Other names The Wizard Role Grappler Nationality American Height 1.78 m | Style Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Weight 66 kg Name Ryan Hall Wins by knockout 2 | |
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Born February 22, 1985 (age 39)
Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. ( 1985-02-22 ) Residence Falls Church, Virginia, U.S. Division Featherweight, lightweight Team Fifty/50 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | ||
Ryan Christopher Hall is an American black belt and instructor in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and a professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is known for a number of competitive achievements, ranging from Mundial and ADCC victories to dozens of Grapplers Quest championships. He is the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 22.
Contents
Hall has published a number of instructional DVD sets, including one with an emphasis on the triangle choke, a signature technique used in his competitive career.
Beginning
Hall attended Manhattan College in The Bronx, NY and studied Electrical Engineering.
Early career
In 2012, Hall began training in mixed martial arts at Tristar Gym in Montreal, Canada. He represented his new team for the first time in the cage at SLAMM-1 on November 30, 2012 in Montreal, Canada where he won by TKO in the first round.
Hall fought on the Challenge MMA 2 card on August 17, 2013. He submitted Maged Hammo at the Montreal, Quebec event.
Hall defeated Leo Perez via TKO at Fight Lab 35 in Charlotte, NC on February 8, 2014 and submitted Ryan Hogans via first round heel hook at the United Combat League on May 31 in Hammond, IN.
The Ultimate Fighter
On August 31, 2015, it was announced that Hall would be a contestant on the 22nd season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show, representing Team USA.
In the opening elimination bout, Hall faced fellow American Johnny Nunez. He won the fight via heel hook early in the first round.
Hall represented Team USA in the first preliminary fight of the season facing Sweden's Frantz Slioa. He once again won the fight via heel hook in the first round. He advanced to the quarter finals, where he lost to Saul Rogers by majority decision. Rogers advanced to the final, but a visa issue prevented him from fighting, instead allowing Hall to fight Artem Lobov in The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale. Hall defeated Lobov by unanimous decision to become the Ultimate Fighter 22 lightweight winner.
Hall was expected to face Alex White on July 13, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 91. However, the bout was scrapped on June 28 as White pulled out due to an undisclosed injury. In turn, Hall elected to fight on a different date rather than have the promotion find him a replacement.
Hall next faced Gray Maynard on December 3, 2016 at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Self-defense incident
In 2012, a viral video of Hall surfaced showing him using grappling techniques to defend himself against a larger, aggressive man while dining in a pizza parlor. In the video, Hall demonstrates the use of a double leg takedown and the mount position. Later, he applies a chokehold to incapacitate the aggressor shortly before police arrive.