Leading up to his most recent fight against mixed martial arts icon
Fedor
Emelianenko at
Bellator 290,
Ryan Bader
was ready to don the black hat if required. All eyes were on
Emelianenko’s retirement fight, and Bader himself would have wanted
the Russian to ride off into the sunset with a victory had
circumstances permitted a different opponent.
Bader made quick work of Emelianenko with a Round 1 technical
knockout, which marked the third defense of his Bellator
heavyweight championship. Emelianenko was draped in an aureole of
reverence for his last bout, but make no mistake, Bader is swathed
with distinctions that eclipse many of his other counterparts. A
professional fighter since 2007, “Darth” competed in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight
division.
Before he even got into mixed martial arts, Bader amassed wrestling
accolades as a three-time Pac-10 Conference champion and a two-time
NCAA All-American. For Bader, his journey from the outset was
purpose driven. He was hardwired for competition with a burning
ambition to excel.
Now entrusted with the main event duties in facing 2023
Professional Fighters League heavyweight champion
Renan
Ferreira in the
PFL “PFL vs. Bellator Champs” card on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, Bader has the opportunity to etch another jewel in the
crown of his storied career. With that, let us take a look at some
of the moments that have come to define him:
1. Dominant Run Ushers in Future Opportunities
Bader started his professional MMA journey in March 2007 against
Dave
Covello at a Worldwide Fighting Championship show. He won the
fight by TKO in the first round. That victory served as the
springboard for a remarkable streak. The American went on to win
six more fights, pushing his streak to 7-0 with six finishes.
“Darth” collected signature victories over the likes of
Buckley
Acosta and
Brad
Peterson in the process. This stretch of dominant victories
thrust him into the glare of the UFC spotlight as a contestant on
Season 8 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.
2. Glimmering Success on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’
Bader set out on his path to the UFC as a contestant on “The
Ultimate Fighter 8” in 2008. He would become the first light
heavyweight selected by coach
Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira. The American impressed with three solid
victories and went on to lock horns with
Vinicius
Magalhaes at “The Ultimate Fighter 8” Finale on Dec. 13, 2008.
He outclassed his opponent without barely breaking a sweat,
delivering a decisive blow with an overhand right and follow-up
strikes to clock an emphatic victory at 2:18 of the first round.
With this victory, Bader earned the title of “The Ultimate Fighter”
and pocketed the coveted six-figure UFC contract.
3. A UFC Resume with Peaks, Valleys
Basking in the glory of his triumph on “The Ultimate Fighter,”
Bader took the success and ran with it, collecting four solid
victories between April 2009 and September 2010. In his first
post-reality series fight, Bader defeated
Carmelo
Marrero via unanimous decision, scoring 30–27 on all three
judges’ scorecards. Unfortunately, he tore his medial collateral
ligament and posterior cruciate ligament, which kept him sidelined
for a while. Following suit after the debut victory, Bader seized
pivotal triumphs against
Eric
Schafer,
Keith
Jardine and
Antonio
Rogerio Nogueira. Bader encountered a stumbling block in his
winning streak in 2011, succumbing to back-to-back guillotine choke
submissions against
Jon Jones and
Tito
Ortiz. Bader found his stride once again with consecutive
victories over
Jason Brilz
and
Quinton
Jackson before falling victim to a Round 2 knockout loss
against
Lyoto
Machida. It seems safe to say that Bader has braved the
battleground of the UFC, going toe-to-toe with the titans of the
division while amassing a solid record of 15-5 in the
organization.
4. Striking Gold
In a rematch fizzing with excitement, Bader marked his Bellator
debut in a second meeting with
Phil Davis,
and fans felt the nerves taut like pins and needles. New York’s
Madison Square Garden served as the backdrop for the encounter, as
both fighters engaged in a strategic battle. Davis found success
with his body and leg kicks, while Bader capitalized on his
stinging jab to disrupt his opponent’s flow. Davis did display his
brilliance on occasion, yet Bader’s late takedowns and defense
earned him a split decision victory. The bout included admonition
from referee Dan Miragliotta for inactivity, but Bader’s
persistence ultimately prevailed, as he sealed the win with a late
takedown and laid hands on the Bellator light heavyweight
championship.
5. Conquering Other Frontiers
Bader’s name was permanently carved into the fabric of Bellator
history when he dispatched the aforementioned Emelianenko a mere 35
seconds into their first clash at
Bellator
214. Bader landed a crisp left hook followed by a thunderous
right hand, clinching the Bellator heavyweight championship and
elevating himself to the status of a double champion in the
promotion. Following the victory, “Darth” humbly acknowledged the
monumental achievement and his opponent’s legacy that will resonate
through the ages.