Ricky Steele Record: 8-2-0

The Ultimate Fighter and Contender Series

In 2018, Steele was cast on The Ultimate Fighter Season 27 as part of an undefeated cast. He won his elimination bout over Suman Mokhtarian by decision before injuries – a broken foot and a concussion – forced him out of the tournament. He returned to high-profile competition in August 2019, when he faced unbeaten prospect Phil Caracappa at Contender Series 2019. Steele took a decision over the 7-0 Caracappa, the most notable scalp of his career and proof he could hang with elite-level prospects.

Setbacks and resilience

The next stretch tested Steele. In September 2020, he challenged unbeaten Zviad Lazishvili in the LFA 90 main event – Zviad Lazishvili entering at 12-0 – and was submitted by first-round rear-naked choke. He followed that with a 2021 loss to Carlos Lozoya by mounted triangle choke, marking both of his career defeats as submissions. Steele responded the way veterans do, rebounding with a 2021 submission win over Jamal Davis and a 2023 decision over the experienced Joe Penafiel to push his record to 8-2.

Fighting style

Steele is a tall, technical point-fighter whose game is built around striking volume and ring generalship rather than power – seven of his eight wins have come by decision, with just a single submission finish and no knockouts. His karate-influenced footwork and reach help him control distance and accumulate rounds against shorter bantamweights. The flip side of that profile is on the mat: both of his losses came by submission against high-level grapplers, a clear area opponents have targeted. At his best, he is a steady, hard-to-finish operator who wins the chess match over 15 minutes.

Career highlights

• The Ultimate Fighter cast member — selected for TUF Season 27's undefeated cast and won his bout over Suman Mokhtarian before injury ended his run.
• Contender Series win over an unbeaten prospect — decisioned 7-0 Phil Caracappa in 2019, the signature victory of his career.
• Eight-win regional veteran — built an 8-2 professional record across more than a decade, anchored by his striking-heavy, decision-winning style.