Pat Downey (wrestler)
Pat Downey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | James Patrick Downey III August 7, 1992 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other names | Lizard King | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | American | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Division | Middleweight (2021–present) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fighting out of | Deerfield Beach, Florida, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | Sanford MMA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wrestling | NCAA Division I Wrestling[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years active | 2021–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Iowa State University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable school(s) | Cheyenne Central High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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James Patrick Downey III (born August 7, 1992) is an American submission grappler, freestyle wrestler, and professional mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division of Bellator MMA.[2] As an amateur wrestler, Downey competes at 86 kilograms and was a 2019 Pan American Games medalist and the 2019 US Open National champion.[3] In college, he was an NCAA Division I All–American in 2016 for the Iowa State Cyclones and an NJCAA champion for Iowa Central Community College.[4] Downey has been involved in several controversies, including accusations of degrading female wrestlers.[5][6][7][8]
Folkstyle career[]
High school[]
Downey attended North County High School and Loch Raven High School, where he was a three-sport athlete, competing in wrestling, football and lacrosse. After placing third at the MPSSAA championships as a freshman, he went on to win the tournament every year and also won the NHSCA and USAW National Championships before his graduation in 2011. As a football player, he set a school record for total offense in a game with 420 total yards on 315 yards passing and 105 yards rushing his senior year and was one of three Maryland prep quarterbacks selected to the prestigious Super-22 Team.[4] A legally problematic high schooler, Downey was multiple times denied of wrestling and playing football due to multiple charges.[9]
College[]
University of Nebraska[]
After being invited to train at the United States Olympic Training Center by Bobby Douglas, he started residing and training in there. During his stay, he met Olympic Gold medalist and University of Nebraska graduate Jordan Burroughs, who played a big part on Downey's recruiting. He was accepted by the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was supposed to attend the University of Nebraska, but as a recently turned 21 year–old, he got sidetracked on partying. This caused head coach Mark Manning's decision of cutting Downey off the team, suggesting him to start a mixed martial arts career after breaking his thumb in a street fight.[10]
Iowa Central Community College[]
After his deflected time at UNL, Downey attended Iowa Central Community College, an NJCAA level school. As a redshirt freshman competing at 197 pounds, he compiled an undefeated record and became the '15 NJCAA champion (helping the Tritons reach the team championship).[11] He also went 10–1 against NCAA Division I competition, recording notable victories over Hawkeyes, Cornhuskers, Quakers, Sun Devils, etc.[12]
Iowa State University[]
After putting things back on track, Downey was given two options; Iowa State University and University of Iowa. He ended up deciding to wear the Cyclones' cardinal and gold clothes, stating that some of the factors of his decision were his connections with coaches Kevin Jackson and Trent and Travis Paulson and his preference of the teammates.[10] During his sophomore season (2015–16), he competed just three times and lost one of the matches, but still was the starter for the post-season at 197 pounds.[4] He placed third at the Big 12 Conference championships[13] and entered the NCAA championships unseeded.[14] He performed greatly, taking out multiple high-seeded wrestlers to place fifth, earning All-American honors.[15][16]
As a junior, he was finding high success at 184 pounds during the regular season, posting seven wins and no losses.[4] On February 23, 2017, it was announced that Downey had been kicked off the wrestling team due to "repeated violations of team rules", as quoted by head coach Kevin Jackson.[17][18] Despite some talks about a potential run as an Iowa Hawkeye, this finished Downey's collegiate wrestling career and he earned his degree from ISU via online courses.[19]
Freestyle career[]
Junior level[]
Downey was a standout junior level freestyle wrestler until 2014, year in which his eligibility to compete at this level expired. After failing to make the 2012 Senior US Olympic Team, he made the Junior World Team and went on to win a silver medal at the World Championships.[20] He was also a FILA and USAW National Champion.[21]
Senior level[]
2011–2016[]
He made his debut in 2011 (fresh out of high school) at the OTT qualifiers in an attempt to make the Olympic Team, but was unsuccessful after losing in the first round to eventual UFC champion and then NCAA DII champion Kamaru Usman.[22] He competed just once between 2012 and 2013 and made his return in 2014.[23] In this year, he won the Northern Plains tournament,[24] placed sixth at the University Nationals[25] and attended the World Team Trials.[26] A year later, he competed at the ASICS US Nationals, the Northern Plains and the Bill Farrell Memorial but did not place,[23] unlike the University Nationals in where he placed fourth.[27] In 2016, he just wrestled one match.[28]
2017–2018[]
In 2017, he made a return to freestyle in big fashion with a fifth-place finish at the US Open, which qualified him for the World Team Trials.[29] At the WTT, he defeated two-time All-American turned MMA fighter Kyle Crutchmer but subsequently dropped his next two bouts.[30] To close the year, he racked up a bronze medal from the Dave Schultz Memorial Invitational.[31] In 2018, he once again placed at the US Open[32] and (unlike the previous year) at the World Team Trials.[33]
2019–2020[]
Downey completed his best year of competition as of now in 2019, as he racked up titles from the Dave Schultz Memorial International[34] and the US Open[35] and made the World Team after defeating Nick Heflin in the challenge finals and the defending World Champion David Taylor could not make it to Final X.[36] After successfully making the team, Downey won a prestigious Pan American Games medal[37] and went 2–1 at the World Championships.[38] He then participated in a Super Fight against the accomplished submission grappler Nick Rodriguez, whom he tech'd after scoring 12 points to none.[39]
In 2020, he won a bronze medal at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series in Italy[40] and had a brief appearance at the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix.[41] In February 2020, Downey competed at a special event where he faced the often referred as "Greatest Submission Grappler of All Time" Gordon Ryan.[42][43][44] This event consisted of a freestyle wrestling match and a submission grappling match.[45] In the wrestling match, Downey tech'd Ryan in seconds.[46] In the sub only portion of the match, Downey tapped out to Ryan via 3/4 nelson.[47]
Downey was scheduled to compete at the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials on April 4 at State College, Pennsylvania.[48] However, the event was postponed for 2021 along with the Summer Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving all the qualifiers unable to compete.[49]
After the Olympic Trials were postponed, Downey participated in the first wrestling event of the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic on June 28, at Rumble on the Rooftop. He faced Greco-Roman World Team Member Joe Rau in a mixed-rules match, this consisted in one period of Greco-Roman rules and other of freestyle rules, with no technical falls. After choosing Greco-Roman in the first period, Downey was down 9 points to none and could just pick up four points during the freestyle period, dropping the match 4–9.[50]
Controversies[]
After several tweets where he made comments towards Greco-Roman and women's wrestling, Downey was dropped by the NJRTC,[51] terminated by Paradigm Sport Management and Barbarian Appel and also lost his spot at the FloWrestling: Dake vs. Chamizo card where he was supposed to wrestle 2018 World Champion David Taylor on July 25, in a 5–day period.[52][6]
2021[]
After more than a year of inactiveness, Downey wrestled at the UWW Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series on March 7, at 92 kilograms, where he went 0–4.[53] Downey then competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials in April, finishing fourth after going 1–2.[54]
Downey was scheduled to face two-time US Open National champion at 97 kg Kyven Gadson on August 13 in an adapted folkstyle match at the Stalemates Street League event.[55] However, Downey did not show up to the event.[56] He has now been scheduled to trim down to 79 kilograms and compete at the 2021 US World Team Trials on September 11–12.[57]
Legal issues[]
In November 2009, Downey was charged with first-degree assault, after Baltimore Police stated he had beaten up a Towson University student in a parking lot. According to police, Downey broke the student's jaw and knocked off four of his teeth.[9] In June 4 of 2010, Downey was once again charged with second-degree assault along with former teammate from North County HS Patrick Carey, after allegedly brawling with two Navy football players at a night club.[58] Downey was also charged with assault and robbery in September 2010, when he was accused of beating up a classmate who sold him and two of Downey's friends marijuana after refusing to pay him,[59] however, charges were dropped due to repeated changes in the victim's testimony.[60]
After a trial that took place in July 2011, where Downey was facing up to 35 years of prison,[58] Downey pled guilty to his crimes committed in November 2009, spending six days in jail.[61] In 2017, Downey referred to his antics as a high schooler:
"The whole street thug persona that I was getting labeled as, there was no doubt about it. I wasn’t running with the right crew, and I wasn’t living right. You don’t catch three felony assault charges if you’re doing everything right. Obviously, I was in the wrong places at the wrong times with the wrong people. I cleaned my act up tenfold. I had to change to get the results I wanted. If I didn’t, I was going to lose my life.”[8]
Mixed martial arts career[]
Early career[]
Downey was formerly signed with Paradigm Sport Management[62] and is now signed with SuckerPunch Entertainment.[63] Downey first announced his intentions of pursuing mixed martial arts in 2018 and was scheduled to make his amateur debut in 2019 in a cancelled bout.[64][65][66] Downey was rumored to make his professional debut on May 21, 2021, at LFA 108, in a middleweight bout, but an appearance never materialized.[67]
On January 6, 2022 it was announced that Downey had signed with Bellator MMA and is scheduled to make his debut later in the year.[68]
Submission grappling career[]
In February 2020, Downey competed at a special event where he faced the often referred as "Greatest Submission Grappler of All Time" Gordon Ryan[42][43][44] in two matches, one consisting of wrestling rules and the other of grappling rules.[45] In the grappling match, the unexperienced Downey tapped out to a half nelson hold.[46] He was then slated to face Nick Rodriguez with submission grappling rules on March, in a rematch from their freestyle wrestling match in 2019,[69] but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[70]
Downey made his return to the sport at Subversiv 5 on May 1, 2021 defeating Rasheed Perez by unanimous decision and scoring a highlight reel suplex.[71] Downey then competed at the prestigious Third Coast Grappling Middleweight Grand Prix on June 19, being eliminated in the first match by multiple time color belt World Champion Pedro Marinho.[72] He was then scheduled to compete at a Sub Spectrum event on August 14, one day after a wrestling match with Kyven Gadson, but did not show up to either event.[73]
Submission grappling record[]
3 Matches, 1 Win, 2 Losses (2 Submissions) | ||||||||
Result | Rec. | Opponent | Method | Event | Division | Type | Year | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 3CG Grand Prix IV DNP at 85 kg | ||||||||
Loss | 1–2 | Pedro Marinho | Submission (heel hook) | 3CG 7: The Middleweights | 85 kg | Nogi | June 19, 2021 | Houston, Texas |
Win | 1–1 | Rasheed Perez | Decision (unanimous) | Subversiv 5 | Superfight | Nogi | May 2, 2021 | Miami, Florida |
Loss | 0–1 | Gordon Ryan | Submission (half nelson) | BJJ Fanatics | Superfight | Nogi | February 29, 2020 | Beverly, Massachusetts |
Freestyle record[]
NCAA record[]
Stats[]
References[]
- ^ "Patrick Downey III - Wrestling". Iowa State University Athleteics. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "LFA 108: Fremd vs. Rodrigues". AllEvents.in. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "Patrick Downey". Team USA.
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- ^ "Pat Downey III Transferring to Iowa". Go Iowa Awesome. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "Top 5 Stories in Women's Wrestling: Downey's Debacle, #HowSheWrestles & More". American Women's Wrestling. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ "Unorthodox High Percentage Offense by Pat Downey". BJJ Fanatics. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "Amateur Wrestler Pat Downey Might Be A Villain Worth Rooting For". pressboxonline.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Sun, Don Markus, The Baltimore. "Former state champ attempts to wrestle in Florida as trials on assault charges loom". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Iowa State's Pat Downey ready to make use of second chance to wrestle at Division I level". Team USA.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Tritons of Iowa Central claim seventh NJCAA Wrestling title". NJCAA. March 1, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ LLC, ACS. "Patrick Downey (Unknown) Profile". www.wrestlestat.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Daily, Brian Mozey/Iowa State. "Iowa State places third at Big 12 Wrestling Championships". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ grappleCy (March 9, 2016). "2016 D1 NCAA Wrestling Championship Brackets". Wide Right & Natty Lite. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ grappleCy (March 21, 2016). "2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships Recap". Wide Right & Natty Lite. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "2015-16 Wrestling Season Recap". Iowa State University Athletics. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ grappleCy (February 23, 2017). "All-American Pat Downey Dismissed, Burns All Bridges on Way Out". Wide Right & Natty Lite. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Young, Aaron. "These tweets may show why Patrick Downey is no longer an Iowa State wrestler". Des Moines Register. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Leistikow, Chad. "Graduate transfer Pat Downey won't wrestle for Hawkeyes". Hawk Central. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "World Championships Preview: Pat Downey 86kg". Fanatic Wrestling. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Patrick Downey III - Team USA". Team USA.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "NYAC Holiday International Open". www.trackwrestling.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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- ^ "2014 Northern Plains Jr & Sr - FS". www.trackwrestling.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "2014 ASICS University Nat - FS". www.trackwrestling.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "International Wrestling Database". www.iat.uni-leipzig.de. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Freestyle World Team Trials preview at 86 kg/189 lbs". Team USA. May 31, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "See the results for the 2017 Junior and Senior World Team Trials wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "See the results for the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial International wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "See the results for the 2018 US Open Wrestling Championships wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "See the results for the 2018 Senior Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "USA Wrestling Events". usawrestlingevents.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "#FreestyleFriday: Dedicated and determined Downey wins U.S. Open and prepares for Raleigh". Team USA. May 3, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ NJ.com, James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for (May 25, 2019). "World champion David Taylor withdraws from Final X-Rutgers; NJRTC's Pat Downey gets Team USA spot". nj. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Smith, Earl (August 11, 2019). "Three US Men Win Gold on Final Day of Pan-American Games". The Open Mat. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ truewrestling. "2019 Men's Freestyle World Championship Wrap up & Results – True Wrestling". Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Peters, Matt (October 6, 2019). "ADCC Silver Medalist Nick Rodriguez Loses via Technical Fall in Wrestling Return". Grappling Insider. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Gilman, Dake and Valencia win golds, four others claim medals to close out Matteo Pellicone". Team USA. January 18, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Forrest Molinari wins bronze medal on final day of Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia". Team USA. January 26, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Is Gordon Ryan the world's best grappler?". MMA Junkie. October 21, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ a b Rastrelli, Mike (January 24, 2019). "Opinion: Gordon Ryan is the greatest American submission grappler of all-time". Grappling Insider. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ a b Regan, Tristan (February 26, 2020). "Gordon Ryan Justifies His Claim As No Gi GOAT". Grappling Insider. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Gordon Ryan To Face Pat Downey In A Submission Only And Wrestling Match At BJJ Fanatics Event". www.jiujitsutimes.com. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Ryan, Downey each win one event at BJJ Fanatics Grand Prix". InterMat. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Gordon Ryan VS Pat Downey - BJJ Feb 29 2020. YouTube.
- ^ Goodwin, Cody. "Wrestling: Iowa's Spencer Lee wins Senior Nationals, qualifies for 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials". Hawk Central. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ Goodwin, Cody. "USA Wrestling announces that 2020 Olympic Trials are postponed". Des Moines Register. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ Staff, 5PM (June 28, 2020). "Rau Defeats Downey at Rumble on the Rooftop". Five Point Move. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Hamilton, Andy. "NJRTC drops World Teamer Pat Downey after social media posts about women's wrestling and Greco-Roman". Trackwrestling. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
- ^ "Pat Downey is no longer on the card for the FloWrestling event on July 25th. We are currently looking for a replacement opponent for David Taylor". Twitter. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Matteo Pellicone Arena". United World Wrestling. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ Mason, Andy. "Brooks finishes 2-2 at U.S. Olympic wrestling trials". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "StaleMates on Instagram: "