Alexis Vila

Born and raised in a rough neighborhood in Villa Clara, Cuba, Vila began getting into street fights from a young age.

After winning multiple titles in wrestling and earning a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, Vila defected to the United States in 1997 and found a job coaching at Michigan State University where he worked with future UFC fighters Rashad Evans and Gray Maynard.

Though no one was hurt, authorities mistakenly believed it to be attempted terrorism and Vila was charged with airport violence and sent to prison for three years.

Vila faced Josh Rettinghouse in a Bantamweight bout at World Series of Fighting 6: Burkman vs. Carl on October 26, 2013.

[13] In December 2019, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison following his conviction for his role in organizing the kidnapping, torture and murder of Camilo Salazar.