Patrick Jay Miletich (; born March 9, 1968) is a retired American mixed martial artist and former sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Winner. Miletich is also known as a highly successful trainer and coach, having founded Miletich Fighting Systems. This camp is considered one of the most successful in MMA history and has produced several world champions. On July 6, 2014, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Early life
Miletich, the youngest of five children, was born in Davenport, Iowa, to second generation Croatian immigrant parents. Two of his brothers are deceased. Miletich started wrestling at the age of five, continuing at Bettendorf High School. Miletich shared the Bettendorf High School wrestling room with future MMA champion Mark Kerr. He said he wanted to be a world champion in something and wrestling was something he was good at. Although Miletich originally planned to pursue football after graduating high school, he eventually chose to wrestle in junior college.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Miletich started his MMA training at 26. with Grand Master Nick Tarpein, where he learned much of what he knows about karate, and was introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the very first time.
His next fight was a KO win over Shonie Carter at UFC 32.
Move up to middleweight
After the fight with Carter, Miletich moved up to the Middleweight division. This was also partly due to encouragement by UFC management and because his teammate, Matt Hughes, defeated Carlos Newton to win the UFC Welterweight Championship. Miletich lost to Nunn via split decision.
Return
After a near fifteen year hiatus, Miletich returned to face rival Mike Jackson on October 14, 2023 at Caged Aggression 36. Despite finding initial success against his younger foe, Miletich succumbed to fatigue, and lost via technical knockout after his corner stopped the fight before the start of the third round.
Coaching
Miletich founded Miletich Fighting Systems, a mixed martial arts academy in his hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa. MFS has trained over 90 televised fighters and 11 MMA world champions, including former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, former two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia, former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, and former EliteXC Middleweight Champion and former UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler.
Law enforcement/military training
For over 15 years Miletich has trained local, state, and federal law-enforcement officers and military groups from all service branches, including special-operations groups attached to those branches. He has also written and designed defensive tactics and combatives courses for other combatives companies.
Miletich is also the co-founder of Fire Horse combatives which trains LEO and military personnel.
Personal life
Miletich is married and has three daughters. He is a Freemason.
Miletich was arrested on June 29, 2020, in Moline, Illinois and was charged with DUI. This was Miletich's second DUI arrest, his first coming in September 2018, a charge to which he pleaded guilty in March 2019.
Championships and accomplishments
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Hall of Fame (Pioneer Wing, Class of 2014)
- UFC Welterweight Championship (One time, first)
- Four successful title defenses
- UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Winner
- UFC Viewers Choice Award
- UFC Encyclopedia Awards
- Knockout of the Night (One time)
- Submission of the Night (One time)
- Sherdog
- Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Fame
- George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- George Tragos Award (2011)
- Resurrection Fighting Alliance & AXS TV
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Mixed martial arts record
|-
| Loss
| align=center|
| Mike Jackson
| TKO (corner stoppage)
| Caged Aggression 36
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 29–7–2
| Thomas Denny
| KO (punches)
| Adrenaline MMA 2
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 0:50
| Moline, Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 28–7–2
| Renzo Gracie
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| IFL 9
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 3:37
| Moline, Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 28–6–2
| Matt Lindland
| TKO (punches)
| UFC 36
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 3:09
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 28–5–2
| Shonie Carter
| KO (head kick)
| UFC 32
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 2:42
| East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 27–5–2
| Carlos Newton
| Submission (bulldog choke)
| UFC 31
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 2:50
| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 27–4–2
| Kenichi Yamamoto
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| UFC 29
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 1:58
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center|
| Kiyoshi Tamura
| Decision (majority)
| Rings: Millennium Combine 3
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Yokohama, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 26–3–2
| John Alessio
| Submission (armbar)
| UFC 26
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 1:43
| Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 25–3–2
| José Landi-Jons
| TKO (corner stoppage)
| WEF 8 - Goin' Platinum
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 8:00
| Rome, Georgia, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 25–2–2
| Shonie Carter
| Decision (unanimous)
| Extreme Challenge 27
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 20:00
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 24–2–2
| André Pederneiras
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| UFC 21
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 2:20
| Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 23–2–2
| Clayton Miller
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Cage Combat 2
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 0:40
| Ottumwa, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 22–2–2
| Jutaro Nakao
| Technical Submission (triangle choke)
| SuperBrawl 11
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 9:22
| Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 22–1–2
| Jorge Patino
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 18
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 21:00
| New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 21–1–2
| Mikey Burnett
| Decision (split)
| UFC Brazil
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 21:00
| São Paulo, Brazil
|
|-
| Draw
| align=center| 20–1–2
| Dan Severn
| Draw
| Extreme Challenge 20
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 20:00
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 20–1–1
| Al Buck, Jr.
| Submission (choke)
| Midwest Shootfighting 1
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 2:49
| Clinton, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 19–1–1
| Chris Brennan
| Submission (shoulder choke)
| rowspan=2| UFC 16
| rowspan=2|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 9:02
| rowspan=2| New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 18–1–1
| Townsend Saunders
| Decision (split)
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 15:00
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 17–1–1
| Chris Brennan
| Decision (unanimous)
| EC - Extreme Challenge Trials
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 10:00
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Draw
| align=center| 16–1–1
| Chris Brennan
| Draw (majority)
| Extreme Challenge 9
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 20:00
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 16–1
| Chuck Kim
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| Extreme Challenge 7
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 10:46
| Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 15–1
| Matt Hume
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| Extreme Fighting 4
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 5:00
| Des Moines, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 15–0
| Chad Cox
| TKO (submission to punch)
| Extreme Challenge 3
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:48
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 14–0
| Paul Kimbro
| Submission (armbar)
| Extreme Challenge 2
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 5:13
| Des Moines, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 13–0
| Jason Nicholson
| Decision (unanimous)
| SuperBrawl 3
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 15:00
| Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 12–0
| Earl Loucks
| Submission (americana)
| Extreme Challenge 1
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 7:00
| Des Moines, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 11–0
| Pat Assalone
| Submission (armbar)
| Brawl at the Ballpark 1
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 4:01
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 10–0
| Matt Andersen
| TKO (submission to punches)
| Gladiators 1
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 5:21
| Davenport, Iowa, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 9–0
| Yasunori Matsumoto
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| QCU 2
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 15:53
| Moline, Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 8–0
| Andrey Dudko
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| rowspan=3| BOTM 2
| rowspan=3|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 2:49
| rowspan=3| Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 7–0
| Bob Gholson
| KO (punches)
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 2:20
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 6–0
| Rick Graveson
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 0:46
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 5–0
| Rick Graveson
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| rowspan=2| QCU 1
| rowspan=2|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:53
| rowspan=2| Moline, Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 4–0
| Ed McLennan
| Submission (armbar)
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:28
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 3–0
| Kevin Marino
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| rowspan=3| BOTM 1
| rowspan=3|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 3:49
| rowspan=3| Chicago, Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 2–0
| Angelo Rivera
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:40
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 1–0
| Yasunori Matsumoto
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 7:40
|
Professional boxing record
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
|-
!
!Result
!Record
!Opponent
!Method
!Round, time
!Date
!Notes
|-
|1
|Win
|1–0
|Donald Tucker
|UD
|4 (4),
|Jan 20, 1999
|
|}