Doug Marshall

Douglas Garrett Marshall (born February 3, 1977) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Middleweight division of Bellator MMA. A professional competitor since 2003, Marshall has also formerly competed for the WEC, where he was the former Light Heavyweight Champion.

Background

Marshall is from Visalia, California and had a troubled childhood. Marshall's parents divorced when he was 14 years old and he was involved in many street fights growing up. Marshall attended Mount Whitney High School where he played linebacker on the football team and was talented, however he was later expelled for a year because of fighting. Marshall was then put in a continuation school where he could earn the necessary credits to come back to high school, but was expelled again from the continuation school for similar offenses. Eventually Marshall did graduate and earn a high school diploma, and also worked in the construction trade as a flooring contractor to support himself. Marshall began fighting after being challenged by his father to compete in the rising sport. Marshall attended a WEC event and told his father that he could defeat one of the fighters in the cage, and after his father challenged him to this, the 26-year-old Marshall went to a local gym and began training, eventually beating that fighter in his third professional fight.