Eric Esch
Eric "Butterbean" Esch (born August 3, 1966) is a professional boxer and mixed martial artist, known for his bald head and an excessive weight of over 370 pounds. He was IBA World super heavyweight Champion in 1997.
A native of Jasper, Alabama, Butterbean stands 5 ft 11 in.
Known as the "King of 4 rounders," Butterbean is a fighter who first emerged on the Toughman scene in the United States before entering the world of professional boxing in 1994. Butterbean has developed a cult following and is adored by enthusiastic fans who come out in droves to see him fight.
The majority of his opponents have been technically limited, club level fighters. However, he did face former world champion Larry Holmes in 2002. Holmes won a unanimous 10-round decision with Butterbean credited with a knockdown in the final round.
Butterbean also fought Peter McNeeley, famous as a former Mike Tyson opponent, in Las Vegas in 1999. He stopped McNeeley in the first round. Also in 1999, Butterbean defeated Bart Gunn in a shootfight at Wrestlemania 15, defeating the Brawl For All champion with extreme ease, knocking him out early in the second round.
His round body, bald head and vicious scowl, make him a menacing (yet highly entertaining) fight figure. Recently he has also participated on the K-1 circuit in Japan.
Butterbean also appeared in the film Jackass: The Movie, where he fought Johnny Knoxville in a department store, where Knoxville was floored by Esch and received several stitches in his head after the encounter. However, it is obvious in the movie that Butterbean gives Knoxville several rabbit punches as Knoxville was going down. On the DVD commentary Knoxville stated that Esch is actually quite friendly outside of the ring, despite his fearsome ringside demeanor.
He has also appeared twice in WWE events competing in boxing matches: in 1997, at an In Your House pay-per-view, he defeated Marc Mero (who is a former boxer) via disqualification in a worked match; two years later, at WrestleMania XV, he defeated Bart Gunn via knock out in 30 seconds in a legitmiate contest.
MMA Career
Butterbean lost his first MMA bout to Japanese fighter Genki Sudo via tap out to a heel hook. He then went 6-1-1, before fighting at Pride FC's Bushido 12 against Ikuhisa Minowa, a much smaller fighter, on the 26th of August and lost via Armbar at 4:29 of round one. Butterbean won the scheduled fight against Irish-American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist Sean O'Haire at Pride FC's first North American show on October 21, 2006 via KO at 30 seconds in the first round.