Players Council

James Wilks

James Wilks was born and raised in Leicestershire, England and studied various martial arts inspired by his father, Gary. He then moved to the United States in 2000 to further his martial arts knowledge. He became more and more interested in the realistic competitive side of martial arts and began to compete in what is now called MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) After starting his pro career with a 5-2 mark in local shows in California, Wilks was chosen to compete on The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom. He defeated the highly-regarded Che Mills by submission in an elimination match earning him a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete on the show. He dominated the competition not only winning every fight but finishing each one by submission or Knockout to become the Ultimate Fighter. He is currently a fighter in the UFC and runs his own martial arts school, Lightning MMA in Laguna Hills, California. Teamed with non-profit organization ‘Fighting for Fitness’, Lightning MMA hosts a free martial arts class for kids to combat childhood obesity.