Fighter of the Month: Ryan Ford
Posted by Chad Edward on April 1st, 2008“I’m not paid to hear the bell,” “The Real Deal” Ryan Ford (5-0) said about last month’s controversial second round stoppage of “Secret Weapon” Pete Spratt (17-11) at MFC 15 in Edmonton.
Veteran referee Herb Dean is paid to hear the bell. He didn’t.
“The crowd is crazy here,” Ford explains. He’s a local fan favorite in Edmonton, filling 500 seats for Maximum Fighting Championship events on his own.
As his local contingent roared while Ford worked inside Spratt’s full guard on the mat, the bell signaling the end of round one dinged.
Spratt, evidently, heard the bell and dropped his defense as Ford hammered two elbow strikes into the “Secret Weapon’s” skull.
Anyone who’s laced up a pair of padded gloves enters the ring with the warning, “Protect yourself at all times.”
Officials at ringside waved the round closed to Dean, who shouted, “I didn’t hear the bell!”
Ford took his corner; but, Spratt lay stunned on the mat as his corner team slid an ice bag beneath his head.
After a two-minute time out, Dean asked both Spratt’s corner and the fighter from Texas whether he wanted to continue and promised a No Contest should Spratt choose to retire on Dean’s mistake.
As warriors do, Spratt and his team chose to fight. However, the steam that fueled a spirited first round of action with Ford was gone.
At 4:01 of the second round, Spratt tapped his thigh with Ford on his back with a leg triangle and deep rear naked choke.
“I’ve been training MMA for eight months,” the former amateur boxer bragged. “I was a wrestling champion in high school. I started watching [MMA] and knew I had to fight.”
“The Real Deal” has stopped all of his opponents, three by knockout and two in submissions. Spratt, a recurring UFC character, is the gem in Ford’s crown.
“I was dominating,” Ford claimed of the fight before Dean’s mistake. “[Before the fight, I thought] this guy’s here to hurt me. It’s all business.”
Ford was certainly handling the veteran, winning round one in a high-pressure onslaught resulting in two big slams.
“He caught me with one kick,” Ford recalls.
Spratt, obviously, tells a different story that can be read at his website: www.therealpetespratt.com.
Ford trains with UFC 185-pound regular “The Athlete” Jason MacDonald (19-9) and Jason’s trainer Mark at Pro Camp in Edmonton. “The Athlete” has won by submission in 16 of his 19 victories, making him one of the most prolific submission grapplers at the top of the game.
“I can hang on the ground with Jason [MacDonald],” Ford claimed, “but, I need to focus more on my ground game.”
So, Ford is going west to Vancouver to train with top ten ranked middleweight Denis Kang (29-9-1).
“They tell me I’m so strong at 170-pounds,” Ford, who walks around near 200-pounds, said, “but, Kang is known for his strength. It’ll be great to see where I stand.”
Ford wants to see where he stands in competition too.
“Gideon Ray turned down a fight with me,” Ford claimed. “He talked to Spratt and told my manager he wouldn’t fight me. So did Jake Ellenberger.”
(Upon publication, Ray (14-7-1) had not responded to a request for comment; but, Ellenberger (17-3) said, “I’ve never been offered a fight with Ryan Ford.”)
Ford hopes his time with Kang will lead to better competition in Kang’s backyard: Asia.
“I want to put it on whoever,” Ford says. “Once I get that experience, 170-pounds lookout!”
Ford will get more experience versus another former UFC fighter, CJ Fernandes (12-6-3), at MFC 16: Anger Management 9 May. Visit http://www.maximumfighting.com for details.
fanfighter01 said:
Way to go Ford!
joesmailer said:
Yea I don’t know why but I love rooting for the underdog. Even though he dropped those elbows, it’s the ref’s job to watch that stuff. Crazy!
Brent said:
I think Ford is going to take one from Fernandes @ Anger Management.
burchie said:
Shoemoney!!!
novaraider said:
why is herb dean involved in every controversial stoppage? He is notorious for stopping fights too early it pisses me off!! who’s excited for ufc 83? here’s my predictions http://aaronnovak.com/
Chad Edward said:
Dean is just notorious. He makes more trash calls than Pat O’Brien on a coke binge.
Aaron, you picked all the favorites! Take a chance, pick a dark horse. Cain Velasquez will beat Brad Morris.