Gunnar Nelson
“Gunni”
Professional record
Last 5: LWWLL
Profile
- Age
- 38 (born July 28, 1988)
- Born in
- Akureyri
- Height
- 5' 11"
- Weight
- 170 lbs.
- Reach
- 72"
- Stance
- Switch
- UFC record
- 10-6
How the fights ended
Wins in the UFC10
- Submission 8
- Decision 2
Losses in the UFC6
- KO/TKO 1
- Decision 5
UFC career stats
Striking
- Significant strikes landed per minute
- 1.77 top 93%
- Significant strikes absorbed per minute
- 3.06
Grappling
- Takedowns per 15 minutes
- 2.0 top 28%
- Submission attempts per 15 minutes
- 1.0
Next fight
In the record book
- #7 · Most submission wins (all-time)8
- #7 · Most rear-naked choke wins (all-time)5
- #8 · Highest significant strike accuracy (all-time)61.2%
- #1 · Most submission wins (welterweight)7
- #1 · Most guillotine choke wins (welterweight)2
- #2 · Highest significant strike accuracy (welterweight)60.6%
- #3 · Highest finish rate (welterweight)77.8%
- #3 · Most rear-naked choke wins (welterweight)4
- #3 · Most armbar wins (welterweight)1
About Gunnar Nelson
Gunnar Nelson "Gunni" is a welterweight mixed martial artist, born in Akureyri, Iceland on July 28, 1988. Nelson is 5' 11" tall with a 72" reach and fights out of a switch stance.
Nelson has fought professionally since 2007, debuting with Adrenaline. Nelson arrived in the UFC with a 9-0 record. The UFC debut came at UFC on FUEL TV: Struve vs Miocic in September 2012, where Nelson beat DaMarques Johnson by rear naked choke. Across 16 fights in the UFC, Nelson is 10-6.
Nelson is dangerous on the ground, with 8 UFC wins by submission, most often by rear-naked choke. In the stats, Nelson is more accurate with significant strikes than 99% of welterweights and attempts more submissions than 81% of welterweights.
Nelson has never been submitted in the UFC. After 30 months away, Nelson returned at UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall in March 2022 and beat Takashi Sato. Nelson's record outside the UFC includes 1-0-1 in Adrenaline and 2-0 in BAMMA.
Most recently, Nelson lost to Kevin Holland by decision at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady in March 2025.
UFC fight history
-
L
Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady
Mar 22, 2025
15Str 3TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Armbar From Mount · R1 4:51
Mar 18, 2023
10Str 1TD 0KD -
W
Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall
Mar 19, 2022
44Str 3TD 0KD -
L
Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier
Sep 28, 2019
20Str 0TD 0KD -
L
Decision - Split · R3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Till vs. Masvidal
Mar 16, 2019
9Str 3TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R2 4:17
Dec 8, 2018
11Str 2TD 0KD -
L
KO/TKO · Punches to Head At Distance · R1 1:22
UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio
Jul 16, 2017
5Str 0TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Guillotine Choke On Ground · R2 0:46
UFC Fight Night: Manuwa vs. Anderson
Mar 18, 2017
8Str 1TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R2 3:15
UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Arlovski
May 8, 2016
29Str 2TD 0KD -
L
Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00
Dec 12, 2015
2Str 1TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R1 2:54
Jul 11, 2015
6Str 0TD 1KD -
L
Decision - Split · R5 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs Story
Oct 4, 2014
53Str 1TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R2 4:48
UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs Brandao
Jul 19, 2014
13Str 1TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Guillotine Choke On Ground · R1 4:36
UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs Manuwa
Mar 8, 2014
16Str 1TD 0KD -
W
Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00
UFC on FUEL TV: Barao vs McDonald
Feb 16, 2013
42Str 2TD 0KD -
W
Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R1 3:34
UFC on FUEL TV: Struve vs Miocic
Sep 29, 2012
9Str 1TD 0KD
Full MMA career
Gunnar Nelson is 19-6-1 across 26 professional fights in 8 promotions, since a pro debut on May 5, 2007 (Adrenaline). 10 of those fights were outside the UFC.
Pro wins19
- KO/TKO 4
- Submission 13
- Decision 2
Pro losses6
- KO/TKO 1
- Decision 5
- Finish rate
- 89% of wins
- Longest win streak
- 13
Fights by promotion
| Promotion | Record | First fight |
|---|---|---|
| UFC | 10-6 | 2012 |
| Adrenaline | 1-0-1 | 2007 |
| BAMMA | 2-0 | 2010 |
| Cage Contender | 2-0 | 2010 |
| Angrrr Management | 1-0 | 2007 |
| Cage Rage Contenders | 1-0 | 2007 |
| Cage of Truth | 1-0 | 2007 |
| Ultimate Fighting Revolution | 1-0 | 2007 |
All professional fights
| Result | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|
| L | Kevin Holland | Mar 22, 2025 |
| W | Bryan Barberena | Mar 18, 2023 |
| W | Takashi Sato | Mar 19, 2022 |
| L | Gilbert Burns | Sep 28, 2019 |
| L | Leon Edwards | Mar 16, 2019 |
| W | Alex Oliveira | Dec 8, 2018 |
| L | Santiago Ponzinibbio | Jul 16, 2017 |
| W | Alan Jouban | Mar 18, 2017 |
| W | Albert Tumenov | May 8, 2016 |
| L | Demian Maia | Dec 12, 2015 |
| W | Brandon Thatch | Jul 11, 2015 |
| L | Rick Story | Oct 4, 2014 |
| W | Zak Cummings | Jul 19, 2014 |
| W | Omari Akhmedov | Mar 8, 2014 |
| W | Jorge Santiago | Feb 16, 2013 |
| W | DaMarques Johnson | Sep 29, 2012 |
| W | Alexander Butenko | Feb 25, 2012 |
| W | Eugene Fadiora | Sep 25, 2010 |
| W | Danny Mitchell | Aug 28, 2010 |
| W | Sam Elsdon | Feb 13, 2010 |
| W | Iran Mascarenhas | Sep 6, 2008 |
| W | Barry Mairs | Dec 9, 2007 |
| W | Niek Tromp | Nov 24, 2007 |
| W | Adam Slawinski | Oct 6, 2007 |
| W | Driss El Bakara | Sep 29, 2007 |
| D | John Olesen | May 5, 2007 |
Full professional record from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Quick answers
What is Gunnar Nelson's record?
Gunnar Nelson's professional MMA record is 19 wins, 6 losses and 1 draws.
How old is Gunnar Nelson?
Gunnar Nelson is 38 years old, born on July 28, 1988.
How tall is Gunnar Nelson and what is their reach?
Gunnar Nelson stands 5' 11" with a 72" reach.
Who did Gunnar Nelson fight last?
Gunnar Nelson lost to Kevin Holland by Decision - Unanimous at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady on Mar 22, 2025.
Photo: Haraldur Dean Nelson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
