Ryan Martinez

American MMA fighter

For the member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, see Ryan Martinez (politician).

Ryan Martinez

Born|  (1982-08-09) August 9, 1982 (age 42)
Greeley, Colorado, United States
Nationality| American
Height| 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight| 257 lb (117 kg; 18.4 st)
Division| Super Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Reach| 72 in (183 cm)
Stance| Southpaw
Fighting out of| Greeley, Colorado, United States
Team| Infinite MMA
Years active| 2009-2014
Mixed martial arts record
Total| 15
Wins| 10
By knockout| 5
By submission| 2
By decision| 3
Losses| 5
By knockout| 4
By decision| 1
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Ryan Martinez (born August 27, 1982) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2009 until 2014, he competed for Bellator and ProElite.

## Background

[edit]

Martinez was born in Greeley, Colorado. He grew up wrestling and had a promising future, being a top ranked wrestler in the state of Colorado (third in the country as a senior) while at Greeley West High School, and a two-time All-American. The young Martinez was offered full-scholarships from many different colleges, but began getting involved with drugs and alcohol, and eventually dropped out of high school as he began dealing drugs.[citation needed]

Martinez was addicted to methamphetamines and was arrested once for drug trafficking. He spent three and a half years in prison and two years on parole. The time in prison was especially hard on Martinez because he missed the first two years of his daughter Taylor's life.

After his time in prison, he got a job as an ironworker and started to train MMA, which helped him to overcome his past.[1]

## MMA career

[edit]

### Early career

[edit]

After a successful amateur career, Martinez began as a professional in 2010. He fought mainly for the Colorado-based promotion Fight To Win. With a MMA record of 5–1, he signed with ProElite.

### ProElite

[edit]

Martinez made his debut against former NCAA division I national wrestling champion Mark Ellis on November 5, 2011, in the opening round of the heavyweight tournament. He won via unanimous decision and advanced to the semifinal.[2]

In the semifinal on January 21, 2012, Martinez faced Cody Griffin. He won via unanimous decision.[3]

Martinez was expected to face Richard Odoms in the finals,[3] but in early 2012 ProElite has entered into a partnership with DREAM,[4] which has gone out of business soon after.[5] Martinez then signed with Bellator.[6]

### Bellator Fighting Championships

[edit]

Martinez made his debut against Mike Wessel on August 24, 2012, at Bellator 73. He lost via split decision (29-28 Wessel, 30-27 Martinez, 29-28 Wessel).[7][8]

Martinez faced Manny Lara on October 5, 2012, at Bellator 75. He won via majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28).[9]

Martinez faced Travis Wiuff on March 21, 2013, at Bellator 93. He won via knockout in the very first round.[10]

In June 2013, Martinez entered the Bellator Summer Series Heavyweight tournament as an injury replacement for Vinicius Queiroz.[11] He faced Rich Hale in the opening round at Bellator 96 and won via knockout in the first round.

Martinez faced Vitaly Minakov in the finals on July 31, 2013, at Bellator 97. He lost via TKO in the third round.[12]

Martinez then fought Lavar Johnson in the quarterfinals of Bellator's Season Ten Heavyweight tournament at Bellator 111. He lost via TKO in the first round.[13]

Martinez faced Nick Rossborough on September 26, 2014, at Bellator 126.[14] He lost the fight via TKO due to injury after tearing his left bicep in the first round.

## Championships and accomplishments

[edit]

* Bellator Fighting Championships
* Bellator 2013 Summer Series Heavyweight Tournament Runner-Up

## Mixed martial arts record

[edit]

Professional record breakdown  15 matches | 10 wins | 5 losses

|
|

By knockout | 5  | 4
By submission | 2  | 0
By decision | 3  | 1
Res.  | Record  | Opponent  | Method  | Event  | Date  | Round  | Time  | Location  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Loss  | 10–5  | Nick Rossborough  | TKO (arm injury)  | Bellator 126 | September 26, 2014 | 1  | 5:00  | Phoenix, Arizona, United States  | Martinez tore his left bicep in round one.
Loss  | 10–4  | Lavar Johnson | TKO (punches)  | Bellator 111 | March 7, 2014 | 1  | 4:22  | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States  | Bellator Season 10 Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal.
Loss  | 10–3  | Vitaly Minakov | TKO (punches)  | Bellator 97 | July 31, 2013 | 3  | 4:02  | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States  | Bellator 2013 Summer Series Heavyweight Tournament Final.
Win  | 10–2  | Rich Hale | KO (punches)  | Bellator 96 | June 19, 2013 | 1  | 2:19  | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States  | Bellator 2013 Summer Series Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal.
Win  | 9–2  | Travis Wiuff | KO (punches)  | Bellator 93 | March 21, 2013 | 1  | 0:18  | Lewiston, Maine, United States  |
Win  | 8–2  | Manny Lara  | Decision (majority)  | Bellator 75 | October 5, 2012 | 3  | 5:00  | Hammond, Indiana, United States  |
Loss  | 7–2  | Mike Wessel | Decision (split)  | Bellator 73 | August 24, 2012 | 3  | 5:00  | Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, United States  |
Win  | 7–1  | Cody Griffin  | Decision (unanimous)  | ProElite 3: Da Spyder vs. Minowaman  | January 21, 2012 | 3  | 5:00  | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States  | ProElite Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal.
Win  | 6–1  | Mark Ellis  | Decision (unanimous)  | ProElite 2: Big Guns  | November 5, 2011 | 3  | 5:00  | Moline, Illinois, United States  | ProElite Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal.
Win  | 5–1  | Brandon Endriss  | Technical submission (guillotine choke)  | ROF 41: Bragging Rights  | August 20, 2011 | 1  | 3:45  | Broomfield, Colorado, United States  |
Win  | 4–1  | Richard White  | TKO (submission to punches)  | Fight To Win: Outlaws  | May 14, 2011 | 1  | 2:24  | Denver, Colorado, United States  |
Win  | 3–1  | Jeremiah Martinez  | TKO (punches)  | Fight To Win: Mortal Combat  | February 25, 2011 | 1  | 0:51  | Denver, Colorado, United States  |
Loss  | 2–1  | Derrick Lewis | TKO (punches)  | Fight to Win/King of Champions: Worlds Collide  | July 24, 2010 | 2  | 1:03  | Denver, Colorado, United States  |
Win  | 2–0  | Justyn Riley  | KO (punch)  | Fight To Win: War  | April 17, 2010 | 1  | 0:26  | Denver, Colorado, United States  |
Win  | 1–0  | Vernon Lewis  | TKO (punches)  | Fight To Win: Phenoms  | January 30, 2010 | 2  | 3:22  | Denver, Colorado, United States  |

### Mixed martial arts amateur record

[edit]

Res.  | Record  | Opponent  | Method  | Event  | Date  | Round  | Time  | Location  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Win  | 4–0  | Omar Belal  | KO (suplex and punches)  | RMBB: MMA Madness  | August 14, 2009 | 1  | 0:54  | Sheridan, Colorado, United States  |
Win  | 3–0  | Donnie Bell  | TKO (punches)  | RMBB: Battle in the Cage: Total Domination  | June 5, 2009 | 1  | 0:13  | Sheridan, Colorado, United States  |
Win  | 2–0  | Emanuel Martinez  | TKO (punches)  | RMBB: Baddest of the Bad  | April 17, 2009 | 1  | 0:34  | Sheridan, Colorado, United States  |
Win  | 1–0  | Shawn Martin  | TKO (punches)  | RMBB: Battle of the Belts  | January 23, 2009 | 1  | 0:19  | Sheridan, Colorado, United States  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bellator 93's Ryan Martinez on new path after years spent behind bars by Matt Erickson (MMAjunkie.com) on March 21, 2013
2. ^ ProElite 2 results: Ex-UFC champs Sylvia and Arlovski victorious by Dann Stupp (MMAjunkie.com) on November 6, 2011
3. ^ a b ProElite 3 results: Grove, McMann victorious; Odoms-Martinez book final MMAJunkie.com (January 21, 2012)
4. ^ ProElite to Partner with DREAM by Rai Hui (MMAFighting.com) on January 17, 2012
5. ^ The Dream is gone; Japanese MMA promotion runs out of viable options by Ken Pishna (MMAweekly.com) on June 3, 2012
6. ^ Heavyweight Ryan Martinez joins Bellator Fighting Championships, debuts Aug. 24 at Bellator 73 by Mike Whitman (Sherdog.com) on June 8, 2012
7. ^ Bellator 73 results: Vegh stops Wiuff; Galvão takes Season 6 bantamweight crown by Steven Marrocco (MMAjunkie.com) on August 24, 2012
8. ^ The Insider W/ Ryan Martinez by Dane Ford (MMAInsider.net) on June 4, 2013
9. ^ Bellator 75 prelims results – Ryan Martinez earns tournament alternate slot, Beebe rolls by Jesse Denis (MMAfrenzy.com) on October 5, 2012
10. ^ Bellator 93 results recap for 'Jansen vs Held' last night (March 21) from Lewiston by Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com) on March 22, 2013
11. ^ "Queiroz off Bellator 96, Ryan Martinez meets Rich Hale in heavyweight tourney". MMAjunkie.com. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
12. ^ Bellator 97 results: Chandler KOs Rickels, Askren stops Koreshkov MMAjunkie.com (July 31, 2013)
13. ^ "Bellator 111 results: Dantas vs. Leone". mmafighting.com. March 7, 2014.
14. ^ "Seven-fight preliminary card rounds out Bellator 126 in Phoenix". mmajunkie.com. September 9, 2014.