{{short description|Armenian-American martial artist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox martial artist | name = Gokor Chivichyan | image = Gokor Chivichyan (2018) - 3.JPG | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Գոքոր Չիվիչյան | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|05|10}} | birth_place = Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | nationality = American | height = | weight = | weight_class = | reach = | stance = | fighting_out_of = | team = | trainer = | rank = 7th degree black belt In judo<ref name="United States Ju-Jitsu Federation">{{cite web |url=http://www.usjjf.org/bio/gokor/index.htm |title=Gokor Chivichyan - Southern California Representative |publisher=United States Ju-Jitsu Federation |date=2010-02-09 |accessdate=2015-02-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208035018/http://www.usjjf.org/bio/gokor/index.htm |archivedate=2015-02-08 }}</ref><br>9th dan black belt in Kyokushin Budokai<ref name=ibk>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibk.nl/black-belts-ibk|title=IBK International Kyokushin Budokai - Blak Belts|website=International Kyokushin Budokai|access-date=November 9, 2019|archive-date=November 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109212547/https://www.ibk.nl/black-belts-ibk|url-status=dead}}</ref><br>2nd degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu<ref>{{Cite web |title=Certified Black Belts |url=https://ibjjf.com/certified-black-belts |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Certified Black Belts |language=en}} Search "Gokor Chivichyan"</ref> | wrestling = | years_active = | occupation = Martial artist, trainer | university = | spouse = | relatives = Gary Chivichyan, son | students = Ronda Rousey, Karo Parisyan, Manvel Gamburyan, Karen Darabedyan, Sako Chivitchian, Roman Mitichyan, Neil Melanson, Tony Halme | club = | school = | website = <!-- [http://www.example.com example.com] --> | boxrec = | sherdog =https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Gokor-Chivichyan-1957 | footnotes = | updated = |mmawins=1|mma_subwin=1|height_ft=5|height_in=10}}
'''Gokor Grigor Chivichyan'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2019 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/1136/PublicResults |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.ibjjfdb.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2019 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/1221/PublicResults |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.ibjjfdb.com}}</ref> ({{langx|hy|Գոքոր Չիվիչյան}}; born May 10, 1963) is an Armenian-American martial artist and trainer in judo, submission grappling, and mixed martial arts. Chivichyan currently trains professional and amateur athletes at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood, California, United States.
==Martial arts career== Chivichyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia and is the youngest of three brothers. Chivichyan began his training as a child in Soviet Armenia, winning national junior titles in judo, sambo, and wrestling.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} At the age of 17, Chivichyan relocated to Los Angeles, California where he continued his training in catch wrestling and judo under Gene LeBell, a grappler who learned from Lou Thesz and Ed "Strangler" Lewis.<ref>[http://www.resumma.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=9& ResuMMA.com - Interview with Gokor Chivichyan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511214736/http://www.resumma.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=9& |date=2008-05-11 }}</ref> Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Chivichyan traveled and competed in the Soviet Union and throughout Europe, Japan, Thailand, and Mexico. After opening the Hayastan Academy in 1991, Chivichyan retired from professional competition.<ref name="gow">{{cite news |last=Grant |first=T. P. |date=May 11, 2013 |title=Gods of War: Gokor Chivichyan |work=Bloody Elbow |url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/5/11/4303738/gods-of-war-gokor-chivichyan-judo-sambo-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-mma-ufc-ronda-rousey |access-date=August 19, 2018 |archive-date=October 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005030944/https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/5/11/4303738/gods-of-war-gokor-chivichyan-judo-sambo-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-mma-ufc-ronda-rousey |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1997, Chivichyan came out of retirement for a bout organized by the World Fighting Federation. His opponent was intended to be Akira Maeda, but the promoters were unable to sign him and instead matched Chivichyan against Bill Maeda, who was dubbed "Mr. Maeda". Chivichyan submitted Maeda via armbar in 50 seconds.<ref name="gow"/>
''Black Belt Magazine'' named Chivichyan the “Judo Instructor of the Year” in 1997 and inducted him into their hall of fame.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 2011 |title=Gokor Chivichyan: The King Of Sport-Sambo Submissions |url=https://blackbeltmag.com/techniques/take-downs-grappling/gokor-chivichyan-the-king-of-sport-sambo-submissions |access-date=August 19, 2018 |publisher=Black Belt Magazine |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012194442/https://blackbeltmag.com/techniques/take-downs-grappling/gokor-chivichyan-the-king-of-sport-sambo-submissions |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="United States Ju-Jitsu Federation" /> Since then, his school has produced fighters such as Manvel Gamburyan, Sako Chivitchian, Neil Melanson, Karen Darabedyan, Roman Mitichyan, Ronda Rousey, and Karo Parisyan, who have competed in the UFC, WEC, King of the Cage, Olympics and national championships.<ref name="gow"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Markazi |first=Arash |date=October 22, 2010 |title=Gokor Chivichyan's influence felt |url=http://www.espn.com/los-angeles/news/story?id=5711459 |work=ESPN.com |access-date=August 19, 2018}}</ref>
In February 2005, the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (ISJJF) awarded him the rank of 7th dan in judo.<ref name="United States Ju-Jitsu Federation">{{cite web |url=http://www.usjjf.org/bio/gokor/index.htm |title=Gokor Chivichyan - Southern California Representative |publisher=United States Ju-Jitsu Federation |date=2010-02-09 |accessdate=2015-02-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208035018/http://www.usjjf.org/bio/gokor/index.htm |archivedate=2015-02-08 }}</ref>
Chivichyan returned to competition at the 2008 USJA-USJF Winter Nationals, the first national judo championship endorsed by both organizations.<ref>[http://usja-judo.org United States Judo Association homepage]</ref> He competed in the male masters (49 years) middleweight division, winning gold after defeating Gary Butts by uchi mata in the finals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://judowinternationals.com/Winter%20Nationals%20Results%202008.pdf |title=USJA 2008 Winter Nationals Results, December 6 & 7 |publisher=Goltz Judo |access-date=August 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGdU4vHiUb0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/CGdU4vHiUb0 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Gokor Chivichyan and Gary Butts Winter Nationals 08 |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-02-09 |accessdate=2013-11-17}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Chivichyan competed at the 2019 IBJJF Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships in the black belt-heavyweight-master 6 age division. He defeated Van Dyck Oliveira, the only other competitor in his bracket.<ref name=":0" /> In August 2019, Chivichyan competed at the IBJJF World Master Jiu-Jitsu Championship, winning gold in the black belt-heavyweight-master 6 age division.<ref name=":1" /> He finished the year at the SJJIF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, where he was the only entrant in the black belt-super heavy-56 year old gi and no-gi divisions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2019 SJJIF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship |url=https://www.sjjif.com/public/results/535 |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.sjjif.com}}</ref>
==Mixed martial arts record== {{MMArecordbox | draws= | nc= | ko-wins= | ko-losses= | sub-wins= 1 | sub-losses= | dec-wins= | dec-losses= | dq-wins= | dq-losses= | other-wins= | other-losses= }} {{MMA record start}} |- | {{yes2}}Win | align=center| 1–0 | Bill Maeda | Submission (armbar) | WFF - World Fighting Federation | {{dts|1997|2|24}} | align=center| 1 | align=center| 0:50 | Birmingham, Alabama United States | |- {{end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Sports links}} * {{Official website}} * {{IMDb name|0158477}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chivichyan, Gokor}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Yerevan Category:Soviet emigrants to the United States Category:American people of Armenian descent Category:American catch wrestlers Category:Armenian male mixed martial artists Category:American male mixed martial artists Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing jujutsu Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing judo Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing sambo Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing catch wrestling Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing freestyle wrestling Category:Armenian male judoka Category:American male judoka Category:American jujutsuka Category:Armenian sambo practitioners Category:American sambo practitioners Category:Armenian male sport wrestlers Category:20th-century American sportsmen