Joseph Ryan Warren (born October 31, 1976) is an American Greco-Roman wrestler and mixed martial artist who most recently competed for Bellator MMA. In Bellator, Warren became the first fighter in the promotion's history to become world champion in 2 divisions, winning the Bellator Featherweight World Championship in 2010 and the Bantamweight World Championship in 2014. As a Greco-Roman wrestler, he won the 2006 Pan American and the 2006 World Championship. He later participated in and won the Gold Medal at the 2007 World Cup.
During the end of 2008 Warren started transitioning to mixed martial arts, and on March 8, 2009, he made his professional debut. He competed for Bellator MMA, and Dream in Japan. He is a former Bellator Bantamweight Champion and former Bellator Featherweight Champion.
Greco-Roman wrestling career
Warren practiced freestyle wrestling before switching to Greco-Roman. He began his career at East Kentwood High School in Kentwood, Michigan where he placed three times in Division One, with one state championship coming during his senior year. He wrestled collegiatly for the University of Michigan, where he was an NCAA wrestling All-American.
He won the division of men's Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2006 FILA Wrestling World Championships. Other accomplishments include 6th at the 2000 World University Championship at , 9th at the 2005 FILA Wrestling World Championships, 1st at the 2006 Pan American Championship and 1st at the 2007 World Cup, all at 60 kg. In 2007 he missed the Pan American Games at Rio de Janeiro because of positive test for cannabis. In 2008 he got a two years ban from international wrestling competition and missed the 2008 Summer Olympics.
On December 18, 2010, it was reported that Warren would be making a return to wrestling, to try to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Warren would lose at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, but would serve as a training partner/coach for the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Mixed martial arts career
DREAM
Joe Warren started a transition to MMA in 2008 and joined up with Team Quest where he got to train with fellow Greco-Roman wrestler and Pride Fighting Championship Champion Dan Henderson. His MMA debut was on March 8, 2009, at Dream.7, where he defeated former WEC Bantamweight Champion Chase Beebe by TKO (doctor stoppage) after the first round due to a cut Beebe received over his right eye. In the second round of the tournament, at Dream.9 on May 26, 2009, he was matched up with and defeated former K-1 Hero's Lightweight Grand Prix Champion, and formerly 17–1, Norifumi Yamamoto in his first fight after a 512-day layoff officially due to elbow and knee injuries. In preparation for the bout Warren trained with former WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber and his Team Alpha Male after Faber called Warren and told him he knew how to defeat Yamamoto. Faber had previously prepared Joseph Benavidez to fight Yamamoto in July 2008, but the fight did not happen as Yamamoto pulled out three days before the fight. Warren's fight happened as planned though, and after going the allotted 15 minutes Warren was awarded a split decision victory.
The final two rounds of the tournament took place at Dream 11 which took place on October 6, 2009. In his scheduled semi-final bout Warren fought Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Bibiano Fernandes, where he quickly lost due to a controversial first-round armbar after securing a takedown.
Bellator Fighting Championships
2010
On February 1, 2010, Warren officially announced that he signed with Bellator Fighting Championships, and that he would compete in the Featherweight tournament during Bellator's Season 2.
At Bellator 13, Warren fought in a quarter-final bout against Eric Marriott. Warren dominated the fight with his wrestling and took the fight on all three judges score cards, giving him the unanimous decision win. Warren advanced to the semi-final round where he defeated Georgi Karakhanyan via unanimous decision at Bellator 18.
On June 24, 2010, Warren won the Bellator featherweight tournament by claiming a split-decision over Patricio Freire. Joe was both dropped and caught in a rear-naked choke in the first round. He came back in rounds 2 and 3 by scoring takedowns followed by a ground and pound attack. The official scores were (29–28), (28–29), and (29–28). After the fight, Bellator Fighting Championships Featherweight Champion Joe Soto came into the ring and the two exchanged words, with Warren telling Soto "you've got my belt" and Soto promising to hold onto the title.