Former Panther wrestler Ryan Loder wins UFC’s Ultimate Fighter
8/25/2024 12:21:00 PM | Wrestling
LAS VEGAS --- Former UNI wrestler Ryan Loder earned a spot on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) roster on Saturday night as he captured the middleweight title in The Ultimate Fighter 32 finals with a technical knockout (TKO) performance over Robert Valentin.
Part of a UFC produced television series on ESPN+, The Ultimate Fighter features professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters as they train and live together in Las Vegas, and ultimately compete against one another for an official UFC contract. The series, which premiered its 32nd season earlier this summer, follows 16 competitors in both featherweight and middleweight brackets under the coaching leadership of current and former UFC champions.
Representing a team led by Valentina Shevchenko, Loder, nicknamed "The Man of Steel" in UFC circles, faced off in an eight-fighter bracket to reach Saturday night's final, defeating Tom Theocharis by submission in the quarterfinals, and Omraan Chaaban by unanimous decision in the semifinals.
"I've been working for this since day one," said Loder following the fight. "Since four years ago I had this dream, and now it's finally come true. But now it's right back to the grind. I have an amazing team, an amazing support group and this is just the start. This is not like 'I made it,' this is 'now your foot is in the door.' Now I have to go prove myself as my record goes back to zero and I have to go right back to work."
Loder, a Granite Bay, California native, wrestled for the Panthers from 2009 to 2014 at 184 pounds and was a four-time NCAA qualifier with a 114-27 career record. The 2011 Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) Freshman of the Year and a six-time conference wrestler of the week, Loder finished his college career with 29 career major decision wins, 15 technical falls and 24 pins with no bonus-point losses. Loder earned All-American honors in 2013 as he placed seventh at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, joining David Bonin as the first two All-American wrestlers at UNI under current head coach Doug Schwab.
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