Mike Dolce Biography

Mike Dolce wasn’t always known as “one of the deadliest fighters” around.

Born April 15th 1976 in the cozy shore community of Belmar, New Jersey, Mike spent much of his childhood developing his sense of balance, either surfing in the ocean or grinding the blacktop on his skateboard.

At 9 years old, Mike’s blue-collar work ethic became apparent. Living along a main inlet to the ocean, he would wait each day after school for the charter fishing boats to haul in their catch, knowing they would need an extra set of hands to scrub down the 60-foot vessels, and all for a whopping $1 per hour! Doing some quick math, Mike saw the earning potential and worked seven days a week on the docks. At age 13, he was promoted to first-mate, overseeing week-long deep sea charters.

At that time, Mike entered high school and tried out for the freshman wrestling team, his first venture into the sport. Not only did he make the team, he started for the varsity squad, becoming the only four-year varsity wrestler in the school’s history. He set three NJSIAA state records for “Fastest Win” at 0:07, 0:09 and 0:11 seconds, respectively. Mike’s explosive performances and unrelenting work ethic earned him an NCAA Division I Scholarship to Seaton Hall University.

But this was not to be.

Just prior to entering college, Mike was injured and would not be able to compete. An eternal optimist, he funneled his energies into sports science in order to rehab his own injuries and was soon recognized as one of the top performance coaches in the country, leading a stable of athletes from the Olympics, NCAA, Ultimate Fighting and the X-Games.

Proving he was not all brawn, Mike worked in the highly political world of state government as a Certified Municipal Tax Assessor for nearly 10 years. During this time, Mike was quietly paying his dues athletically, while rising through the ranks of Mixed Martial Arts (Ultimate Fighting). He always believed he had what it took to be a champion athlete, but also understood the necessities of a solid back-up plan.

In March 2005, Dolce resigned his position as the Tax Assessor for the City of Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey, and accepted an offer from UFC world champion, Randy “The Natural” Couture and Team Quest Fight Club to begin training with the #1 fight team in the world. Team Quest would train Mike for his assault on the professional ranks of mixed martial arts.

Dolce grabbed his new bride, packed up his truck and drove the 3,200 miles from Belmar, NJ, to Portland, OR, to begin their new adventure.

That life-changing decision has paid off!

Most recently, Mike can be seen in Spike TV’s cable sensation, “The Ultimate Fighter 7,” (13 episodes, 2008) in which 16 of the best unsigned mixed martial artists compete for the ultimate prize; a six-figure contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. The athletes live, train and fight against each other inside - and outside - of the octagon. At the end of each week, one fighter from each team must compete to avoid elimination until only one fighter is left standing.

Mike has also starred in UPN & MyNetworkTV’s “IFL: Battleground,” a primetime series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyles and training methods of the International Fight League’s top athletes; and in the “IFL of FSN,” a series of one-hour programs on Fox Sports Net focused on showcasing the leagues most memorable fights and fighters.

Mike walks a fine line between being a small-town boy and an MMA superstar, spending much of his free time teaching underprivileged youth the advantages of sports and a healthy lifestyle. He also founded the annual Team Quest Christmas Toy Drive in 2005, which benefits children of troops serving overseas.

Mike is proud to lend his name and likeness to organizations around the world with appearances on television, at various events, in advertisements and during competition. He now lives and fights out of Portland, OR.