Hill's close friends and other family members.[19][20]
Hill died on May 15, 2015, at the age of 36, after suffering a collapsed lung and a heart attack.[21][22][23]
Mixed martial arts record
15 matches | 6 wins | 9 losses |
By knockout | 2 | 3 |
By submission | 3 | 3 |
By decision | 1 | 3 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 6–9 | Jose Caceres | TKO (retirement) | Fight Time 23: Mayhem In Miami | February 6, 2015 | 1 | 5:00 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
Loss | 6–8 | Marcus Andrusia | TKO (punches) | VFA: Round 4 | August 16, 2014 | 1 | 3:01 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | |
Loss | 6–7 | Eric Calderon | Decision (unanimous) | USFFC 17: Hill vs. Calderon | April 5, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Beaufort, South Carolina, United States | |
Loss | 6–6 | Joe Fye | Decision (unanimous) | Sherman Cage Rage - MMA 4 | December 14, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States | |
Loss | 6–5 | Ryan Thomas | Submission (armbar) | XFC 21: Night of Champions 2 | December 7, 2012 | 1 | 2:34 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | |
Win | 6–4 | Darryl Madison | Submission (anaconda choke) | Complete Devastation 5 | July 14, 2012 | 1 | 1:11 | Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States | |
Win | 5–4 | Charlie Rader | Submission (D'arce choke) | XFC 15: Tribute | December 2, 2011 | 1 | 3:58 | Tampa, Florida, United States | Welterweight debut |
Loss | 4–4 | Rob McCullough | Decision (unanimous) | TPF 6: High Stakes | September 9, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
Win | 4–3 | Kit Cope | Submission (triangle choke) | Raging Wolf 8: Cage Supremacy | July 17, 2010 | 1 | 2:30 | Salamanca, New York, United States | |
Loss | 3–3 | Mark Holst | Submission (kimura) | XKL: Evolution 1 | March 20, 2010 | 2 | 4:06 | Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States | |
Win | 3–2 | Jason Trzewieczynski | Decision (unanimous) | Raging Wolf 6: Mayhem in the Mist | January 23, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Niagara, New York, United States | |
Loss | 2–2 | Dale Hartt | TKO (leg fracture) | UFC: Fight for the Troops | December 10, 2008 | 2 | 0:20 | Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States | |
Loss | 2–1 | Justin Buchholz | Submission (rear‐naked choke) | UFC 86 | July 5, 2008 | 2 | 3:57 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 2–0 | Joe Veres | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night 12 | January 23, 2008 | 2 | 0:37 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 1–0 | Stryder Fann | TKO (punches) | Kickdown Classic 31 | November 18, 2006 | 1 | 0:34 | Casper, Wyoming, United States[24] |
References
- "UFC veteran Corey Hill dead at age 36". Vox Media, Inc. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
- "UFC Events | UFC.com". www.ufc.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2008.
- "Future Plc - Connectors, Creators, Experience Makers". Future.
- "Thirteen Months After Gruesome Injury, Corey Hill Returns With Win". Vox Media, Inc. 24 January 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "Hill's broken tibia heads injury list from 'Fight for the Troops' - Mixed Martial Arts - CBSSports.com". Archived from the original on 2008-12-12. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
- Mailbag: Here and there on Yahoo! Sports
- "XCF event raising money for injured UCF fighter Corey Hill | FightTrend.com - Mixed Martial Arts, MMA & UFC news, media, clothing & gear". www.fighttrend.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- "Mark "Boots" Holst vs Corey "The Real Deal" Hill". Combat-Core LLC. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "Corey "The Real Deal" Hill vs Kit "The Prophecy" Cope". Combat-Core LLC. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "Rob McCullough". Combat-Core LLC. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "Corey Hill Fight Results". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- "The Real Deal Signs Long Term Deal With XFC". www.officialxfc.com. 2011-11-16. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- "XFC 15 results: Reynolds outlasts Novaes; Newell remains unbeaten". mmajunkie.com. 2011-12-02. Archived from the original on 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
- "Corey Hill's loving Wife Lauran". FabWags. May 2, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
- "King Of The Hill". herenandotoday.com. 2008-10-06. Archived from the original on 2008-12-10. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
- Corey Hill Interview Archived 2008-01-24 at the Wayback Machine on Complex magazine
- Staff, Pro MMA Now. "Pro MMA Now Radio with guest Corey Hill and UFC 148 preview tonight at 10 p.m. ET".
- "Corey Hill Dead At Age 36: What Happened To 'Ultimate Fighter' MMA Star Who Came Back From Gruesome Leg Injury?". Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- Staff (2015-05-14). "UFC's Corey Hill Dead at 36... After Bout with Pneumonia". tmz.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
- Steph Daniels (2015-05-14). "UFC announces death of TUF alum Corey Hill, friends and family deny report (Updated)". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
- "UFC veteran Corey Hill dead at 36, reports manager". USA Today. 15 May 2015. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- Steven Marrocco (2015-05-15). "UFC veteran Corey Hill dead at 36, reports manager". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- Mike Sloan (2015-05-15). "Reports: Former UFC Fighter Corey Hill Dead at 36". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
- "Corey Hill's Official Professional MMA Fight Record". Mixed Martial Arts LLC. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.