After 7 years, Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford is back in the cage at Unified 43

Jan 17, 2022

EDMONTON – Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford is ready to make up for lost time.

After seven years away from the cage, Ford takes his first MMA fight in more than half a decade at Unified 43 on March 4 at River Cree Resort & Casino in Enoch, AB, LIVE on UFC Fight Pass.

Although Ford hasn’t been competing in the cage, that isn’t to say he hasn’t been busy. The hard-hitting Edmonton product has in the meantime established himself as one of Canada’s best boxers, amassing a 17-7 record in high-profile bouts around the world.

“It’s always been in my head to get back in the cage, especially at home. With the world shut down, all I’ve been doing is training. And, you know, it gets kinda boring just training one thing,” says the Canadian MMA legend, who fought former UFC title challenger Jake Shields in his most recent fight.

“I’ve been grappling, I’ve been doing jiu-jitsu, I’ve been kicking, so I haven’t stopped training as a mixed martial artist,” he adds. “I thought, this year, I’m just going to fight.”

Newer fans of MMA may not be familiar with Ford, but for years “The Real Deal” was regarded as one of Canada’s most elite fighters. Ford boasts an MMA record of 22-5, with 12 victories by knockout. His resume includes the World Series of Fighting Canadian welterweight championship, amongst a slew of other titles, and an undefeated record under the Bellator MMA banner.

One of the most popular questions for Ford over the last few years has been whether he prefers one sport – MMA or boxing – over the other. The answer is simple.

“The thing I always tell people is, in MMA I’m allowed to be ruthless. I’m allowed to be mean,” Ford says with a smile. “In boxing, you have to be a little bit more strategic. I like MMA because I can be mean and do what I want to do.”

Ford’s fight at Unified 43 takes place less than a week before his 40th birthday. His goals at this point are fairly straightforward.

“At this point in my life, I train hard, so I need to fight. I want to be as active as possible, whether that’s in MMA or boxing,” Ford says. “My goal is just to let everybody know that I’m as real as it gets as a fighter. I’m a prizefighter.”

ABOUT UNIFIED MMA

Unified MMA is Canada’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, showcasing the country’s top-ranked fighters, LIVE on UFC Fight Pass. The organization has successfully promoted 42 events since it was founded in 2009, and has propelled several athletes to the UFC’s Octagon.