Lyman Good

Lyman Merrill Good (born May 26, 1985), also known as "American Cyborg", is an American mixed martial artist.

He is perhaps best known for his time spent with Bellator, where he was the inaugural Bellator Welterweight Champion, and for competing in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Good was born and raised in the Spanish Harlem section of New York, raised along with his two sisters by only his mother.

After a troublesome childhood, Lyman's mother felt getting her son involved in martial arts would be a good way for him to release his anger.

Outside of fighting, Lyman is also a Sensei/instructor for Tiger Schulmann mixed martial arts in Manhattan, NY.

Lyman began his fighting career in 2005, at the Ring of Combat promotion.

In his second fight, against John Zecchino, he fractured his hand in the beginning of the match.

Despite that fact, he won the match by TKO in the second round.

Lyman continued to fight in the Ring of Combat promotion, as well as in the IFL and other minor promotions.

In the IFL 2007 semi-finals he was matched against TUF 7 participant Mike Dolce in one of the preliminary bouts.

Good controlled the fight on the ground in the second round, gained an edge in the stand-up in the third, and won via unanimous decision.

In his last appearance at the Ring of Combat promotion, at ROC XVII, he fought Alexis Aquino.

Good dominated the first round with his striking, and while Aquino took control in the second round, Lyman recovered his dominance in the third, winning via unanimous 29-28 decision on the three scoreboards.

ROC XVII, including the Good vs. Aquino match, was televised live by HDNet Fights.

In addition to MMA bouts, Good participated in three kickboxing matches in Chuck Norris's World Combat League, winning all three.

Prior to signing a deal with Bellator, Lyman was to sign with EliteXC, before the promotion folded.

His first fight with EliteXC was scheduled to be against Paul Daley.

Two weeks before his first bout in the Bellator welterweight tournament, he has been featured on ESPN, doing a segment for the ESPN Rise program.

As part of the preparation to the tournament, Lyman spent several weeks sleeping in a MMA cage at the Tiger Schulmann headquarters facility in Elmwood Park, NJ, in order to prepare mentally for the fight.

His first fight in tournament fight took place at Bellator II, against Héctor Urbina, Good dominated the first round with his powerful strikes and in the second round Urbina was able to gain mount momentarily, but Good quickly reversed and defeated Urbina using a rear naked choke.

In the tournament's semi-finals at Bellator VII, he defeated Jorge Ortiz and advanced to the finals.

His opponent in the tournament's finals, Omar de la Cruz, defeated Dave Menne in the same event.

The finals of the Bellator Fighting Championships welterweight tournament took place at Bellator XI.

Lyman scored a takedown early in the first round, trapped De La Cruz against the cage, and pounded his way to a TKO victory.

After the fight, Lyman was crowned the first Bellator Welterweight Champion.

In his first title defense on October 21, 2010 Good fought rising star Ben Askren, Askren was able to take him down and control him despite being hit with a huge upkick and almost being caught in a triangle choke at the last minute of the fight.

Good went on to lose a Unanimous Decision losing his Bellator Welterweight Title.

On March 5, 2011, Good debuted in Bellator's fourth season welterweight tournament quarterfinals against prospect Chris Lozano, He won the fight via unanimous decision.

On April 2, 2011, In the Semifinals, Good faced Judo specialist Rick Hawn at Bellator 39, losing a controversial split decision and exiting the tournament.

Good was scheduled to fight Dan Hornbuckle at Bellator 44 in a bout that was to serve as a qualifier to gain entry into the promotion's Season Five Welterweight tournament, but Good suffered a hamstring injury that forced him out of the fight.

On April 13, 2012, Good faced LeVon Maynard in a qualifying bout at Bellator 65 for Season Seven's Welterweight tournament winning via KO in just 13 seconds of round one.

On September 28, 2012, Good faced UK fighter Jim Wallhead at Bellator 74 in a Quarterfinal bout of Season Seven winning via unanimous decision.

On October 26, 2012, Good faced Michail Tsarev at Bellator 78 in the Semifinals winning via TKO due to punches in the second round.

On November 30, 2012, Good faced Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 82 in the Finals of Bellator's Season Seven Welterweight tournament losing via unanimous decision.

On April 4, 2013, Good faced Dante Rivera at Bellator 95, winning via unanimous decision.

In March 2014, it was revealed that Good would be a participant on the UFC's The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn.

He lost his fight to get into the house.

Good faced Matt Secor at CFFC 36: Secor vs. Good on June 21, 2014.

Good defeated Secor via KO in the first round.

Good faced Jonavin Webb at CFFC 43: Webb vs. Good on November 1, 2014.