Shonie Carter

Shonie "Mr. International" Carter is one of the most decorated and well-traveled fighters in the history of mixed martial arts — and now he brings that wealth of experience to the mats at Chicago MMA.

Born and raised in Chicago, Shonie served six years in the United States Marine Corps before launching a professional fighting career that spanned two decades and took him to Japan, Russia, Turkey, and beyond. He is a former WEC Welterweight Champion, a UFC veteran with appearances at UFC 24, UFC 31, UFC 37.5, UFC 53, and The Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback, and a professional kickboxer with a record of 57 wins and 5 losses. Over the course of his career he accumulated more than 10 championship belts across multiple organizations and logged well over 200 professional bouts in MMA, kickboxing, and full-contact karate.

Shonie holds black belts in Judo, Jujutsu, and Shidokan Karate, and is an All-American wrestler who competed in the Olympic trials. He is known for his flashy personality, his devastating spinning backfist — which he used to knock out Matt Serra in one of the most memorable finishes in early UFC history — and a competitive spirit that kept him active at the highest levels of the sport for nearly 20 years.

At Chicago MMA, Shonie coaches MMA with the same intensity and creativity that defined his career. Whether you are a beginner stepping onto the mat for the first time or a competitor preparing for your next fight, training with a genuine UFC veteran and multi-time world champion is an experience you will not find anywhere else in Chicago.