Michael Cora Record: 5-6-0

Contender Series and the Titan FC years

Cora's hot streak earned him a 2017 appearance on Dana White's Contender Series, where he ran into Sidney Outlaw, a polished 8-3 wrestler who out-grappled him to a decision. He returned to Titan FC and dropped another close decision to Rico Farrington at Titan FC 47, then a third straight decision loss to undefeated prospect Uroš Jurišić at Titan FC 48. The skid underlined the recurring theme of his career: devastating when he lands, but vulnerable to opponents who could drag him into the later rounds or onto the mat.

Veteran test and a brush with the elite

After a layoff, Cora rebounded in 2020 with a second-round knockout of the experienced Roberto Neves at Combat Quest 6, a reminder of the power that always made him a threat. The grappling vulnerabilities resurfaced, though, as he was submitted by Dilano Taylor at Titan FC 66. His most notable assignment came in 2021, when he stepped in against former UFC title challenger and longtime contender Nate Marquardt at Titan FC 71. Marquardt, a 35-fight veteran, caught Cora in a first-round armbar – a high-level submission loss that nonetheless put him in the cage with one of the era's most accomplished middleweights.

Fighting style

Cora is a pure finisher with a striker's mentality: all five of his professional wins have come by knockout, an unblemished 100% finish rate on the win side. His power and ground-and-pound make him a live threat to end any fight early, and his Gracie Tampa South base gives him a respectable grappling foundation. The honest counterweight is in the losses – three of his six defeats came by decision and two by submission, a pattern that shows his struggles against wrestlers and grapplers who can neutralize his offense and impose a slower, more technical fight. He later branched into striking-focused competition with a 2024 appearance in Karate Combat that ended in a no-contest.

Career highlights

• UFC Fight Pass knockout — first-round KO of prospect William Starks at Titan FC 44, a signature finish broadcast worldwide that grew his fan base.
• 100% finish rate — all five career wins by knockout, marking him as one of the most consistent power finishers on the Florida regional scene.
• Shared the cage with elite veterans — tested himself against Contender Series-level competition and former UFC title challenger Nate Marquardt at Titan FC 71.