Tarec Saffiedine
Active 2013–present · rated in 1 edition · peak overall 80.0
Scouting report
Capturing the final Strikeforce Welterweight Championship through a five-round leg-kicking clinic against Nate Marquardt, Tarec "Sponge" Saffiedine established himself as a Muay Thai technician. Hailing from Brussels, Belgium, and training under Team Quest, Saffiedine's stand-up arsenal is underscored by an 87 Kickboxing rating and 82 Cardio, locking down an 80 Overall score.
Peak ratings
Tarec Saffiedine and the last Strikeforce welterweight champion
Tarec Saffiedine was born in Belgium to a Lebanese father and a Belgian mother, and grew up in Brussels. He started with judo, Wing Chun and taekwondo, then took up karate at 16 and earned a black belt in Shihaishinkai in 2005. He moved to the United States in 2008 and trained with Team Quest. His coach gave him the nickname Sponge because he learned so quickly. In a draft he is a stance-switching kicker with a very high striking ceiling.
Saffiedine by the numbers
Boxing. Very good at 81. He knocked out Nate Moore in the second round of a 2010 Strikeforce Challengers card with a well-placed punch, his first knockout win.
Kickboxing. His best number at 87, from a lifetime of karate, taekwondo and kickboxing. He had an amateur kickboxing record of 12-1-1.
Wrestling. Level with his BJJ at 74. He shrugged off most of James Terry's takedowns in a decision win.
BJJ. Level with his wrestling. He started with a kimura finish on his debut in 2007 and an armbar in 2008.
Strength. Good at 78. He is a striker whose leg kicks hurt.
Durability. Very good at 80. He was not finished until the third round of his 2014 loss to Rory MacDonald, the first stoppage of his career.
Cardio. Strong at 82. He won a five-round decision over Nate Marquardt in the final Strikeforce fight.
Fight IQ. A high 82, tied with his cardio. He switches stances often and handled Brock Larson's wrestling for three rounds.
Kickboxing at 87 is the reason to take him
His striking is the clear top of the card, and the Marquardt fight is the proof. He used powerful leg kicks to win five rounds and become the final Strikeforce welterweight champion. He also dropped Brock Larson with his first strike at Shark Fights 13 and outstruck him for three rounds. At range, few welterweights will match him.
Wrestling and BJJ share the low mark at 74
His weakest numbers are wrestling and jiu-jitsu, both at 74, so the way to beat him is to close the distance and make the fight a grind. Tyron Woodley beat him on the cards, and Rafael dos Anjos did in 2017. An aggressive grappler can cancel his kicks by taking away space.
Keep exploring
Closest welterweight profiles to Tarec Saffiedine, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Thiago Alvesbest kickboxing 88 · weakest bjj 72
- Martin Kampmannbest kickboxing 84 · weakest wrestling 74
- Alan Joubanbest kickboxing 82 · weakest bjj 72
- Santiago Ponzinibbiobest boxing 88 · weakest bjj 76
- Welterweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Tarec Saffiedine's strongest attribute, Kickboxing.
Draft Tarec Saffiedine into your build
Tarec Saffiedine enters the pool on any spin landing on welterweight between 2014 and 2015. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Tarec Saffiedine is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Tarec Saffiedine's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.