Nate “Rock” Quarry made his professional MMA debut in 2001 and ran his record to 5-1 before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2005. After reeling off three straight first-round knockouts to begin his UFC career after participating in The Ultimate Fighter 1 light heavyweight tournament (he was forced to withdraw from the competition due to injury), Quarry was granted a shot at then-UFC Middleweight Champion Rich “Ace” Franklin. Quarry was knocked out by Franklin in brutal fashion, literally stiffened out on the canvas in one of the UFC’s most ubiquitous replays.

Quarry did not compete for almost two years after the Franklin fight, undergoing major spinal surgery in light of a potentially career-threatening disc ailment. Though he has returned to fight with mixed results in the UFC’s competitive middleweight division, many fighters attest to being awed by the simple fact of Quarry’s return and the extraordinary, often excruciating labors he underwent to get himself back to fighting condition. For that reason, and for his workmanlike and professional approach to fighting, Quarry is among the world’s most respected fighters, particularly among other fighters.

Quarry’s game relies on toughness, poise, and one-punch knockout power, which he has repeatedly demonstrated he retains right up until the final bell.

The Ultimate Fighter 1
TUF 1 Finale Quarry def. Lodune Sincaid by TKO (strikes) at 3:17 of Round 1