Jason High grew up in Independence, MO, wrestling for Blue Springs High School, which won the state wrestling championships his senior year. His background as an NCAA Division I wrestler for the University of Nebraska laid the foundation for his ground game, which is strengthened by his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills, honed during a semester studying abroad in Costa Rica in 2005. The instructor there was so impressed with his wrestling, he offered him free jiu jitsu lessons in exchange for wrestling lessons.
Since High’s first fight in August of 2005, he has amassed a record that touts 18 wins and just 5 losses. Starting his career with local promotions in the Kansas City, Omaha and Des Moines area, High signed with Affliction and moved to California in 2007 to train at Antonio McKee’s Bodyshop. High fought in Japan several times in DREAM’s Welterweight Grand Prix tournaments, placing second in 2010 after defeating 3rd degree BJJ black belt Andre Galvao in the quarterfinals.
High debuted in the UFC in March of 2010 but lost a decision to Charlie Brenneman and was cut immediatley thereafter. He then went on a four-fight win streak, fighting for promotions such as Rumble in the Cage and Titan Fighting Championships. He was then signed to a Strikeforce contract, where he continued his winning streak for three more fights in the Welterweight division before re-signing with the UFC in 2012.
High went 2-1 as a Welterweight in his second turn in the UFC. Over Christmas in 2013, High was preparing for his January fight against Anthony Lapsley when he fell ill. When he finally went in to see a doctor, they realized his appendix had burst. High underwent emergency surgey and was in the hospital for eight days. The fight had to be canceled. After recovering a couple months later, he decided to drop to the 155-lb/Lightweight division. He successfully dropped the weight and faced Top 5 lightweight Rafael dos Anjos on June 7 in Albuquerque, where he lost by TKO in round 2.
High has been traveling to Coconut Creek, FL, to train at the original American Top Team (ATT) for his fight camps for the past several years. There he met his mentor Master Ricardo Liborio, a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt and 3-time national champion and the founder of American Top Team. In May 2014, High and fellow Kansas City fighter LC Davis opened an ATT franchise, American Top Team HD, in Lenexa, Kansas.
High’s overall MMA record is an impressive 18-5. He earned his purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu at the 2012 World Championships (Mundials), where he won the medium-heavy weight category for adult male blue belts. In July 2014, he was awarded his brown belt by Master Ricardo Liborio of American Top Team.
Height: 5’9″
Weight Class: 155lb/Lightweight (formerly 170lb/Welterweight)
Team: American Top Team
Current Residence: Lenexa, KS
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
College: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
