Ryan Bader
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Ryan Bader ( ; born June 7, 1983) is an American
mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
who competes in the
Heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...
division of RIZIN. He previously competed for
Bellator MMA Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) was an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and operated until 2025. The promotion takes its name from ''wikt:bellator, bellātor ...
where he was the Bellator Heavyweight Champion, and still holds the record for the longest continuous winning streak of any Bellator Champion. He is also the former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion, and the winner of the 2018 Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. At Bellator 214, Bader became the first fighter in Bellator history to become champion in two weight divisions simultaneously. Prior to signing with Bellator, Bader competed for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
(UFC) in the Light Heavyweight division and he was a cast member and winner of '' The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir''.


Background and career

Ryan Bader was born in
Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...
and started wrestling at the age of seven. He entered mixed martial arts after a successful career in amateur wrestling. He attended Robert McQueen High School in Reno, where he won two
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
state championships and was ranked as high as fourth in the country for wrestling. In football, Bader was the 2001 Nevada Defensive Player of the Year and helped the McQueen Lancers win the Nevada state championship title. Bader attended
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
on a wrestling scholarship, where he was college teammates with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and CB Dollaway. While attending ASU, Bader was a three-time
Pac-10 The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States. It participates at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level for all sports, and its football teams compete in the Football Bowl ...
Champion, winning titles in 2003, 2004, and 2006. He was also a two-time NCAA
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
, placing fourth in 2004 as a sophomore and seventh in 2006 as a senior at the NCAA national tournament. From 2003 to 2005, Bader compiled a collegiate wrestling record of 88 wins and 34 losses. He began training at Arizona Combat Sports in early 2007.


''The Ultimate Fighter'' (2008)

Bader's UFC career began as a contestant on season 8 of ''
The Ultimate Fighter ''The Ultimate Fighter'' is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pilgrim Media Group currently airing on ESPN+. It previously aired for fourteen s ...
''. Bader, the first light heavyweight selected by coach
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (, born 2 June 1976), better known as Minotauro or Big Nog, is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist. He competed in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Inter ...
, went on to win his first three fights on the show to fight with Vinicius Magalhães on December 13, 2008, at The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale. At the finale, Bader defeated Magalhães by way of a quick, first-round knockout, earning the title of "The Ultimate Fighter" and winning the traditional "six-figure UFC contract". An overhand right dropped Magalhães, and Bader followed up with strikes on the ground to take the win, less than halfway through the first round.


Ultimate Fighting Championship (2009–2011)

Bader's first post-TUF fight was at
UFC Fight Night 18 ''UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 18'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on April 1, 2009. Background The event was broadcast on Spike TV and served as a lead ...
against
Carmelo Marrero Carmelo Marrero (born January 26, 1981) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight divisions. He has competed for the UFC, WEC, Bellator Fighting Championships, the IFL, and ...
, whom he defeated via unanimous decision, scoring 30–27 on all three judges' scorecards. During the match, Bader tore his
medial collateral ligament The medial collateral ligament (MCL), also called the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint and occurs in ...
and
posterior cruciate ligament The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is a ligament in each knee of humans and various other animals. It works as a counterpart to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It connects the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia to the Medial condyl ...
, which kept him sidelined until the next fall. Shortly after the Marrero fight, Bader appeared alongside fellow ''Ultimate Fighter 8'' winner Efrain Escudero in the UFC's sixth video game, UFC 2009 Undisputed. He and Escudero were available through a special code obtained by pre-ordering the game from
GameStop GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer, headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas). The brand is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operated 3,203 stor ...
. On September 10, 2009, he and Escudero were made available for download on PlayStation Network and Xbox 360 Marketplace. Bader returned against Eric Schafer on October 24, 2009, at UFC 104. The fight was mainly dominated by Bader, who scored with a powerful attack of combinations standing and controlled the grappling, en route a unanimous decision victory (30–27, 29–26, and 30–27). Next for Bader was
Keith Jardine Keith Jardine (born October 31, 1975) is an American actor and retired mixed martial artist who most notably competed in the UFC and Strikeforce. Background Jardine was born in Butte, Montana, moved to Oregon, and finally settled in Los Angele ...
, who he fought on February 21, 2010, at the UFC's debut effort in Australia, UFC 110. Bader scored a sharp jab on the tiring Jardine, which set up a flying knee to the chest and a left hook at 2:10 of the third round to secure a KO victory for Bader. Along with Jesse Forbes, CB Dollaway, Eric Larkin and Aaron Simpson, Bader left Arizona Combat Sports to train at their newly opened gym Power MMA And Fitness. Bader moved his UFC record to 5–0 at the expense of Antônio Rogério Nogueira at UFC 119, controlling him most of the fight with his wrestling and using his jab and short combinations to stop much of Nogueira's offense. All three judges scored the fight 30–27 for Bader.


First MMA losses (2011–2013)

Four months after his victory over Nogueira, Bader fought fellow rising prospect
Jon Jones Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the ...
on February 5, 2011, at UFC 126, where he received the first loss of his MMA career after tapping out to a modified guillotine choke in the second round. In a massive upset, Bader lost to
Tito Ortiz Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz () is an American politican and retired mixed martial artist and Submission grappling, submission grappler. Ortiz is best known for his career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC ...
on July 2, 2011, at UFC 132 by an arm-in guillotine choke which Ortiz secured following a knockdown of Bader. Bader then faced Jason Brilz on November 19, 2011, at UFC 139. He defeated Brilz at 1:17 of the first round via KO, landing a straight right behind Brilz's ear causing him to immediately fall to the mat face-first. Bader next faced former Light Heavyweight champion
Quinton Jackson Quinton Ramone Jackson (born June 20, 1978), known by his ring name of Rampage Jackson, is an American rapper, former mixed martial artist, actor, kickboxer, and professional wrestler. During the course of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, ...
on February 26, 2012, at
UFC 144 ''UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 26, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Venue UFC 144 was held at the Saitama Super Arena in the ...
. Jackson weighed in over the Light Heavyweight weight allowance of 206 lbs by 5 lbs, weighing in at 211 lbs. Bader accepted the fight at a catchweight and received 20% of Jackson's purse. Bader won via unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30–27. Bader faced
Lyoto Machida is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He mos ...
on August 4, 2012, at UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera. He was defeated via KO at 1:32 in the second round, after rushing in and being caught with a punch. Bader faced former title challenger
Vladimir Matyushenko Vladimir Vladimirovich Matyushenko (born 4 January 1971) is a Belarusian retired mixed martial artist. A professional from 1997 until 2014, he competed for Bellator MMA, the UFC, Affliction, Jungle Fight, and is the former IFL light heavyw ...
on January 26, 2013, at UFC on Fox 6. He won the fight via guillotine choke submission at just 50 seconds of the first round, earning his first ''Submission of the Night'' honors, and also having the fastest UFC Light Heavyweight submission. Bader was expected to face
Glover Teixeira Glover Lucas Teixeira (; born 28 October 1979) is a Brazilian-American former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweig ...
on May 25, 2013, at UFC 160. However, Bader pulled out of the bout citing an injury and was replaced by James Te-Huna. The bout with Teixeira eventually took place on September 4, 2013, in the main event at UFC Fight Night 28. Despite dropping Teixeira early in the first round, Bader lost the fight via TKO in the first round. Bader faced Anthony Perosh on December 7, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 33. He won the fight via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, and 30–26). Bader dominated Perosh all 15 minutes of the three round contest using his superior wrestling.


Winning streaks at UFC (2014–2016)

Bader faced Rafael Cavalcante on June 14, 2014, at UFC 174. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Bader's wrestling was displayed once again, controlling Feijão the majority of the bout. Bader faced Ovince St. Preux on August 16, 2014, at UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. St. Preux. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Bader fought Phil Davis on January 24, 2015, at UFC on Fox 14. He won the fight by split decision. Bader was expected to face
Daniel Cormier Daniel Ryan Cormier (; born March 20, 1979) is an American former professional mixed martial artist, freestyle wrestler, and current color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As a former UFC Light Heavyweight and Heavyweig ...
on June 6, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 68. However, on April 28, 2015 it was announced that Cormier had been removed from the fight in favor of a matchup with Anthony Johnson on May 23, 2015 at UFC 187. Bader faced
Rashad Evans Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyw ...
on October 3, 2015, at UFC 192. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Bader faced Anthony Johnson in the main event on January 30, 2016, at UFC on Fox 18. His winning streak was interrupted, as he lost the fight via knockout in the first round. Bader next faced Ilir Latifi on September 3, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 93. He won the fight via knockout in the second round and was awarded a ''Performance of the Night'' bonus. Bader faced Antônio Rogério Nogueira in a rematch on November 19, 2016, in the main event at UFC Fight Night 100. He won the fight by TKO in the third round with ground and pound after dominating Nogueira on the mat. Bader's fight against Nogueira was the last on his UFC contract and afterward he was a free agent.


Bellator MMA (2017–present)


Double champion (2017–2020)

On Ariel Helwani's podcast, the MMA Hour, Bader stated that he has a
Bellator MMA Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) was an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and operated until 2025. The promotion takes its name from ''wikt:bellator, bellātor ...
contract on hand, that negotiations are in process, and that the UFC has the right to match the Bellator offer. If the UFC chose not to match then his desire would be for an immediate fight against the current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Phil Davis, whom he had beaten in the UFC. On March 21, 2017, Bader announced that the UFC had not sought to match Bellator's offer and that he had officially signed a six-fight deal with Bellator MMA. Bader was officially unveiled as a fighter for the company at Bellator 175. After the main event, Bader entered the cage and it was announced he would face
Muhammed Lawal Muhammed Lawal (born January 11, 1981), also known as "King Mo", is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. As a mixed martial artist, he is a former Strikeforc ...
at Bellator 180 on June 24, 2017. However, Lawal pulled out of the fight and Bader faced Bellator Light Heavyweight champion Phil Davis in a rematch. Bader and Davis first met at UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson on January 24, 2015, with Bader winning by split decision. Bader won the rematch again by split decision to become the new Light Heavyweight champion. In his first title defense, Bader faced Linton Vassell at Bellator 186 on November 3, 2017. He won the fight via TKO in the second round. Bader faced
Muhammed Lawal Muhammed Lawal (born January 11, 1981), also known as "King Mo", is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. As a mixed martial artist, he is a former Strikeforc ...
in the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix for the Bellator Heavyweight championship at Bellator 199 on May 12, 2018. He won the fight via TKO 15 seconds into the first round. Bader faced Matt Mitrione in the semi-finals at Bellator 207 on October 12, 2018. He won the fight via unanimous decision. In the final, Bader faced Fedor Emelianenko for the vacant Bellator Heavyweight World Championship in the main event at Bellator 214 on January 26, 2019. Bader claimed the title by winning via knockout 35 seconds into the first round, thus becoming the first simultaneous two-weight champion in Bellator history. In April 2019, Bader signed an exclusive, multi-year and six-fight contract with Bellator. On July 11, 2019, it was announced that Bader is set to make his first heavyweight title defense against
Cheick Kongo Cheick Kongo (born May 17, 1975) is a French mixed martial artist and former kickboxer who fights in the Heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2001, he has also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator. ...
. This bout served as the headliner of Bellator 226 on September 7. The bout ended in a no contest at 3:52 of the first round when Bader landed an accidental eye poke on Kongo that rendered him unable to continue, with Bader retaining his title. Bader was signed to defend his light heavyweight title against Vadim Nemkov at Bellator 242 on May 9, 2020. However, it was later announced that Bellator 242 and Bader's bout against Nemkov had been postponed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. The title bout with Nemkov was rescheduled and took place on August 21 at Bellator 244. Bader lost the bout via second-round technical knockout.


Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix

On February 9, 2021, it was announced that Bader would be participating in the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix. He faced
Lyoto Machida is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He mos ...
in the quarterfinal round. This was a rematch of their August 2012 bout, which saw Machida win via second-round knockout. The bout took place at Bellator 256 on April 9, 2021. After Machida showed early success in the first two rounds on the feet via kicks, Bader soon controlled the rest of the bout on the ground, winning via a unanimous decision. In the semi-finals of the Grand Prix, Bader faced Corey Anderson on October 16, 2021 at Bellator 268. He lost the fight via technical knockout less than a minute into round one.


Heavyweight reign

Bader defended his heavyweight title against Bellator Interim Heavyweight World Champion
Valentin Moldavsky Valentin Igorevich Moldavsky (; born 6 February 1992) is a Russian mixed martial artist and combat sambo practitioner. He is currently competing for the PFL. He formerly competed for Bellator MMA, where he was an interim Heavyweight World Cha ...
on January 29, 2022 at Bellator 273. He won the close bout via unanimous decision. 7 out of 11 media scores gave it to Moldavsky. As the first bout of his new four-fight contract, Bader defended his title in a rematch against
Cheick Kongo Cheick Kongo (born May 17, 1975) is a French mixed martial artist and former kickboxer who fights in the Heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2001, he has also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator. ...
on May 6, 2022 at Bellator 280. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Bader defended his title in a rematch against Fedor Emelianenko on February 4, 2023 at Bellator 290. He won the bout via ground and pound TKO in the first round. Bader was set to defend his title in a rematch against Linton Vassell on October 7, 2023 at
Bellator 300 ''Bellator 300: Nurmagomedov vs. Primus'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA, that took place on October 7, 2023, at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California, United States Background The event marked the promotion's secon ...
. However, Vassell withdrew a few days before the event due to illness and the bout was cancelled.


2024

Bader faced 2023 PFL Heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira in a three round non-title crossover fight at PFL vs. Bellator, on February 24, 2024. He lost the bout via knockout just twenty-one seconds into the first round. On March 26, 2025, it was announced that Bader had parted ways with PFL.


Personal life

Bader and his wife Daisy have two sons and a daughter.


Championships and accomplishments


Mixed martial arts

*
Bellator MMA Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) was an American mixed martial arts promotion (entertainment), promotion founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and operated until 2025. The promotion takes its name from ''wikt:bellator, bellātor ...
** Bellator Heavyweight World Championship (One time; final) ***Three successful title defenses ***Most successful consecutive heavyweight title defenses in Bellator MMA history (3) ** Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship (One time; former) ***One successful title defense ** Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Grand Prix winner **Second two-weight champion in Bellator MMA history **First ever simultaneous two-weight champion in Bellator MMA history **Only fighter in Bellator history to defend titles in two weight classes *
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
** The Ultimate Fighter 8 Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner ** Submission of the Night (One time) ** Performance of the Night (One time) **Tied ( Ovince Saint Preux) for third most wins in modern UFC Light Heavyweight division history (15) **Second most decision wins in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (9) **UFC.com Awards ***2010: Ranked #6 Upset of the Year ***2012: Ranked #2 Upset of the Year & Half-Year Awards: Biggest Upset of the 1HY


Collegiate wrestling

*
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
**
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
out of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
(2004), (2006) **
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
Division I 197 lb - 4th place out of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
(2004) **
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
Division I 197 lb - 7th place out of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
(2006) ** Pac-10 Conference Championship out of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
(2003), (2004), (2006)


Mixed martial arts record

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Cheick Kongo Cheick Kongo (born May 17, 1975) is a French mixed martial artist and former kickboxer who fights in the Heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2001, he has also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator. ...
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Valentin Moldavsky Valentin Igorevich Moldavsky (; born 6 February 1992) is a Russian mixed martial artist and combat sambo practitioner. He is currently competing for the PFL. He formerly competed for Bellator MMA, where he was an interim Heavyweight World Cha ...
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Lyoto Machida is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He mos ...
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Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is a village in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is located in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...
, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 27–6 (1) , Vadim Nemkov , TKO (head kick and punches) , Bellator 244 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:02 ,
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Cheick Kongo Cheick Kongo (born May 17, 1975) is a French mixed martial artist and former kickboxer who fights in the Heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2001, he has also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator. ...
, NC (accidental eye poke) , Bellator 226 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:52 ,
San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
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Muhammed Lawal Muhammed Lawal (born January 11, 1981), also known as "King Mo", is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. As a mixed martial artist, he is a former Strikeforc ...
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San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 24–5 , Linton Vassell , TKO (punches) , Bellator 186 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:58 , University Park, Pennsylvania, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 23–5 , Phil Davis , Decision (split) , Bellator 180 , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,
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Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
, Germany , , - , Loss , align=center, 20–5 , Anthony Johnson , KO (punches) , UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Bader , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:26 ,
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Rashad Evans Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyw ...
, Decision (unanimous) , UFC 192 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 19–4 , Phil Davis , Decision (split) , UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, Sweden , , - , Win , align=center, 18–4 , Ovince Saint Preux , Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. Saint Preux , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Bangor, Maine Bangor ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's List of municipalities in Maine, third-most populous city, behind Portland, Maine, Portland ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 17–4 , Rafael Cavalcante , Decision (unanimous) , UFC 174 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
, Canada , , - , Win , align=center, 16–4 , Anthony Perosh , Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Bigfoot , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, Australia , , - , Loss , align=center, 15–4 ,
Glover Teixeira Glover Lucas Teixeira (; born 28 October 1979) is a Brazilian-American former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweig ...
, TKO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Bader , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:55 ,
Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte is the List of largest cities in Brazil, sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population of around 2.3 million, and the third largest metropolitan area, containing a population of 6 million. It is the List of cities in Sout ...
, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 15–3 ,
Vladimir Matyushenko Vladimir Vladimirovich Matyushenko (born 4 January 1971) is a Belarusian retired mixed martial artist. A professional from 1997 until 2014, he competed for Bellator MMA, the UFC, Affliction, Jungle Fight, and is the former IFL light heavyw ...
, Submission (guillotine choke) , UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:50 ,
Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 14–3 ,
Lyoto Machida is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He mos ...
, KO (punch) , UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:32 ,
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 14–2 ,
Quinton Jackson Quinton Ramone Jackson (born June 20, 1978), known by his ring name of Rampage Jackson, is an American rapper, former mixed martial artist, actor, kickboxer, and professional wrestler. During the course of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, ...
, Decision (unanimous) ,
UFC 144 ''UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 26, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Venue UFC 144 was held at the Saitama Super Arena in the ...
, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 , Saitama, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 13–2 , Jason Brilz , KO (punch) , UFC 139 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:17 ,
San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 12–2 ,
Tito Ortiz Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz () is an American politican and retired mixed martial artist and Submission grappling, submission grappler. Ortiz is best known for his career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC ...
, Submission (guillotine choke) , UFC 132 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:56 ,
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 12–1 ,
Jon Jones Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the ...
, Submission (guillotine choke) , UFC 126 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:20 ,
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 12–0 , Antônio Rogério Nogueira , Decision (unanimous) , UFC 119 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–0 ,
Keith Jardine Keith Jardine (born October 31, 1975) is an American actor and retired mixed martial artist who most notably competed in the UFC and Strikeforce. Background Jardine was born in Butte, Montana, moved to Oregon, and finally settled in Los Angele ...
, KO (flying knee and punch) , UFC 110 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 2:10 ,
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 10–0 , Eric Schafer , Decision (unanimous) , UFC 104 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–0 ,
Carmelo Marrero Carmelo Marrero (born January 26, 1981) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight divisions. He has competed for the UFC, WEC, Bellator Fighting Championships, the IFL, and ...
, Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–0 , Vinny Magalhães , TKO (punches) , The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs Team Mir Finale , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:18 ,
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–0 , Buckley Acosta , Submission (arm-triangle choke) , XCC 6: Western Threat , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:47 ,
Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–0 , Brad Peterson , Decision (unanimous) , IFO: Fireworks in the Cage IV , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–0 , Ulises Cortez , KO (suplex and punches) , SE: Vale Tudo , , align=center, 1 , align=center, N/A , Mexico , , - , Win , align=center, 4–0 , Dicky Chavez , TKO (punches) , KOTC: Unstoppable , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:41 , San Carlos, Arizona, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–0 , Tim Peacock , TKO (punches) , WFC: Rumble in the Red Rocks , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:50 ,
Camp Verde, Arizona Camp Verde (; Western Apache: Gambúdih) is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town is 10,873. Every summer, the downtown area of Camp Verde is the site of the annual Corn Fest; hel ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 , David Baggett , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Proving Grounds 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, N/A , Cayman Islands , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Dave Covello , TKO (submission to punches) , Reno Combats: Inferno 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:21 ,
Camp Verde, Arizona Camp Verde (; Western Apache: Gambúdih) is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town is 10,873. Every summer, the downtown area of Camp Verde is the site of the annual Corn Fest; hel ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–0 , Eliot Marshall , Decision (unanimous) , rowspan=3, The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir , (airdate) , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 , rowspan=3,
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 , Tom Lawlor , KO (punch) , (airdate) , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:44 , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Kyle Kingsbury , Submission (arm-triangle choke) , (airdate) , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:33 , , -


Pay-per-view bouts


NCAA record

! colspan="8", NCAA Championships Matches , - ! Res. ! Record ! Opponent ! Score ! Date ! Event , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2006 NCAA Championships at 197 lbs , - , Loss , 10-7 , align=left, Joel Flaggert , style="font-size:88%", 4-9 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, March 17, 2006 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, 2006 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships , - , Win , 10-6 , align=left, Nathan Moore , style="font-size:88%", 6-4 , - , Loss , 9-6 , align=left, Chris Weidman , style="font-size:88%", 7-10 , - , Win , 9-5 , align=left, Tyrone Byrd , style="font-size:88%", 6-0 , - , Win , 8-5 , align=left, Bredan McLean , style="font-size:88%", Fall , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2005 NCAA Championships at 197 lbs , - , Loss , 7-5 , align=left, Joel Flaggert , style="font-size:88%", 5-1 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4, March 17, 2005 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4, 2005
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships The NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships have been held since 1928. In addition to determining the national champion in each weight class, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships also determines All-American wrestlers for each weight ...
, - , Win , 7-4 , align=left, Joel Weimer , style="font-size:88%", 3-2 , - , Loss , 6-4 , align=left, Phil Davis , style="font-size:88%", 1-3 , - , Win , 6-3 , align=left, Tyrone Byrd , style="font-size:88%", 7-3 , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2004 NCAA Championships 4th at 197 lbs , - , Win , 5-3 , align=left, Chris Skretkowicz , style="font-size:88%", 5-1 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, March 20, 2004 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5, 2004
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships The NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships have been held since 1928. In addition to determining the national champion in each weight class, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships also determines All-American wrestlers for each weight ...
, - , Loss , 4-3 , align=left, Damion Hahn , style="font-size:88%", 1-2 , - , Win , 4-2 , align=left, B.J. Padden , style="font-size:88%", 5-3 , - , Win , 3-2 , align=left, Joel Weimer , style="font-size:88%", 4-1 , - , Win , 2-2 , align=left, Jeff Foust , style="font-size:88%", 7-0 , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2003 NCAA Championships at 197 lbs , - , Loss , 1-2 , align=left, Matt Greenberg , style="font-size:88%", Major 1-14 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3, March 20, 2003 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3, 2003
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships The NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships have been held since 1928. In addition to determining the national champion in each weight class, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships also determines All-American wrestlers for each weight ...
, - , Loss , 1-1 , align=left, Jon Trenge , style="font-size:88%", Major 2-11 , - , Win , 1-0 , align=left, Adam Schaaf , style="font-size:88%", OT 6-4 , -


See also

*
List of male mixed martial artists This is a list of notable professional male mixed martial arts fighters in alphabetical order. __NOTOC__ A * Tank Abbott - ( UFC, Pride, Strikeforce) * Hamdy Abdelwahab - ( UFC) * Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov - ( ACB) * Shamil Abdurakhimov - ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bader, Ryan The Ultimate Fighter winners American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from Nevada Mixed martial artists from Arizona Light heavyweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters Living people 1983 births Arizona State University alumni American male sport wrestlers Arizona State Sun Devils wrestlers American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Bellator MMA champions Bellator male fighters