Tim Means has stood the test of time and been around the block longer than his counterparts. His secret to his longevity? An ability to turn things around when the circumstances are not working in his favor, coupled with steady evolution. The Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran has been a consistent presence in the welterweight division, but his most recent Octagon outing celebrated something exceptional. His bout against Andre Fialho at UFC Fight Night 228 marked his 50th professional appearance in a career spanning over 20 years, with 12 of those years spent in the Las Vegas-based promotion. Progression, conscious efforts toward recovery and fighting for a greater purpose have helped Means steer clear of stagnancy.
As Means prepares to take on Uros Medic at UFC on ESPN 55 this Saturday in Las Vegas, a look at five of the many moments that have come to define him:
1. Crowned in Gold
Means compiled a 3-2 record after he turned professional in 2004 before testing himself in the King of the Cage MMA promotion. There, he collated a 6-1 record with one draw before taking on Bobby Green for the KOTC junior welterweight championship. That same year, “King” laid claim to the title with a TKO victory over Ricky Legere Jr. and defended it against Daron Cruickshank. The stage was set on Oct. 7, 2010 for Means to challenge Green’s reign. The accumulated damage inflicted on Green rendered him almost incapable of getting back on the stool in between rounds, which led to a Round 2 technical knockout via retirement for Means.
2. Two Times the Glory
Having defended the welterweight strap multiple times, “The Dirty Bird” faced Tye Brown at KOTC: Total Destruction for the vacant lightweight championship. In a mere 30 seconds, he vanquished Brown by TKO and was crowned a two-division champion of the revered feeder organization. Following that, he went on to sign with the UFC and would make his promotional debut on Feb. 15, 2012.
3. Breaking Ground
Backed by a seven-fight winning streak, Means set foot on the grand stage of the UFC against Bernardo Magalhaes at UFC on Fuel TV 1. He won the fight by unanimous decision and went on to face Justin Salas next. Salas, at that time, was a surging contender carrying the momentum of a six-fight winning streak. It took the Oklahoma native 66 seconds to outclass Salas, unleashing carnage on his foe by dropping him and finishing the fight thanks to his discernible killer instinct.
4. Peak Performance
Between July 2014 and April 2015, Means accumulated his peak run in the UFC, consolidating four wins in the process. He scored unanimous and split decision victories over Hernani Perpetuo and Marcio Alexandre Jr. In his first major UFC pay-per-view appearance at UFC 184, he locked horns with Dhiego Lima, triumphing over the Brazilian with a first-round TKO. He carried forward the momentum with a third-round submission victory over George Sullivan before succumbing to a guillotine choke loss to Matt Brown at UFC 189.
5. Fifty Fights Strong
Means had plenty of reasons to celebrate his aforementioned TKO victory over Fialho. The American was coming off his first-ever three-fight losing skid in the UFC and carried the weight of rendering a sound performance in his 50th professional fight. Means stayed patient throughout the course of the fight, even during moments when Fialho was visibly getting the better of the striking exchanges. Means’ striking defense stood the test through two rounds, as he mixed up takedown attempts and punishing strikes to score heavily on the judges’ scorecards. In the third round, he hurt Fialho with a head kick and followed up with a barrage of blows. The finishing sequence came courtesy of a knee up the middle that wrecked Fialho’s chin and pinpoint follow-up strikes, churning out the finish at the 1:15 mark of the third round.
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