 When he first began fighting, Hornbuckle weighed 215 pounds and received his nickname due to the way he dominated his opponents with very little technique but using his strength and toughness.In the early part of his career, Hornbuckle went 19–2 with significant knockout wins against Akihiro Gono and Nick Thompson in Sengoku.These two wins brought his name to international prominence and launched his career in 2009.