Paul Ruiz Record: 7-3-0

The Bellator years

Ruiz settled into a steady rhythm across the Bellator and Tachi Palace circuits. He opened 2014 with a first-round TKO of Ed Tomaselli at TWC 19: Blackout, before running into another tough test in September 2014, dropping a unanimous decision to the unbeaten Joe Neal at Bellator 125. He answered emphatically in February 2015, submitting Nick Sperling with a first-round guillotine choke at Bellator 133 to show his finishing wasn't limited to his hands.

Closing stretch

A scheduled bout with future UFC contender Ricky Simón at Tachi PF 24 in August 2015 was cancelled before it could take place. Ruiz returned to action in January 2016, dropping a unanimous decision to Josh San Diego at Bellator 148, then bounced back with a split-decision win over the unbeaten Christian Buron-Navarro at Bellator 156 in June 2016 – a hard-fought result against a 5–0 opponent. A planned bout with Rolando Velasco at Tachi PF 29 that November was scrapped, closing the book on his active competitive run.

Fighting style

Ruiz was a balanced bantamweight whose seven wins split into three knockouts, one submission and three decisions for a 57 percent finish rate. His calling card was heavy hands – three of his finishes came by TKO, often inside the first round – but the guillotine choke of Sperling showed a credible submission threat to complement the striking. The honest counterpoint is that all three of his losses came by decision against quality, often unbeaten opposition, a sign that the difference between Ruiz and the division's top tier was frequently measured in rounds rather than highlight finishes. At his best, against fellow regional standouts, his power and grit made him a difficult, well-rounded out.

Career highlights

• Team Alpha Male product — competed out of Urijah Faber's renowned Sacramento camp, one of MMA's elite lighter-weight gyms.
• Win over unbeaten Christian Buron-Navarro — edged the 5–0 prospect by split decision at Bellator 156, his most notable scalp.
• Knockout power — scored three of his seven wins by TKO, most inside the opening round, a hallmark of his Bellator and Tachi Palace run.