Tresean “Mr. Vicious” Gore is an American professional mixed martial artist competing in the UFC middleweight division.
The 6-foot middleweight is known for his physical power, aggressive personality and increasingly dangerous submission game. Gore’s UFC victories have repeatedly ended with opponents trapped in guillotine chokes, including finishes over Josh Fremd, Antonio Trócoli and Azamat Bekoev.
But Gore’s story started long before the UFC.
He grew up in rural South Carolina around drugs and instability, was largely raised by his grandmother and eventually left home chasing an MMA career with little money and no guarantee that it would work.
At one stage, Gore and his future wife were struggling badly enough that they sometimes caught fish simply to have something to eat.
Years later, the kid who used to shadowbox around his grandmother’s house became a UFC fighter.
Tresean Gore Fighter Information
| Stats | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tresean Maurice Gore |
| Nickname | Mr. Vicious |
| Born | June 21, 1994 |
| Birthplace | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6’0″ (183 cm) |
| Reach | 75″ (191 cm) |
| Weight Class | Middleweight |
| Record | 6-4* |
| Stance | Switch |
| Team/Gym | MMA Lab |
| Fighting Style | Grappling / Guillotine Choke |
| @treseangore |
Some fighter databases currently display different totals for Gore’s professional record, but the detailed fight history supplied lists him at 6-4.
What Is Tresean Gore Known For?
Gore is increasingly becoming known for one thing in particular:
his guillotine choke.
His first few UFC appearances made him look like a dangerous power puncher who wanted to exchange on the feet.
His more recent results have shown something different.
Gore submitted Josh Fremd with a guillotine in 2022, finished Antonio Trócoli with the same technique in 2024 and then caught Azamat Bekoev with another guillotine in April 2026.
That is not an accident.
Gore actually came into combat sports through Brazilian jiu-jitsu, something that can be overlooked because of his muscular build and willingness to trade punches.
He has said that from the beginning he wanted to become a complete fighter rather than someone who could strike but became lost once a fight hit the ground.
Why Is Tresean Gore Called “Mr. Vicious”?
The nickname came from a grappling tournament when Gore was only 19.
At the time, Gore said he was still essentially a white belt in jiu-jitsu. He entered an absolute division where competitors could face opponents from much higher belt levels.
Gore eventually found himself against a black belt.
Instead of being intimidated by the experience difference, Gore attacked a leg lock and submitted him with an Achilles lock.
When he returned to his coach, the coach focused on the aggression and tenacity Gore had shown.
He told Gore that he was “vicious.”
From there, Mr. Vicious stuck.
That story also explains why Gore’s submission success in the UFC should not be considered a sudden development.
Grappling was there from the beginning.
Where Is Tresean Gore From?
Gore comes from Little River, South Carolina, near Myrtle Beach.
He has described it as a small rural community where he grew up around drugs, drug dealing and people who often did not think beyond their immediate surroundings.
Gore eventually concluded that if he wanted to become the fighter he imagined himself becoming, he needed to leave.
At 19, he took a Greyhound bus to Atlanta with roughly $700 to $800 saved.
The first attempt failed.
Gore went broke and returned to South Carolina.
Later, after meeting the woman who would become his wife, they made another attempt together.
This time, Gore says they arrived in Georgia with approximately $600.
Did Tresean Gore Really Move to Georgia With $600?
Yes, according to Gore.
And the situation became extremely difficult.
Gore has described periods when he and his wife struggled to afford food, ate ramen noodles and sometimes went fishing because catching something meant they would have something to eat.
They stayed in hotels while trying to survive financially, and Gore recalled sleeping in parking lots and on air mattresses while continuing to train.
Throughout that period, he kept telling his wife that he would eventually become a UFC champion.
She stayed with him.
Gore has since described his wife as one of the most important people in his journey because she believed in the goal before there was much evidence that it would actually happen.
What Was Tresean Gore’s Childhood Like?
Gore has spoken unusually openly about his childhood.
He said his father was largely absent and his mother struggled with drug addiction, leaving his grandmother to play a major role in raising him.
Gore described himself as a troubled young person who fought frequently and struggled with anger.
He has also spoken about spending time in juvenile detention after becoming increasingly rebellious.
Rather than hiding that period of his life, Gore often talks about it as part of what eventually pushed him toward becoming a different kind of man.
His Christian faith became particularly important during that period.
Gore has said prayer gave him peace when other parts of his life felt unstable, and faith remains central to how he understands both his career and his personal life.
When Did Tresean Gore Start Dreaming About the UFC?
Long before he became a professional fighter.
Gore says he became obsessed with fighting at around 10 years old.
He watched the UFC and WEC from his grandmother’s home and would shadowbox around the house so often that family members joked about him “fighting the air.”
He eventually asked for a heavy bag and weights for Christmas.
The bag was hung from an oak tree, and Gore says he would repeatedly hit it until his hands developed heavy calluses.
Among the fighters who inspired him most were Anderson Silva and later Jon Jones.
Gore says Silva in particular made him imagine himself eventually reaching the same stage.
What looked strange to the people around him was already a career plan in Gore’s mind.
How Did Tresean Gore Reach the UFC?
Gore reached the national spotlight through The Ultimate Fighter 29.
He entered the show with only three official professional fights but won his two exhibition bouts and reached the finale.
An injury prevented Gore from competing in the originally scheduled final against Bryan Battle.
The two eventually fought in the UFC in February 2022, with Battle winning by decision.
Gore then suffered a knockout loss against Cody Brundage before responding with a submission victory over Josh Fremd.
His UFC career has continued to fluctuate since then, but his victories have increasingly demonstrated the effectiveness of his grappling.
That is particularly important because Gore has always rejected the idea that he is simply a muscular striker.
What Is Tresean Gore’s Fighting Style?
Gore is a powerful switch-stance middleweight who combines heavy striking with an underrated submission game.
His build immediately suggests knockout power, and Gore certainly believes in his hands.
But his most consistent finishing weapon at the UFC level has been the guillotine.
Gore’s willingness to attack the neck when opponents wrestle or scramble has made shooting recklessly against him increasingly dangerous.
His early jiu-jitsu background explains that instinct.
Gore has said he spent significant time learning grappling because he never wanted to reach the UFC as a one-dimensional fighter.
That has paid off.
Four of his professional victories have come by submission.
Does Tresean Gore Train at MMA Lab?
Yes.
Gore now trains at The MMA Lab, one of the better-known MMA camps in the United States.
He has discussed training around fighters including Jared Cannonier, Benson Henderson, Mario Bautista, Marcus McGhee and Eric McConico while working under coaches such as John Crouch.
Gore believes that environment has made him a smarter fighter.
Rather than simply charging forward and relying on athleticism, his coaches have pushed him toward selecting his shots, managing his aggression and using every part of his MMA game.
He described the philosophy simply: if you want to become great, you have to surround yourself with people pursuing greatness.
How Has Tresean Gore Changed His Life Outside the Cage?
This may be one of the most important parts of Gore’s recent story.
Gore has publicly admitted that he was previously smoking marijuana heavily, including during fight camps.
He said there were periods when he was smoking every day and that the habit affected his sleep, diet, weight and overall discipline.
Gore does not argue that marijuana is inherently bad for everyone.
Instead, he has specifically said that his own usage became excessive and was interfering with the athlete he wanted to become.
He says he stopped and began changing other parts of his lifestyle as well.
The result, according to Gore, has been improved focus, a different physique and a clearer mindset.
He has described the change as finally doing the things outside the Octagon that match the goals he talks about inside it.
What Motivates Tresean Gore?
Three things appear repeatedly when Gore discusses his life:
faith, family and becoming a champion.
Gore is outspoken about his Christian faith and credits it with helping him through some of the darkest periods of his upbringing.
His wife has also been part of the journey since before the UFC became realistic.
And now Gore speaks frequently about providing for his family and creating a different environment for his own child than the one he experienced growing up.
His difficult relationship with his mother’s addiction remains another major source of emotion.
Despite everything his family endured, Gore consistently talks about his mother with love and credits her with helping shape the person he became.
That personal history has made fighting about considerably more than wins and losses.
What Is Tresean Gore Like Outside MMA?
One unexpected answer is simple:
he loves fishing.
Fishing has an unusual place in Gore’s story.
During his poorest years in Georgia, fishing sometimes helped him and his wife eat.
Later, it became one of his favorite hobbies.
Gore has talked about owning a large collection of fishing rods and spending his free time chasing species such as striped bass and flounder.
He has even discussed potentially creating fishing content after or alongside his MMA career.
Asked what he might have done without fighting, Gore has also mentioned becoming a motivational speaker.
Considering his path from rural South Carolina to the UFC, it is easy to understand why.
What Is Tresean Gore’s Goal in the UFC?
Gore has never been shy about this one.
He wants to become a UFC champion.
He says making the UFC itself was never the final goal.
Even as a young fighter, Gore talked about becoming champion, and he has continued to maintain that ambition through both victories and defeats.
Gore believes losses do not determine the fighter he will ultimately become.
That confidence can sometimes sound extreme, but it is also consistent with the way he has spoken since before he became a UFC fighter.
His wife, according to Gore, heard him predicting a championship back when they barely had enough money to survive in Georgia.
Why Tresean Gore Stands Out
Tresean Gore’s record alone does not explain why his story is interesting.
His career has been messy.
There have been impressive finishes, difficult losses, injuries, personal mistakes and periods where his discipline did not match his ambition.
Gore does not really hide any of that.
Instead, his career has become a story about trying to turn raw potential into consistency.
He was a kid shadowboxing in his grandmother’s home.
Then he was a teenager learning jiu-jitsu.
Then a young man moving to Georgia with a few hundred dollars.
Then a struggling fighter catching fish to eat.
Then an Ultimate Fighter finalist.
Then a UFC middleweight.
And now, after years of setbacks and changes, Gore is still chasing the same goal he was talking about before anyone knew his name.
Becoming champion.
Tresean Gore FAQs
Who is Tresean Gore?
Tresean “Mr. Vicious” Gore is an American professional MMA fighter competing in the UFC middleweight division.
How old is Tresean Gore?
Tresean Gore was born on June 21, 1994, making him 32 years old in 2026.
Where is Tresean Gore from?
Gore is from Little River, South Carolina, near Myrtle Beach. He currently fights out of Georgia.
How tall is Tresean Gore?
Tresean Gore is 6 feet tall (183 cm).
What is Tresean Gore’s reach?
Gore has a listed reach of 75 inches (191 cm).
What weight class does Tresean Gore fight in?
Gore competes in the UFC middleweight division at 185 pounds.
Why is Tresean Gore called Mr. Vicious?
Gore received the nickname after aggressively submitting a much more experienced grappler with an Achilles lock during a jiu-jitsu tournament when he was a white belt.
Is Tresean Gore a grappler?
Yes. Gore began his martial arts development in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has earned several professional MMA victories by submission.
Where does Tresean Gore train?
Tresean Gore trains at The MMA Lab in Arizona.
What is Tresean Gore’s best submission?
The guillotine choke has become Gore’s signature MMA submission. He has used it to finish multiple UFC opponents.
Was Tresean Gore on The Ultimate Fighter?
Yes. Gore competed on The Ultimate Fighter 29 and reached the final before an injury prevented him from competing in the scheduled finale.
Does Tresean Gore have a wife and child?
Yes. Gore has spoken frequently about his wife and son and says providing for his family is one of his biggest motivations.
What does Tresean Gore do outside fighting?
Gore is an avid fisherman and has discussed potentially creating fishing content in the future.
What is Tresean Gore’s goal?
Gore has consistently said his goal is to become a UFC champion.


