About me: Eric "Butterbean" Esch (born August 3, in Americus, Georgia) is a professional boxer and mixed martial artist, known for his bald head and an excessive weight. Butterbean stands 5 ft 11 in (180cm) tall and weighs 398 pounds (180 Kg). He is the former IBA and WAA World Super heavyweight Champion. Esch's round body, bald head and vicious scowl, make him a menacing (yet highly entertaining) fight figure. His overall fight record currently stands at 82 wins with 58 knockouts, 9 losses and 5 draws. He currently resides in Jasper, Alabama.
Boxing career
Known as the "King of 4 rounders", Butterbean developed a cult following after he burst onto the Toughman Contest scene in the United States before entering the world of professional boxing in 1994. He was a five time World Toughman Heavyweight Champion with a record of 56-5 with 36 knockouts (not counted towards pro career).
While the majority of his opponents have been technically limited, club level fighters, he did move up the ranks to win the IBA World Super Heavyweight Championship in 1997. Butterbean fought "Hurricane" Peter McNeeley, famous as a former Mike Tyson opponent, in Las Vegas in 1999. He stopped McNeeley in the first round. Butterbean faced former world champion Larry Holmes in 2002. Holmes won a unanimous 10-round decision with Butterbean credited with a knockdown in the final round. Esch's most recent title shot came on October 15, 2005 where he lost a split decision against George Linberger for the NABC Super Heavyweight title.
Esch's professional boxing record is 76 wins with 57 knockouts, 7 losses and 4 draws. He has a boxing match scheduled against Joe Siciliano on March 9, 2007 at the Palladium.[1] That same night, Esch's son, Brandon, will make his professional debut against Shawn McLean
WWF appearances
Butterbean has appeared twice in WWF events competing in boxing matches. In 1997, at the In Your House 19: D-Generation X pay-per-view event, he defeated Marc Mero (former Golden Gloves champion) via disqualification in a worked match. Two years later, Butterbean defeated Bart Gunn in a legitimate shootfight at Wrestlemania XV, defeating the Brawl For All champion with ease, knocking him out in 30 seconds.
[edit] Mixed Martial Arts career
Butterbean's previous fighting experiences led him to venture into mixed martial arts. At K-1 Premium 2003 on December 31, 2003, Butterbean lost his first MMA bout to 155 lbs Japanese fighter Genki Sudo via tap out to a heel hook. Esch regrouped, going 6-0-1 in appearances in King of the Cage, Fightfest, and Rumble on the Rock including a TKO stoppage of Cabbage Correira. Esch returned to Japan with the PRIDE Fighting Championships on August 26, 2006 to compete at Bushido 12 against Ikuhisa Minowa, a 185 lbs fighter, to whom he lost via armbar at 4:25 of round one. Less than two months later, Butterbean was scheduled to fight K-1 legend Mark Hunt at Pride FC's first North American show on October 21, 2006. Due to an injury Hunt sustained in training, Esch was matched up against Irish-American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist Sean O'Haire, whom he defeated via knockout at 30 seconds in the first round. On February 10th, Butterbean knocked out James Thompson 43 seconds into the first round at Cage Rage 20: Born 2 Fight.
Butterbean's MMA record is 9 wins with 4 knockouts, 3 losses and 1 draw. Esch is currently training with American Top Team to improve his ground game
Media career
Butterbean appeared in the film Jackass: The Movie, where he fought Johnny Knoxville in a department store, where Knoxville was floored by Esch and received several stitches in his head after the encounter. However, it is obvious in the movie that Butterbean gives Knoxville several rabbit punches as Knoxville was going down. While being treated by on-scene medical personnel, a badly beaten Johnny Knoxville asks "Is Butterbean okay?" On the DVD commentary Knoxville stated that Esch is actually quite friendly outside of the ring, despite his fearsome ringside demeanor.
Butterbean also appeared in the film Chairman of the Board as the Museum Security Guard with the "chia hair", a fact that is pointed out on the DVD commentary by the movie's star Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson.
Butterbean was featured as the cover character as well as the final boss character in the EA Sports title "Toughman Contest" released in July 1995 for the Sega Genesis and Sega 32X.[4] He also appeared as a playable character in the EA Sports boxing video game Knockout Kings 2001.
Thanks for the add. I enjoyed watching you fight in PRIDE. I hear you've opened a restaurant in Jasper. Next time I'm over that way I'll have to check it out.
