Power MMA’s Ryan Bader Talks About His Record-Setting UFC on Fox 6 Win
Jan 28, 2013, 9:15 PM | Updated: 9:23 pm
Fifty seconds.
That’s all it took our guy Ryan Bader to floor Vladimir Matyushenko with a devastating left hook, pounce on the Russian and choke him out Saturday on UFC on Fox 6 at the United Center in Chicago. The win gave the former ASU two-time All-American wrestler and Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner the record for fastest submission in the 15-plus year history of the light heavyweight division and earned him the UFC’s coveted $50,000 submission of the night bonus.
“It’s nice,” Bader said about the record. “But I just wanted the win. That’s all that matters. The money is nice though, with my daughter coming soon.” Bader’s wife, Daisy, is due in March.
Bader (15-3, 8-3 UFC) has finished ten of his opponents, but this was just his third win by submission and his first in the UFC. It started with that left hook just 25 seconds into the fight that floored “The Janitor”, knocking him backward into the bottom of the cage.
“I was just trying to touch him with it but I landed it good. I knew he was hurt so I pounced on him.”
Matyushenko leaned forward to avoid a hard right from Bader, so the 29-year-old wrapped up the stunned Russian’s head while also controlling his right arm from the other side. Then he locked his hands together, circled to Matyushenko’s side and dropped down to the mat, bending the Russian’s upper body downward and yanking his head to the ground while sinking what UFC Analyst Joe Rogan called “a head and arm choke from the bottom” in even deeper.
“I worked hard on jits (Brazilian jiu jitsu) with Andre (Maracaba, Team Power, Power MMA & Fitness BJJ Coach) all camp and felt like we’d get a chance to use that choke, so I went for it and got it.”
Bader stayed on his back with his massive arms wrapped around Matyushenko, squeezing and pulling the back of his head down into his armpit. As Matyushenko spread his legs apart to throw a soft left at Bader’s body in a futile effort to escape, the Team Power star kicked out Matyushenko’s right leg and hooked it, forcing him to tap immediately.
“I could feel him going out. Then he almost slipped away but I got his leg and put more pressure on his neck and the top of his head. That was it.”
“Wonder if @ryanbader has a name for that submission… any suggestions?” read a tweet from the UFC.
After consecutive wins over Jason Brilz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida stopped Bader in the second round of the UFC on Fox 4 card in Los Angeles last August. The loss was his third in five fights, which of course led to the inevitable talk of his UFC contract possibly being in jeopardy and supposedly put a lot of extra pressure on him to beat Matyushenko.
“I don’t worry about that stuff. I fight to win. I don’t fight not to lose.”
Now Bader will take time off and get ready for his daughter to be born, knowing he’s already given her a big win for an early present. He beat “Rampage” last February before his son Kanon was born in April, so he can always tell his kids he won one for each of them. Pretty good start for a new father, hey?
At 29 years of age, it’s all coming together perfectly for Ryan Bader. He’s surrounded by family and good friends. He has a successful fighting career, his brand and his businesses are thriving and his humble yet confident personality continues to make him a fan-favorite.
“I have a great family, awesome friends, an incredible team- my coaches, my manager Dave Martin, Aaron and CB, my sponsors, Power MMA and Fitness, you guys with the show,” he said. “And I love my fans. Thank you all for always sticking by me. I’m looking forward to a big year.”
Listen to Ryan Bader, Aaron Simpson and Jim Grieshaber on the Power MMA Show, Saturdays from 11am-1pm on Arizona Sports 620 and right here on ArizonaSports.com
Follow us on Twitter @powermmashow @CB Dollaway @RyanBader @AaronSimpson
