Stephen Abas
{{Short description|American wrestler and mixed martial artist (born 1978)}}
Stephen Anthony Abas (born January 12, 1978) is an American Olympic freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist. Abas became a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion in the {{convert|125|lb|abbr=on}} weight division while attending Fresno State University. He has competed in two world freestyle championships and received a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox martial artist
| name = Stephen Abas
| image =
| image_size =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|01|12}}
| birth_place = Santa Ana, California, U.S.{{Cite web |url=http://www.stephenabas.com/bio |title=Biography-Stephen Abas | MMA Fighter | Olympic Wrestler | Fresno, Ca |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203050104/http://www.stephenabas.com/bio |archive-date=3 February 2013 |url-status=dead}}
| death_date =
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| nationality = American
| height = {{convert|5|ft|5|in|abbr=on}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20200418110902/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ab/stephen-abas-1.html Stephen Abas at Sports Reference]
| weight = {{convert|135|lb|abbr=on}}
| weight_class = Bantamweight
| reach =
| style = Wrestling
| stance =
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| trainer =
| rank =
| wrestling = NCAA Division I Champion (1999, 2001, 2002)
| years_active =
| mma_win = 3
| mma_kowin = 1
| mma_subwin = 0
| mma_decwin = 2
| mma_dqwin = 0
| mma_loss = 0
| mma_koloss = 0
| mma_subloss = 0
| mma_decloss = 0
| mma_dqloss = 0
| mma_draw = 0
| mma_nc = 0
| occupation =
| university = Fresno State University
| spouse =
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| students =
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| url =
| boxrec =
| sherdog = 62594
| footnotes =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's freestyle wrestling }}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalOlympics}}
{{MedalSilver | 2004 Athens | 55 kg }}
{{MedalCompetition | Pan American Games }}
{{MedalGold | 2003 Santo Domingo | 55 kg }}
{{MedalCompetition|Junior World Championships}}
{{MedalGold|1998 Las Vegas|56 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition|Cadet World Championships}}
{{MedalBronze|1994 Frankfort|51 kg}}
{{MedalSport | Collegiate Wrestling}}
{{MedalCountry | the}} Fresno State Bulldogs
{{MedalCompetition|NCAA Division I Championships}}
{{MedalGold|1999 State College|125 lb}}
{{MedalGold|2001 Iowa City|125 lb}}
{{MedalGold|2002 Albany|125 lb}}
| show-medals = yes
}}
Early life
Abas graduated from James Logan High School as a star wrestler. During high school, Abas was a three-time California wrestling state champion.[https://rudis.com/stephen-abas/ Stephen Abas | RUDIS]. Retrieved April 30, 2022. Prior to JLHS he attended Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley. He and his brother Gerry Abas were members of the Wan Tu Wazuri wrestling club at Oakland Technical High School in Oakland.{{cite web|title=Olympic medalist Stephen Abas named Freestyle Developmental Coach for California USA Wrestling Inc.|url=http://content.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=25619|website=themat.com|accessdate=November 29, 2014|date=October 11, 2012}}
College career
Wrestling for Fresno State from 1998 to 2002, he earned four All-American honors and three National Championships at the NCAA DI wrestling championships. Abas placed fourth in the 118-pound weight class as a freshman and won the next three years in the {{convert|125|lb|adj=on}} weight class. He finished his college career with a 144–4 record, with 46 pins, going undefeated his last three college seasons at 125 pounds. Voted top 15 wrestlers in NCAA history.
International wrestling career
Abas also is a decorated freestyle wrestler; competing in two world freestyle championships and receiving a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games. At the 2005 NCAA championships, he was named as one of the fifteen greatest wrestlers in NCAA history, alongside other standouts such as Kurt Angle, Cael Sanderson, and Dan Gable. Abas was also elected to the NCAA 75th Anniversary Wrestling Team.
Abas tried out for the 2008 USA Olympic Team and reached the finals of the Olympic Trials, losing to Henry Cejudo in a best-of-3 series, 2 matches to 1, even though he competed with a damaged knee. In 2008, he retired from competitive wrestling.
Mixed martial arts career
He began an MMA career. He teaches and trains out of The Arena MMA gym in San Diego, alongside other notable athletes such as Diego Sanchez, Joe Duarte, Rani Yahya, K. J. Noons, Fabricio Camoes, and Xande Ribeiro.
=MMA record=
{{MMArecordbox
| draws=
| nc=
| ko-wins= 1
| ko-losses=
| sub-wins=
| sub-losses=
| dec-wins= 2
| dec-losses=
| dq-wins=
| dq-losses=
| other-wins=
| other-losses=
}}
{{MMA record start}}
|-
| {{yes2}}Win
| align=center | 3-0
| Clint Gerona
| TKO (Retirement)
| Rebel Fighter – Annihilation
| August 13, 2011
| align=center | 3
| align=center | 5:00
| Amador County Fairgrounds, Plymouth, California
|
|-
| {{yes2}}Win
| align=center | 2-0
| Joey de la Cruz
| Decision (Unanimous)
| September 7, 2010
| align=center | 3
| align=center | 3:00
| Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, Lemoore, California
|
|-
| {{yes2}}Win
| align=center | 1-0
| Sam Stevens-Milo
| Decision (Majority)
| May 5, 2010
| align=center | 3
| align=center | 3:00
| Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, Lemoore, California
| Bantamweight debut
{{end}}
Personal life
In 2009, Abas was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fresnoahof.org/current-past-inductees|title=Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame {{!}} Home|website=Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame {{!}} Home|access-date=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731195939/https://www.fresnoahof.org/current-past-inductees|archive-date=July 31, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} In 2018, Abas was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.[https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/4407 Stephen Abas]. National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.thearenamma.com/ The Arena]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20101111172833/http://www.wrestlinghalloffame.org/wrestlers.php?wrestler=2118 Stephen Abas profile at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame]
- {{Sherdog}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abas, Stephen}}
Category:Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in wrestling
Category:American male sport wrestlers
Category:Wrestlers at the 2003 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 2003 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in wrestling
Category:American male mixed martial artists
Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing freestyle wrestling
Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:20th-century American sportsmen