Born on July 17, 1982, Travis Browne is now one of the most recognized names in martial arts. Born in Oahu, Hawaii, Browne’s sports career began with playing basketball. While attending high school in San Diego, Browne won the 2000 Coastal North League Player of the Year and then furthered his career by continuing to play for Palomar College. Browne had never had any martial arts training until he learned about Brazilian jiu-jitsu at 26 years old and began to train. While training in his martial arts, he also began training in boxing and had his very first professional boxing match not even a year later. In 010, Browne signed up with the UFC and made his competitive debut at the Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz Finale against James McSweeney. Browne took the win by TKO at 4:32 during the first round of the fight. For those who have been following Travis Browne in his career, here are ten things you didn’t know about this rising UFC star.

1. Dating fellow UFC fighter

Travis Browne has a girlfriend and who she is, was kept secret for many months until he finally went public with who he was seeing. In October 20015, Browne admitted that he was dating his fellow UFC fighter, Ronda Rousey. Brown and Rousey recently got engaged after he proposed to her under a waterfall in New Zealand. A date hasn’t been given as to when they plan to tie the knot.

2. Childhood was unconventional

Browne grew up in an unorthodox home and describes it as one that involved drugs, guns, gangs, and other unruly circumstances. In an interview, Browne talks about how it was commonplace to see his father driving around with a gun in his lap when he was young. Drugs were also commonly seen laying around the home, especially when his father’s friends would come over. Brown’s father passed away when he was 10 years old due to his destructive type of lifestyle and this caused Browne to have to move to San Diego to live with his mother. Despite the unconventional type of childhood his father provided, he talks fondly about his dad and says he cherishes the time he had with him.

3. Quit his gym to join Ronda’s

Browne quit his membership at his gym, Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA Academy, in order to join Ronda’s Glendale Fight Club, and began training under her trainer, Edmond Tarverdyan. Browne has said that by being able to train with her, he got to see another whole side of her and it has only increased his respect for her. Browne contends that his switch was because he wanted the training of Tarverdyan, while fellow UFC fighters accused Browne of switching gyms just to be closer to his “sugar-mama,” Ronda.

4. Browne was still married when he began dating

When Browne and Rousey started dating in 2015, he was still married to fitness model, Jenna Renee Webb. He was separated at the time and has since, completely divorced Jenna, however, the news of Browne starting a new relationship while married was not only shocking to those who knew him, but the news was not taken well by Jenna. This was obvious by her blunt tweets she would fire off during that time, even forewarning his fiancée about abuse, she claims happened to her while being married to Browne.

5. Was accused of physical abuse by “ex”

Browne found himself under investigation at one point when Jenna claimed he physically assaulted her. She posted pics on Instagram of bruises that lead to a domestic abuse investigation. No records were ever found of Jenna reporting the abuse or visits to the hospital, however, the UFC had no choice but to suspend him while the investigation was underway. When no sufficient evidence was ever found to support the allegations, he was reinstated with the organization.

6. Preferred team sports

Travis Browne says that he always was an athletic kid. He loved sports but was typically just a team sport kind of kid. He didn’t care for one-on-one, or contact sports until he started playing jiu-jitsu when he was 23 or 24. Once he got involved with martial arts, he was hooked. He found he really enjoyed it because he realized it was a sport that you had to rely on yourself, only, and not a whole team.

7. Loved growing up in Hawaii

Browne talks about his childhood growing up in Hawaii. He says it was a kid’s dream to grow up there, for many reasons, but one that he really appreciates about his childhood is the family that surrounded him during those years. He talks about always having aunts and uncles and cousins around. He refers to it like being raised in a village, and says it is always gives you a family feeling.

8. Won his second UFC Knockout

Browne went up against Gabriel Gonzaga during The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale back on April 13, 2013 where he defeated Gonzaga during the first round with a knockout by using elbows to the side of Gonzaga’s head. Gonzaga claimed the 12-6 elbows were illegal and filed an appeal to Browne’s win, but ultimately the appeal was denied and Browne retained his win. The win gave Browne his second UFC knockout.

9. He’s a father

Travis Browne is a father of two boys by his first wife, Erin. Kaleo, 7 and Keawe, 5, spend time with both parents. Browne divorced his wife, Erin because he was unhappy with his marriage but wanted to retain his relationship with his boys so when he’s not training, he has his boys. He claims that his ex-wife is great with the boys and he wants to do the same when he has them. They are his motivation for everything he does.

10. Trained in New Mexico

Although Travis Browne lives in San Diego, he used to train in Albuquerque, NM at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts. He claimed that when he was at the gym, he was usually the tallest guy there, at 6 feet, 7 inches tall. Recently, however, he has moved his training back to California, to Glendale, and is a very active dad, saying his boys are the best achievement of his life.

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