UFC"Superman"Ryan Spann Record: 24-11-0
HeavyweightRecord24-11-0
Age34
DivisionHeavyweight · #26
Combat Edge Elo1710
Last fightApr 25 2026
Ryan Spann has a 24-11-0 professional record and is 34 years old in the Heavyweight division, representing Fortis MMA. This profile tracks fight history, UFC stats, ELO rating, record, age, and opponent links.
Last updated Jun 17, 2026 · Combat Edge fight database
Ryan Spann bio
Personal background
Ryan Spann, known as "Superman," is an American heavyweight mixed martial artist competing in the UFC with a professional record of 24–11, after building most of his career in the light heavyweight division. Born August 24, 1991, in Beaumont, Texas, Spann grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and began training in martial arts early. His nickname is a family tradition handed down from his father rather than a promotional invention. A towering 6'5" with a 79" reach, Spann is long and rangy. He trains at Fortis MMA in Dallas under head coach Sayif Saud, famously commuting nearly five hours from Beaumont during his camps, and built his game around an aggressive, submission-hunting style backed by genuine knockout power.
Path to the UFC
Spann turned professional in 2013 and racked up early submission wins on the Texas regional scene, including a first-round guillotine of Jhonoven Pati. The climb wasn't linear – he was submitted by grappling ace Robert Drysdale in 2016, dropped a split decision to Trevin Giles, and was stopped by Karl Roberson on the Contender Series in 2017. He answered with a knockout of Alex Nicholson while reigning as Legacy Fighting Alliance light heavyweight champion, then earned his UFC contract with a first-round guillotine of Emiliano Sordi on the 2018 Contender Series.
UFC career
Spann debuted in the Octagon in September 2018 with a decision over Luis Henrique Barbosa, then announced himself with a first-round knockout of former Pride and UFC veteran Antônio Rogério Nogueira at UFC 237 in 2019. He submitted Devin Clark later that year and edged Sam Alvey in 2020 before running into the division's elite – a knockout loss to Johnny Walker. He rebounded with a first-round TKO of Misha Cirkunov in 2021, then was submitted in a 33-second loss to top contender Anthony Smith.
Contender form and a move up
Spann hit his stride in 2022, submitting Ion Cutelaba and scoring a thunderous first-round knockout of former title challenger Dominick Reyes at UFC 281. Losses to Nikita Krylov and a rematch with Anthony Smith followed, along with a 2024 setback to Bogdan Guskov, before he submitted veteran Ovince St. Preux at UFC 307. More recently he has tested himself against bigger men, dropping a knockout fight to Waldo Cortes-Acosta, then submitting Łukasz Brzeski at UFC 318 and knocking out grappling star Marcus Buchecha in 2026.
Fighting style
Spann is a finisher first and foremost. Fourteen of his 24 wins have come by submission and 7 by knockout, giving him an 88 percent finish rate – only 3 of his victories have reached the judges. His length lets him snap up guillotines and chokes in transition, while his power makes him a threat to end any exchange standing. The vulnerability that has defined his ceiling is durability against the division's best: five of his losses have come by knockout, and he has been finished quickly by elite competition, the line that has separated him from the title picture.
Career highlights
- LFA light heavyweight champion — held the Legacy Fighting Alliance 205-pound title before signing with the UFC off the Contender Series.
- Knockout of Dominick Reyes — flattened the former title challenger Dominick Reyes in the first round at UFC 281, the signature win of his UFC run.
- Elite finishing rate — 21 of his 24 wins have come inside the distance, splitting submissions and knockouts almost evenly.
Career snapshot
Ryan Spann career snapshot
EloCombat Edge Elo
1710Good ratingElo trajectory (last 3 years)
Overall#336
Heavyweight#26of 108 active
Peak1731
Last move+11
Opponent quality1675avg. pre-fight Elo · last 10
Career-high 1731 Elo after defeating Dominick Reyes (2022-11-12)
Similar Elo in Heavyweight
Ryan Spann quick answers
What is Ryan Spann's record?
Ryan Spann's professional MMA record is 24-11-0.
How old is Ryan Spann?
Ryan Spann is 34 years old.
What weight class is Ryan Spann?
Ryan Spann fights at Heavyweight in UFC.
How tall is Ryan Spann?
Ryan Spann is 6'5" tall with a 79" reach.
How much does Ryan Spann weigh?
Ryan Spann competes at Heavyweight, with a most recent weigh-in of 205 lbs.
What is Ryan Spann's Combat Edge Elo?
Ryan Spann's Combat Edge Elo is 1710, with a peak Elo of 1731.
How strong is Ryan Spann's recent opposition?
Ryan Spann's latest 10 counted opponents averaged 1675 Elo immediately before their fights. This avoids using opponents' later career results with hindsight.
When was Ryan Spann's last fight?
Ryan Spann's latest tracked pro fight was against Marcus Buchecha at UFC Fight Night on Apr 25 2026.
What is Ryan Spann's recent form?
Ryan Spann's recent tracked pro form is W-W-L-W-L over the latest 5 decisive pro results.
How does Ryan Spann usually win?
Ryan Spann's 24 recorded wins include 7 knockouts, 14 submissions, and 3 decisions, with 88% ending before the final bell.
7Wins by knockout
14Wins by submission
3Wins by decision
5Loss by knockout
3Loss by submission
3Loss by decision
Ryan Spann stats
Record : 24 / 11 / 0Significant strikes landed per minute
3.19Fighter2.81Division average
Significant striking accuracy
39%Fighter47%Division average
Significant strikes absorbed per minute
4.14Fighter4.44Division average
Significant strike defenseThe % of opponents strikes that did not land
43%Fighter48%Division average
Average takedowns landed per 15 minutes
1.30Fighter1.38Division average
Takedown accuracy
35%Fighter37%Division average
Takedown defenseThe % of opponents TD attempts that did not land
52%Fighter48%Division average
Average submissions attempted per 15 minutes
1.79Fighter0.60Division average
Pro fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
Amateur fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
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