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United States Ed Ruth is a decorated former collegiate wrestler and professional mixed martial artist, recognized for his achievements in both sports.
Ed Ruth signed a contract with Bellator MMA to pursue his mixed martial arts career, transitioning from wrestling. He competed in several fights with the promotion.
Edward Lee Ruth was born on October 21, 1990, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His athletic journey began in scholastic wrestling, attending Susquehanna Township High School before transferring to Blair Academy, where he graduated in 2009. Ruth established himself as a standout collegiate wrestler at Pennsylvania State University from 2010 to 2014, achieving significant milestones including three NCAA Division I national championships and four Big Ten Conference championships. His impressive collegiate career was marked by an 84-match winning streak, solidifying his reputation in the wrestling community. Beyond collegiate wrestling, Ruth also represented the United States in freestyle wrestling at the 2014 World Championships and the 2015 World Cup, earning multiple medals in prestigious international competitions such as the Henri Deglane Challenge and the Bill Farrell International Open.
Ruth transitioned to mixed martial arts, signing with Bellator MMA in May 2015. His professional MMA debut took place in November 2016 at Bellator 163, where he defeated Dustin Collins-Miles via TKO in the first round. He continued his winning streak with further TKO victories at Bellator 168 against Emanuele Palombi and Bellator 178 against David Mundell. A significant point in his MMA career was his welterweight debut at Bellator 201 in June 2018, where he secured another TKO victory over Andy Murad. He participated in the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix in December 2018, where he experienced a submission loss to Neiman Gracie. Following this, Ruth joined the American Kickboxing Academy, marking a turning point in his training and career.
His tenure with Bellator MMA included notable wins against Kiichi Kunimoto at Bellator 224 and Jason Jackson at Bellator 231, demonstrating his continued competitive drive. However, he faced subsequent losses to Yaroslav Amosov via unanimous decision at Bellator 239 and Taylor Johnson via inverted heel hook submission at Bellator 245. In July 2021, Ed Ruth retired from professional MMA to take on an assistant coach position with the University of Illinois wrestling program, joining head coach Mike Poeta’s staff. This move underscored his enduring commitment to the sport of wrestling through coaching and mentorship, contributing his extensive experience to developing future athletes.
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