Gerald Strebendt

Gerald Strebendt
Born	March 1, 1979(1979-03-01) Coos Bay, Oregon, U.S.
Nationality	American
Other names	Bangkok Ready
Years active	Since 2008
Style	10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, MCMAP, Shootfighting
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st)

Gerald Strebendt is a mixed martial artist and convicted sex offender, having competed in MMA organisations such as the UFC and Cage Rage. The highlight of Gerald's career was at UFC 44, where he took on top lightweight, Josh Thomson - losing in the first round by KO. Despite losing, Gerald showed an aggressive grappling style in his match, living up to his name "The Finishing Machine" - A name that has stood by him for his entire MMA career, where he has never gone to a decision, win or lose.

Career

A former member of the United States Marine Corps, Strebendt is known for being the first student of the now world-renowned Brazilian Jiu-jitsu practitioner, Eddie Bravo where he adopted Eddie's rubber guard, and twister game. In 2004 he became the first fighter to execute a twister in an MMA match. In the past, Gerald also trained with comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

Strebendt currently owns and operates Northwest Training Center in Springfield, Oregon. He has continued his involvement in MMA by training several successful amateur and professional fighters.

Strebendt was a key witness in the 2005 murder trial of Rafiel Torre. Torre initially offered Strebendt $10,000 to kill the victim, 32-year-old Bryan Richards, who had a sizable life insurance policy and with whose wife Torre was having an affair. After Strebendt refused, Torre committed the murder himself, then told Strebendt a few days later that he had killed Richards in self-defense with a rear naked choke. Torre asked Strebendt to provide him with an alibi, a request which was met with Strebendt's refusal. More than a year after the killing, Strebendt voluntarily came forward and provided his story to detectives, out of concern that Torre would escape punishment for the murder. Torre was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole; he is appealing the sentence.

On January 29, 2014, Strebendt shot and killed 53-year-old David Paul Crofut, also of Springfield, during an altercation following a traffic collision between the two drivers' vehicles. Strebendt called 911 following the collision but before shooting Crofut and was still connected with the 911 call when the shot was fired. Strebendt claims self-defense in the shooting; Strebendt's attorney, Mike Arnold of Eugene, states that Strebendt reached into his vehicle and retrieved his weapon, a loaded .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle, because Crofut verbally threatened his life. Carrying a loaded rifle in a vehicle is legal in Oregon. Crofut was unarmed during the altercation, and no weapons other than Strebendt's rifle were found at the scene. Following the shooting, Strebendt was handcuffed and taken into custody, but was released later that night. According to Strebendt on the 911 call, Crofut hit him "on purpose with his vehicle." Strebendt can be heard on the 911 call instructing Crofut to "back away" and "don't fucking come near me." At the time of his death, Crofut had a blood alcohol content of 0.156%. The legal limit for driving under the influence of alcohol in Oregon is 0.08%. Strebendt was arrested and charged with murder on March 6, 2014, after a grand jury indictment. Lane County Circuit Court Judge Debra Vogt imposed a gag order preventing the prosecution and defense from talking about the case and sealed court documents over the objections of the local newspaper; Strebendt's attorneys objected. On May 21, 2015, the murder charge was dismissed and Strebendt pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide due to police establishing "some mitigating evidence" favoring Strebendt. His attorney Mike Arnold and co-counsel Emilia Gardner went on to write a book about Strebendt and the case called Finishing Machine.

After Strebendt was released, he was arrested for sexually abusing two different, underage girls at two different martial arts studios and will have to register as a sex offender once released.

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
16 matches	9 wins	7 losses
By knockout	1	2
By submission	8	5

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Loss	9-7	Lyle Beerbohm	Submission (injury)	EWC 3: Capitol Invasion	000000002008-01-12-0000January 12, 2008	1	2:42	N/A
Win	9-6	Will Shutt	Submission (rear-naked choke)	SF 20: Homecoming	000000002007-10-27-0000October 27, 2007	1	N/A	N/A
Loss	8-6	Vitor Ribeiro	Submission (guillotine choke)	Cage Rage 12	000000002005-07-12-0000July 12, 2005	1	1:13	N/A
Loss	8-5	Sean Sherk	TKO (punches)	Extreme Challenge 58	000000002004-06-11-0000June 11, 2004	1	3:52	N/A
Loss	8-4	Jean Silva	Submission (triangle choke)	Cage Rage 6	000000002004-05-23-0000May 23, 2004	2	N/A	N/A
Win	8-3	Dave Elliot	Submission (twister)	Cage Warriors 7: Showdown	000000002004-05-09-0000May 9, 2004	1	0:48	N/A
Win	7-3	Pat Carr	Submission (rear-naked choke)	XFC 2: The Perfect Storm	000000002003-11-09-0000November 9, 2003	4	4:53	N/A
Loss	6-3	Josh Thomson	KO (punches)	UFC 44	000000002003-09-26-0000September 26, 2003	1	2:45	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	6-2	Jean Silva	Submission (rear naked choke)	Cage Rage 2	000000002003-02-22-0000February 22, 2003	1	N/A	N/A
Win	5-2	Carmelo Serrato	Submission (rear-naked choke)	Ultimate Cage Fighting 1	000000002002-05-09-0000May 9, 2002	1	N/A	N/A
Loss	4-2	Charles Bennett	Submission (punches)	GC 7: Casualties of War	000000002001-11-04-0000November 4, 2001	1	1:40	N/A
Win	4-1	Noah Shinable	TKO (cut)	GC 6: Caged Beasts	000000002001-09-09-0000September 9, 2001	1	4:23	N/A
Win	3-1	Aaron Anderson	Submission (triangle choke)	GC 5: Rumble in the Rockies	000000002001-08-19-0000August 19, 2001	N/A	N/A	N/A
Win	2-1	Mike Meto	Submission (armbar)	Kage Kombat	000000002001-07-09-0000July 9, 2001	1	1:52	N/A
Loss	1-1	Eiji Mitsuoka	Submission (strikes)	KOTC 9: Showtime	000000002001-06-23-0000June 23, 2001	1	2:23	N/A
Win	1-0	Aaron Herring	Submission (armbar)	Bushido 2	000000002001-04-21-0000April 21, 2001	1	2:54	N/A

External links

• Professional MMA record for G from Sherdog