# Ryan Spann

Ryan Jamari Spann (born August 24, 1991) is an American mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2013, he has also fought for the Legacy Fighting Alliance, where he was the Light Heavyweight Champion.

## Background

Spann grew up in Westwood, Memphis, Tennessee, and began training martial arts in his early childhood.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

After compiling a 3–1 amateur record as a Middleweight and Welterweight, Spann started his professional career in 2013. He fought under various promotions, notably the regional Legacy Fighting Championship and Legacy Fighting Alliance where he was the Light Heavyweight Champion. He amassed a record of 13-5 prior participated in Dana White's Contender Series.

### Dana White's Contender Series

Spann appeared in Dana White's Contender Series 3 on July 25, 2017, against Karl Roberson. He lost the fight by knockout due to elbows in round one.
Spann's second appearance in Dana White's Contender Series 10 came on June 19, 2018, against Emiliano Sordi. He won the fight via guillotine choke in round one and he was awarded a UFC contract.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Spann made his UFC debut on September 22, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Anders, facing Luis Henrique, replacing an injured Mark Godbeer. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Spann's second UFC fight came on 11 May 2019, 2019 at UFC 237 against Antônio Rogério Nogueira. He won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Spann faced Devin Clark on October 12, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: Joanna vs. Waterson. He won the fight via submission in round two.
Spann was briefly linked to face Ovince Saint Preux on February 8, 2020, at UFC 247. However, promotion matchmakers elected to go in another direction and the pairing was scrapped from the event. Instead, Spann was booked against Paul Craig on March 21, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Edwards. However, the event was cancelled.
Spann faced Sam Alvey May 9, 2020, at UFC 249. Despite getting knocked down in the third round, Spann won the fight via split decision.
Spann was initially scheduled to face Johnny Walker at UFC Fight Night 176 on September 5, 2020. However, Walker tested positive for COVID-19 and the bout was postponed to September 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 178. Despite dropping Walker twice in the first round, Spann would go onto lose the fight via knockout.
Spann was expected to face Misha Cirkunov on December 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 183. However, Cirkunov pulled out in early December due to an injury. The fight was rescheduled to March 13, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 187. After initially knocking Cirkunov down during the first minute, Spann won the fight via technical knockout in round one. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
Spann faced Anthony Smith on September 18, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 192. He lost the fight via rear-naked choke submission in round one.
Spann was scheduled to face Ion Cuțelaba on February 26, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 202. However, Spann was pulled from the event due to injury and the bout was rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 36. He won the bout via guillotine choke in the first round. The win earned Spann his second Performance of the Night bonus award.
Spann faced Dominick Reyes on November 12, 2022, at UFC 281. At the weigh-ins, Spann weighed in at 206.6 pounds, six tenths of a pound over the light heavyweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at a catchweight with Spann fined 20% of his purse, which went to his opponent Reyes. He won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Spann was scheduled to face Nikita Krylov on February 25, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 220. However, the day of the event, Krylov fell ill to a food-borne illness and the main event was cancelled and the pair was rescheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili two weeks later. He lost the fight via a triangle choke submission in the first round.
Spann faced Anthony Smith in a rematch on August 26, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 225. He lost the close bout via split decision. 9 out of 14 media outlets scored the bout for Spann.
Spann faced Bogdan Guskov on April 27, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 55 He lost the fight via technical knockout as a result of ground-and-pound punches.
Spann was scheduled to face Ovince Saint Preux on September 7, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 242. However, Saint Preux withdrew from the fight due to an illness and the bout was moved to October 5, 2024 at UFC 307 as a result. Spann won the fight via a guillotine choke submission in the first round. This fight earned him another Performance of the Night award.
Spann faced former LFA Heavyweight Champion Waldo Cortes-Acosta in a heavyweight bout on March 15, 2025 at UFC Fight Night 254. He lost the fight by knockout in the second round.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Performance of the Night (Three times) vs. Misha Cirkunov, Ion Cuțelaba and Ovince Saint Preux
* Legacy Fighting Alliance
** LFA Light Heavyweight Championship (One time) vs. Alex Nicholson.
* Hero FC
** Hero FC Middleweight Championship (One time; former)

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 33 matches | 22 wins | 11 losses |
| By knockout | 6 | 5 |
| By submission | 13 | 3 |
| By decision | 3 | 3 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 22–11 | Waldo Cortes-Acosta | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 | March 15, 2025 | 2 | 4:48 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 22–10 | Ovince Saint Preux | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC 307 | October 5, 2024 | 1 | 1:35 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 21–10 | Bogdan Guskov | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Nicolau vs. Perez | April 27, 2024 | 2 | 3:16 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 21–9 | Anthony Smith | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie | August 26, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Loss | 21–8 | Nikita Krylov | Submission (triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili | March 11, 2023 | 1 | 3:38 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Catchweight (215 lb) bout. |
| Win | 21–7 | Dominick Reyes | KO (punches) | UFC 281 | November 12, 2022 | 1 | 1:20 | New York City, New York, United States | Catchweight (206.6 lb) bout; Spann missed weight. |
| Win | 20–7 | Ion Cuțelaba | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC on ESPN: Błachowicz vs. Rakić | May 14, 2022 | 1 | 2:22 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 19–7 | Anthony Smith | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann | September 18, 2021 | 1 | 3:47 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 19–6 | Misha Cirkunov | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad | March 13, 2021 | 1 | 1:11 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 18–6 | Johnny Walker | KO (elbows and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley | September 19, 2020 | 1 | 2:43 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 18–5 | Sam Alvey | Decision (split) | UFC 249 | May 9, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 17–5 | Devin Clark | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Joanna vs. Waterson | October 12, 2019 | 2 | 2:01 | Tampa, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 16–5 | Antônio Rogério Nogueira | KO (punches) | UFC 237 | May 11, 2019 | 1 | 2:07 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 15–5 | Luis Henrique | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Anders | September 22, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 14–5 | Emiliano Sordi | Submission (guillotine choke) | Dana White's Contender Series 10 | June 19, 2018 | 1 | 0:26 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 13–5 | Alex Nicholson | KO (punches) | LFA 32 | January 26, 2018 | 1 | 4:24 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | Won the inaugural LFA Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 12–5 | Myron Dennis | KO (punches) | LFA 27 | November 10, 2017 | 1 | 3:08 | Shawnee, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 11–5 | LeMarcus Tucker | Submission (rear-naked choke) | LFA 23 | September 22, 2017 | 1 | 2:55 | Bossier City, Louisiana, United States | Return to Light Heavyweight. |
| Loss | 10–5 | Karl Roberson | KO (elbows) | Dana White's Contender Series 3 | July 25, 2017 | 1 | 0:15 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 10–4 | Roman Pizzolato | Submission (guillotine choke) | WFC 72 | May 13, 2017 | 1 | 0:20 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States | |
| Loss | 9–4 | Trevin Giles | Decision (split) | LFA 3 | February 10, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | Return to Middleweight. |
| Loss | 9–3 | Robert Drysdale | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Legacy FC 58 | July 22, 2016 | 2 | 2:58 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | For the vacant Legacy FC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–2 | Aaron Davis | Submission (guillotine choke) | Legacy FC 52 | Mar 25, 2016 | 1 | 2:53 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | Return to Light Heavyweight. |
| Loss | 8–2 | Leo Leite | Decision (unanimous) | Legacy FC 48 | Nov 13, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | For the Legacy FC Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 8–1 | Larry Crowe | KO (punches) | Legacy FC 42 | June 26, 2015 | 1 | 0:08 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | |
| Win | 7–1 | Dwight Gipson | Submission (guillotine choke) | Vengeance Fighting Alliance: Round 5 | May 9, 2015 | 1 | 4:39 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | |
| Win | 6–1 | Artenas Young | Submission (guillotine choke) | Fury Fighting 4 | February 13, 2015 | 3 | 2:32 | Humble, Texas, United States | |
| Loss | 5–1 | Brandon Farran | TKO (punches) | Hero FC: Best of the Best 3 | September 12, 2014 | 1 | 0:21 | Brownsville, Texas, United States | Lost the Hero FC Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 5–0 | Randy McCarty | Decision (unanimous) | Hero FC: Best of the Best 1 | February 1, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Harlingen, Texas, United States | Won the Hero FC Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Jhonoven Pati | Submission (guillotine choke) | Hero FC: Texas Pride | September 28, 2013 | 1 | 2:32 | Beaumont, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Brandon Atkins | Submission (guillotine choke) | Hero FC: Pride of the Valley 2 | June 21, 2013 | 1 | 0:44 | Pharr, Texas, United States | Return to Middleweight. |
| Win | 2–0 | Steven Zamora | Submission (rear-naked choke) | El Orgullo del Valle | March 16, 2013 | 1 | 2:25 | Pharr, Texas, United States | Light Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 1–0 | Aaron Lebrun | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Vengeance Fighting Alliance: Round 1 | February 16, 2013 | 1 | N/A | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | Middleweight debut. |