Joe Duarte (born August 4, 1983) is a retired professional mixed martial arts champion and investor from Guam, and is of native Chamorro descent.
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Early life
Duarte grew up in the village of Dededo, the largest and most densely populated village on Guam. Actively involved in sports since the age of six, he helped lead several youth sporting organizations to their respective league championships and was also an avid mountain biker and waterman. He became involved in combat sports after being introduced to freestyle/folkstyle wrestling as an eighth-grade student at F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School where he occasionally trained in western boxing.
From 1997-2001, Duarte attended Simon A. Sanchez High School in Yigo, Guam where he continued to do well in athletics. During this time, he earned various accomplishments competing in the DODEA Far East High Schools Wrestling Championships and winning multiple team championships in varsity football, track and field, and men's soccer in his senior year.
Duarte began his mixed martial arts training early in high school. Duarte began training in submission grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Purebred Shooto Guam in Hagatna, Guam in 1999. Although a natural athlete with training as a wrestler, Duarte soon learned that the striking game was his key forte.
Upon graduation from high school in 2001, Duarte dabbled in the local MMA scene that was still a fledgling sport with only a handful of local fighters fighting in the Shooto organization. After working a couple of odd jobs and playing community league football, Duarte took a chance and decided to leave home in search of better opportunities in the U.S. mainland, Duarte left Guam for Kingsville, Texas in 2002.
After leaving Guam, he made his way to Texas where he lived with his brother who was serving in the United States Navy at the time. While in Texas, Duarte started training at a community boxing gym in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Military service
After his arrival in Texas, Duarte enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman in 2002.
Upon completion of One Station Unit Training, Duarte earned his parachutist wings. He was assigned to the 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, Georgia. Duarte served multiple deployments of duty in Iraq from 2003 to 2005 where he served as a team leader resulting in the loss of a close friend, Dean Richardson, during a firefight in Iraq's Sunni Triangle. A physical altercation at regiment with a team leader resulted in Duarte transferring to serve with 1-41 Infantry Regiment(MECH)of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Riley, Kansas.
Mixed martial arts career
Duarte made his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) debut as a light heavyweight on September 9, 2006 at "Total Combat 16: Annihilation" in San Diego. He fought a three-round regulation match against Chris Kennedy and secured a split decision victory. His next fight took place in the inaugural "Unleashed Fight/GP Galaxy" fight promotion as a lightweight where he won a first round submission victory via armbar over Randy Bowers. He is the sole Unleashed Fight Lightweight champion with his first-round rear naked choke submission victory over Ulfrano Rodriguez on March 22, 2008.
Duarte appeared on "The Ultimate Fighter" (TUF) reality show against Phillipe Nover, who submitted Duarte via rear naked choke in the second round. Considered exhibition contests, the fights on TUF are not reflected upon a professional fighter's official record and thus Duarte remained undefeated in professional MMA competition (at that time) and improved his record to 4-0 with another submission victory over Pierre Dumont at "Colleseo Championship Fighting II: King of the Streets" on October 24, 2008.
Duarte's next fight was against Kenny Raught at "Colloseo Championship Fighting III: Undisputed" on November 28, 2008 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Duarte dominated the entire fight from the sound of the bell until out of sheer desperation, Raught winged a right hand that caught Duarte on the chin to give him his first loss of his professional career. On May 30, 2009, Duarte earned his fifth career victory with a first round TKO stoppage of David Gardner in the WarGods promotion held at the Viejas Casino in Alpine, California.
On April 8, 2010, Duarte fought in the second season of the Bellator Fighting Championships. With less than a week's notice, Duarte was to take on former collegiate wrestler Carey Vanier in the quarterfinal round of the Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight tournament. Duarte stepped into the cage at 156 lbs. after losing much of the weight within a 48-hour window. (Finnish fighter, Janne Turlinta, was not able to procure the necessary visa to fight in the United States, so Duarte was called in.) Duarte controlled much of the stand-up battle and consistently made the scramble back up to his feet after several takedown attempts by Vanier. Although visibly weakened by the rapid weight cut, Duarte continued to maneuver against Vanier but could not find an opportunity to effectively neutralize the takedown offense of Vanier, who grounded Duarte and worked to pass from Duarte's full guard. Varnier eventually worked into the side control position and continued to rain down punches before the referee called an end to the fight at the 4:14 mark in the third round.