LAS VEGAS — Former University of Northern Iowa wrestler Ryan Roeder earned himself a spot on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) roster Saturday night, defeating Robert Valentin by technical knockout to win the middleweight title in The Ultimate Fighter 32 finals.
Part of a UFC-produced television series that airs on ESPN, “The Ultimate Fighter” follows professional mixed martial artists as they train, live together in Las Vegas and ultimately compete against each other for an official UFC contract. The series, which began its 32nd season earlier this summer, features 16 fighters across both the featherweight and middleweight divisions under the mentorship of current and former UFC champions.
Representing Valentina Shevchenko’s team, Roeder, nicknamed “The Man of Steel,” competed in the eight-a-side tournament for a spot in Saturday’s final.
“I’ve been working for this since day one,” Lauder said. “I’ve had this dream for the past four years and now it’s finally come true. But now it’s time to get back to work. I have a great team, a great support group, but this is just the beginning. It’s not like, ‘I made it,’ it’s like, ‘I took my first step.’ Now that my record is back to zero and I have to get back to work right away, I have to prove myself.”
Roeder competed at 184 pounds at UNI from 2009-14, going 114-27 overall and competing in four NCAA tournaments. In 2013, he placed seventh at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines and was named an All-American.
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