Karo Parisyan

Karo ‘The Heat’ Parisyan – MMA Profile

Born in Armenia in 1982, Karo “The Heat” Parisyan came to the United States when he was 6 years old. He began learning judo at age 9. His father had noticed that not only did Parisyan have an excessive amount of anger bottled up within him, but he was directing it at his sisters. In an attempt to provide another outlet, his father enrolled him into judo classes. He could not have imagined what was in store for his son. By 14, he had already jumped inside the Octagon.

Fighting Style

Parisyan is widely-regarded as the only MMA fighter to morph the judo technique into an effective fighting style for the Octagon. Fans are familiar with his devastating judo throws that toss his opponents to the mat and set the stage for his submission holds. But, Parisyan’s style of combat expands far beyond judo. He mixes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Greco-Roman wrestling, Sambo, and Muay Thai to bring a unique approach to the Octagon that many MMA fighters find baffling. With a record of 18 wins and 5 losses, his style cannot be dismissed.

Due to the early start in judo that his father had provided him, Parisyan became a notable competitor by the time he had set his sights on MMA. He has won 6 Judo Nationals titles and in 2004, was considered among the top 5 judo practitioners in the United States. He began training for the 2004 Olympics during that year (though he was eliminated during the trials).

Parisyan competes as a welterweight and has battled fierce fighters such as Georges St. Pierre, Matt Serra, Josh Burkman, and Diego Sanchez. He claims to have developed his striking technique from watching other MMA fighters and working on his bags at home. But, several industry veterans have openly stated that Parisyan lacks the dedication he needs to be a top-performing contender. That said, even though he has suffered losses at the hands of Georges St. Pierre and the relative newcomer Thiago Alves, Parisyan continues to be a fan favorite. His future in the UFC is in his hands.