UFC"Boom"Brian Kelleher Record: 24-16-0
BantamweightRecord24-16-0
Age39
DivisionBantamweight · #121
Combat Edge Elo1635
Last fightJul 20 2024
Brian Kelleher has a 24-16-0 professional record and is 39 years old in the Bantamweight division, representing Maxum BJJ. This profile tracks fight history, UFC stats, ELO rating, record, age, and opponent links.
Last updated Jun 17, 2026 · Combat Edge fight database
Brian Kelleher bio
Personal background
Brian Kelleher, nicknamed "Boom," is an American bantamweight who spent the bulk of his career in the UFC's 135-pound division. Born on August 19, 1986, in Selden, New York, on Long Island, he grew up playing a range of sports – ice hockey, soccer and bowling among them – before finding combat sports and beginning to train for fighting in 2007. A brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Steve Kasten, Kelleher built his game training out of Long Island MMA and 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu Long Island, with grappling listed under the Maxum BJJ banner. Standing a compact 5'6", he made his name as a finish-hunting action fighter whose pressure and submission instincts repeatedly produced highlight-reel moments. He comes from a fighting family; his younger brother Mak is also a professional mixed martial artist.
Path to the UFC
Kelleher turned professional in 2011 and cut his teeth on the busy Northeast regional scene, fighting for promotions including CFFC, Ring of Combat, Bellator and CES MMA. The road was uneven – a 2013 decision loss to top prospect Jimmie Rivera at Bellator 95 was a measuring-stick defeat – but he kept building. He submitted undefeated Mark Cherico by guillotine in 2014, decisioned Andre Soukhamthath in 2015, and notably beat unbeaten prospect Julio Arce twice, first by decision in 2015 and then by third-round guillotine in 2016. That regional run earned him a UFC call in 2017.
UFC arrival and signature wins
Kelleher could not have asked for a better debut. At UFC 212 in June 2017 he submitted highly regarded veteran Iuri Alcântara with a first-round guillotine choke, an upset that immediately announced him as a dangerous finisher. After a submission loss to Marlon Vera, he bounced back with a third-round TKO of Damian Stasiak later in 2017. His biggest scalp came in February 2018, when he outpointed former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barão over three rounds – a marquee win over a former titleholder. Tougher tests followed, including a knockout loss to John Lineker and a submission defeat to Montel Jackson.
Veteran consistency and toughest tests
Kelleher reset in 2020 with a strong run, submitting Ode Osbourne on the UFC 246 card and knocking out unbeaten Hunter Azure, then submitting Ray Rodriguez by guillotine, with a decision loss to Cody Stamann sandwiched in between. He added decision wins over Domingo Pilarte in 2021 and Kevin Croom in 2022, with a loss to Ricky Simón mixed in. The back end of his career put him in with the division's elite: he was submitted by undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista in 2022, knocked out by former champion Cody Garbrandt in 2023, and submitted by Cody Gibson in 2024.
Fighting style
Kelleher is a pressure-forward, submission-savvy finisher who built a 24-16 record on aggression and a willingness to fight anyone. His 75 percent finish rate is driven by 10 submission wins and eight knockouts, reflecting a fighter equally comfortable hunting a guillotine or swinging for a stoppage – he even owns a spinning-backfist knockout from his regional days. The flip side of that all-action approach is risk: nine of his losses came by submission, often when he engaged grapplers in scrambles that went against him. Against championship-level competition the margins caught up with him, but his guillotine, his power and his fearlessness made him a consistently entertaining and respected veteran across nearly 40 pro fights.
Career highlights
- Beat a former UFC champion — outpointed ex-bantamweight titleholder Renan Barão over three rounds in 2018.
- Debut-night finisher — submitted veteran Iuri Alcântara by first-round guillotine at UFC 212 to open his UFC run in style.
- Prolific submission threat — 10 of his 24 wins came by submission, anchoring a 75 percent career finish rate.
Career snapshot
Brian Kelleher career snapshot
EloCombat Edge Elo
1635Solid ratingElo trajectory (last 3 years)
Overall#1148
Bantamweight#121of 176 active
Peak1691
Last move-14
Opponent quality1659avg. pre-fight Elo · last 10
Career-high 1691 Elo after defeating Kevin Croom (2022-01-15)
Similar Elo in Bantamweight
Brian Kelleher quick answers
What is Brian Kelleher's record?
Brian Kelleher's professional MMA record is 24-16-0.
How old is Brian Kelleher?
Brian Kelleher is 39 years old.
What weight class is Brian Kelleher?
Brian Kelleher fights at Bantamweight in UFC.
How tall is Brian Kelleher?
Brian Kelleher is 5'6" tall with a 66" reach.
How much does Brian Kelleher weigh?
Brian Kelleher competes at Bantamweight, with a most recent weigh-in of 135 lbs.
What is Brian Kelleher's Combat Edge Elo?
Brian Kelleher's Combat Edge Elo is 1635, with a peak Elo of 1691.
How strong is Brian Kelleher's recent opposition?
Brian Kelleher's latest 10 counted opponents averaged 1659 Elo immediately before their fights. This avoids using opponents' later career results with hindsight.
When was Brian Kelleher's last fight?
Brian Kelleher's latest tracked pro fight was against Cody Gibson at UFC Fight Night on Jul 20 2024.
What is Brian Kelleher's recent form?
Brian Kelleher's recent tracked pro form is L-L-L-L-W over the latest 5 decisive pro results.
How does Brian Kelleher usually win?
Brian Kelleher's 24 recorded wins include 8 knockouts, 10 submissions, and 6 decisions, with 75% ending before the final bell.
8Wins by knockout
10Wins by submission
6Wins by decision
2Loss by knockout
9Loss by submission
5Loss by decision
Brian Kelleher stats
Record : 24 / 16 / 0Significant strikes landed per minute
3.31Fighter3.23Division average
Significant striking accuracy
41%Fighter43%Division average
Significant strikes absorbed per minute
4.59Fighter3.79Division average
Significant strike defenseThe % of opponents strikes that did not land
55%Fighter55%Division average
Average takedowns landed per 15 minutes
1.68Fighter1.55Division average
Takedown accuracy
42%Fighter35%Division average
Takedown defenseThe % of opponents TD attempts that did not land
60%Fighter56%Division average
Average submissions attempted per 15 minutes
0.67Fighter0.55Division average
Pro fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
Amateur fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
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