Korey Kuppe Record: 11-6-0

Building a reputation as a finisher

Kuppe's career became a showcase of creative finishes – guillotines, rear-naked chokes, triangles and even elbows from the triangle position. A standout moment came in February 2019, when he submitted Kenneth Cross with a third-round rear-naked choke at Lights Out Championship 2, grinding through the later rounds to find the finish against a tough opponent. His grappling-heavy resume eventually drew the attention of major promotions, putting him on the radar of Dana White's Contender Series and, later, the PFL.

Contender Series and the PFL

Kuppe reached the Contender Series stage in September 2020 but dropped a decision to Michael Lombardo, one of the rare times his fight went the distance – and notably, the wrong way. He continued to compete at a high level, and in February 2022 he stepped into the PFL Challenger Series against the dangerous Carlos Leal, who stopped him with first-round punches. Kuppe bounced back with a pair of finishes before his most recent appearance, a 2023 PFL Playoffs bout where he was stopped by first-round ground-and-pound – another reminder of the striking vulnerabilities that have shadowed his grappling-first game.

Fighting style

Kuppe is a pure finisher, with all 11 of his wins coming inside the distance – nine by submission and two by knockout – for a perfect 100% finish rate. He uses his exceptional height and reach to set up chokes and create scrambles, and his submission arsenal is both deep and inventive, from guillotines and rear-naked chokes to elbows thrown from the triangle. The honest counterpoint is his chin: four of his six losses have come by knockout or TKO, a pattern that shows his biggest danger has always been heavy hitters who can catch him before he gets the fight to the mat.

Career highlights

• Perfect finish rate — all 11 of his professional wins came by stoppage, a flawless 100% finish rate.
• Contender Series and PFL appearances — competed on Dana White's Contender Series and in the PFL, the biggest stages of his career.
• Third-round submission of Kenneth Cross — ground out a rear-naked choke finish of Kenneth Cross, showcasing his late-round grappling.