EDMONTON – It’s the end of an era.

Canadian fighting legend Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford steps into the cage for the 30th and final time on March 31 at Unified 50, LIVE on UFC Fight Pass from the SOLD-OUT River Cree Resort & Casino in Enoch, AB. 

The proud Edmonton product is eager to end his MMA career with an exclamation point as he defends his Unified MMA Canadian Super-Welterweight Title against American challenger Fay Bursell (6-2).

“I’m not making any predictions for how this fight is going to go,” Ford says. “I’m just going to go out there and leave it all in the cage, like I always have, and I’m going to leave the cage with the belt wrapped around my waist.”

Ford’s eye-popping MMA record of 24-5 includes 13 knockouts and nine submissions. The former World Series of Fighting Canada champ has been a pillar of Canadian MMA since his pro debut in 2007. Ford’s resume as a professional boxer includes championships with WBC and UBO.

Ford will continue his pro boxing career moving forward, and he says he’d like to compete once for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. But it’s curtains on his super-impressive MMA career.

“I’m not getting any younger,” Ford, 41, says with a laugh. “I love MMA, but I’m not in love with wrestling and grappling. Now that I’m older, those activities are harder on my body.

“The time is right for me to walk away,” he adds. “I took almost eight years off from MMA, went 2-0 and won my belt. Now I’m excited to defend my title and end it on top.”

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 49 events across Canada since it was founded in 2009, and has propelled several athletes to the UFC’s Octagon.​