Introducing "The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights": James McSweeney

You already recognize some of names and faces from the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” but there’s a lot you probably still don’t know about this group of 16 heavyweight warriors. Each weekday between now and the Sept. 16 premiere of “The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights,” FIGHT! will introduce two cast members leading up to the introduction of our TUF bloggers.

James McSweeney
Age: 28
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 230 lbs
Hometown: London, England
Trains: Albuquerque, NM with Jackson Submission Fighting
MMA Record: 3-4

A member of Greg Jackson’s legendary Submission Fighting in New Mexico, McSweeney started kickboxing when he was six years old. At 15, he left school and moved to Thailand to train full time. An accomplished kickboxer and muay Thai fighter, McSweeney won numerous titles including British Super-Heavyweight Kickboxing champion (1998), European Superheavyweight Kickboxing champion (1999), World Superheavyweight Kickboxing champion (2000), Thai Boxing Super-Heavyweight British champion (2001), Muay Thai European Super-Heavyweight champion (2003) and Muay Thai European champion (2006).

In 2006, after amassing a 136-9 combined record, McSweeney transitioned to mixed martial arts and recently moved in with “The Ultimate Fighter” coach Rashad Evans. The two quickly struck up a bond after McSweeney helped prepare Evans for his bout against Forrest Griffin. With his strong background in stand up, McSweeney hopes to improve his ground game.

Below are videos of McSweeney from K-1’s 2008 World Grand Prix and a Cage Rage fight against Mustapha al Turk in 2007. Both were losing efforts for McSweeney but they illustrate his fluidity on the feet and ineptitude (as of 2007) on the ground.

Learn more about the cast of “The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights.”