Ryan Bader

“Darth”

MMA · Active

31-8 (1 NC)RECORD

13KO / TKO WINS

3SUBMISSION WINS

15DECISION WINS

Profile

Full name	Not added yet
Nickname	Darth
Date of birth	7 Jun 1983
Nationality	American
Birthplace	Reno, Nevada, US
Lives in	Not added yet
Division	Light Heavyweight / Heavyweight
Team	Power MMA Team
Height	188 cm (6′2″)
Reach	188 cm (74″)
Stance	Orthodox
Years active	since 2007
Status	Active
Pro debut	31 Mar 2007
Last fight	Loss vs Renan Ferreira, 24 Feb 2024

Details on this page were compiled from public information on 10 Oct 2026 (the record is as of that date). Is this you? Claim this profile to correct anything and add your photo and bio. Claim this profile

Titles and honours

Bellator Heavyweight World Champion
Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion
Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix winner (2018)
The Ultimate Fighter 8 Light Heavyweight winner

Background

American heavyweight and former light heavyweight from Reno, Nevada, who wrestled at Arizona State and was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American. He won The Ultimate Fighter 8 and later became Bellator's first simultaneous two-division champion.

Fight history

40 professional fights. Newest first.

Result	Opponent	Method	Round	Time	Event	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	Renan Ferreira	TKO (punches)	1	0:21	PFL vs. Bellator	24 Feb 2024	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Win	Fedor Emelianenko	TKO (punches)	1	2:30	Bellator 290	4 Feb 2023	Inglewood, California, US	Defended Heavyweight title
Win	Cheick Kongo	Decision (unanimous)	5	5:00	Bellator 280	6 May 2022	Paris, France	Defended Heavyweight title
Win	Valentin Moldavsky	Decision (unanimous)	5	5:00	Bellator 273	29 Jan 2022	Phoenix, Arizona, US	Return to Heavyweight; unified title
Loss	Corey Anderson	TKO (punches)	1	0:51	Bellator 268	16 Oct 2021	Phoenix, Arizona, US	Grand Prix semifinal
Win	Lyoto Machida	Decision (unanimous)	5	5:00	Bellator 256	9 Apr 2021	Uncasville, Connecticut, US	Grand Prix quarterfinal
Loss	Vadim Nemkov	TKO (head kick and punches)	2	3:02	Bellator 244	21 Aug 2020	Uncasville, Connecticut, US	Lost Light Heavyweight title
No contest	Cheick Kongo	No contest (accidental eye poke)	1	3:52	Bellator 226	7 Sep 2019	San Jose, California, US	Retained Heavyweight title
Win	Fedor Emelianenko	TKO (punches)	1	0:35	Bellator 214	26 Jan 2019	Inglewood, California, US	Grand Prix winner; won vacant title
Win	Matt Mitrione	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	Bellator 207	12 Oct 2018	Uncasville, Connecticut, US	Grand Prix semifinal
Win	Muhammed Lawal	TKO (punches)	1	0:15	Bellator 199	12 May 2018	San Jose, California, US	Heavyweight debut; Grand Prix quarterfinal
Win	Linton Vassell	TKO (punches)	2	3:58	Bellator 186	3 Nov 2017	University Park, Pennsylvania, US	Defended Light Heavyweight title
Win	Phil Davis	Decision (split)	5	5:00	Bellator 180	24 Jun 2017	New York City, New York, US	Won Light Heavyweight title
Win	Antonio Rogerio Nogueira	TKO (punches)	3	3:51	UFC Fight Night 100	19 Nov 2016	Sao Paulo, Brazil
Win	Ilir Latifi	KO (knee)	2	2:06	UFC Fight Night 93	3 Sep 2016	Hamburg, Germany	Performance of the Night
Loss	Anthony Johnson	KO (punches)	1	1:26	UFC on Fox 18	30 Jan 2016	Newark, New Jersey, US
Win	Rashad Evans	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 192	3 Oct 2015	Houston, Texas, US
Win	Phil Davis	Decision (split)	3	5:00	UFC on Fox 14	24 Jan 2015	Stockholm, Sweden
Win	Ovince Saint Preux	Decision (unanimous)	5	5:00	UFC Fight Night 47	16 Aug 2014	Bangor, Maine, US
Win	Rafael Cavalcante	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 174	14 Jun 2014	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Win	Anthony Perosh	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC Fight Night 33	7 Dec 2013	Brisbane, Australia
Loss	Glover Teixeira	TKO (punches)	1	2:55	UFC Fight Night 28	4 Sep 2013	Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Win	Vladimir Matyushenko	Submission (guillotine choke)	1	0:50	UFC on Fox 6	26 Jan 2013	Chicago, Illinois, US	Submission of the Night
Loss	Lyoto Machida	KO (punches)	2	1:32	UFC on Fox 4	4 Aug 2012	Los Angeles, California, US
Win	Quinton Jackson	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 144	26 Feb 2012	Saitama, Japan	Catchweight (211 lb); Jackson missed weight
Win	Jason Brilz	KO (punch)	1	1:17	UFC 139	19 Nov 2011	San Jose, California, US
Loss	Tito Ortiz	Submission (guillotine choke)	1	1:56	UFC 132	2 Jul 2011	Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Loss	Jon Jones	Submission (guillotine choke)	2	4:20	UFC 126	5 Feb 2011	Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Win	Antonio Rogerio Nogueira	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 119	25 Sep 2010	Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Win	Keith Jardine	KO (punch)	3	2:10	UFC 110	21 Feb 2010	Sydney, Australia
Win	Eric Schafer	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC 104	24 Oct 2009	Los Angeles, California, US
Win	Carmelo Marrero	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	UFC Fight Night 18	1 Apr 2009	Nashville, Tennessee, US
Win	Vinny Magalhaes	TKO (punches)	1	2:18	The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale	13 Dec 2008	Las Vegas, Nevada, US	Won TUF 8 Light Heavyweight Tournament
Win	Buckley Acosta	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	1	0:47	Xtreme Cage Combat 6	5 Apr 2008	Reno, Nevada, US
Win	Brad Peterson	Decision (unanimous)	3	5:00	IFO: Fireworks in the Cage 4	28 Dec 2007	Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Win	Ulises Cortez	KO (punches)	1		SE: Vale Tudo	27 Oct 2007	Mexico
Win	Dicky Chavez	TKO (punches)	1	0:41	KOTC: Unstoppable	15 Sep 2007	San Carlos, Arizona, US
Win	Tim Peacock	TKO (punches)	2	2:50	Worldwide FC: Rumble in the Red Rocks	9 Jun 2007	Camp Verde, Arizona, US
Win	David Baggett	Submission (rear-naked choke)	1		Proving Grounds 1	12 May 2007	George Town, Cayman Islands
Win	Dave Covello	TKO (submission to punches)	1	2:21	Worldwide FC: Desert Storm	31 Mar 2007	Camp Verde, Arizona, US	Light Heavyweight debut