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- Bas Rutten made a successful return to competition in 2006 and promptly defeated Ruben Villarreal by TKO in the first round of WFA: King of the Streets.
- Rutten's commentary skills made him a fan favorite, and he worked for Pride FC and later joined the WSOF broadcast team as a commentator.
- Rutten helped Mauro Ranallo get a job as a broadcaster for Pride FC's Bushido series, and the two later co-hosted the “Rutten and Ranallo” podcast.
Bas Rutten is a well-known figure in the martial arts world. The charismatic Dutchman made his mark on the mixed martial arts world as a competitor, broadcaster, coach and ambassador.
A UFC Hall of Famer, Rutten has excelled in many different areas that many fans are unaware of. His accomplishments have been spread across multiple media outlets, with a record of 28-4-1.
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Ten Bas Rutten retires at WFA event
Rutten defeats Kevin Randleman in final UFC fight
|
result |
win |
|---|---|
|
record |
28–4–1 |
|
Opponent |
Ruben Villarreal |
|
how to win |
TKO (leg kick) |
|
event |
WFA: King of the Street |
|
date |
July 22, 2006 |
|
Stop time |
Round 1, 3:24 |
Bas Rutten returned to active duty in 2006. He was scheduled to face former UFC veteran Kimo Leopold at the World Fighting Alliance: King of Streets event on July 22nd. However, Leopoldo tested positive for a banned substance and was replaced by Ruben Villarreal. Rutten finished him off quickly, winning by TKO in the first round.
- Rutten's oral skills made him a valuable asset to many broadcast teams.
Even during his competitive days, Rutten still found time to share his martial arts knowledge behind the broadcast stand. The well-spoken Dutchman became a fan favorite during his time as a commentator for legendary Japanese promotion Pride FC.
He resigned in 2006 due to frequent trips to Japan. Much later, he became a member of his WSOF broadcast team. He currently works as a commentator for karate martial arts promotions.
8 Rutten helped Mauro Ranallo get a job at Pride FC.
Bas Rutten and Mauro Ranallo did a podcast
- Ranallo, a beloved broadcaster, got his big break thanks to Rutten.
Mauro Ranallo is also a well-known martial arts and professional wrestling commentator. He was invited as a caster for Pride FC's Bushido Series event at Rutten's suggestion. The two remain friends and even started the Rutten and Ranallo podcast in 2017.
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7 Bas Rutten was known as the King of Pancras.
He went undefeated in 22 races.
- The Dutch kickboxer was one of the few fighters to hold the King of Pancrase openweight title.
Founded in 1993, Pancrase served as the foundation for the entire Japanese MMA scene. Rutten was one of the original members of the promotion, making his debut at the Premier League event. He won the King of Pancrase title at the 1995 Anniversary Show, defeating another legendary rival, Minoru Suzuki.
Rutten defeated future friend Frank Shamrock in 1996 to become the undisputed champion. In his second title defense, he knocked out another legend named Masakatsu Funaki.
6 Rutten has trained a variety of athletes
Kimbo Slice was one of his students.
- “El Guapo” extended a helping hand to various athletes in need.
Mark Carr was the first to secure Rutten's coaching services in 2000. Rutten helped prepare for his upcoming Pride Grand Prix 2000 tournament. Kerr defeated Enson Inouye in the opening round, but lost to Kazuyuki Fujita in the quarterfinals.
The Dutchman was named team captain of the Anacondas during the IFL 2006 season. Most notably, he coached Kimbo Slice, a famous street fighter, at the beginning of his professional MMA career.
Five Rutten has appeared in various MMA video games
Rutten makes cameo appearance in video game 'Grand Theft Auto IV'
- Bas Rutten lent his voice and likeness to various game publishers.
“El Guapo” serves as a mentor and manager in EA MMA Career Mode. The Dutchman will help players familiarize themselves with the game's controls and share useful tips before the match.
THQ's UFC Undisputed 3 will see Rutten reunite with former broadcast partner Steven Quadros and reprise his role as a Pride FC commentator in a game mode that allows players to participate in bouts held under a unique set of rules. He also appeared as a playable character in EA Sports' UFC series of games.
Four Bas Rutten to appear in the movie “Here Comes the Boom”
He also appeared regularly on “Kevin Can Wait.''
- “Here Comes the Boom” is a 2012 sports comedy that includes cameos from various MMA fighters and personalities.
The plot follows Scott Voss, a 42-year-old biology teacher who tries to raise money for his school's music program. To do so, he decided to enter the amateur MMA circuit to compete in the UFC. Bas Rutten plays Nico, a former MMA fighter from the Netherlands who helps Voss as a coach. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $73 million worldwide.
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3 Rutten's stint in professional wrestling
Rutten joined Japanese professional wrestling after joining Pancrase.
- The UFC Hall of Famer also showed off his skills inside the wrestling ring.
Surprisingly, Bas Rutten has come inside the squared circle on various occasions. “El Guapo” made his professional wrestling debut on New Year's Eve 2000 at an Inoki Bon Ba Ye event. The Dutch fighter teamed up with Alexander Otsuka to defeat Naoki Sano and UFC alumnus Rico Rodriguez.
After two matches in the Battle Arts promotion, Rutten made his New Japan Pro Wrestling debut in 2002 by defeating Manabu Nakanishi. His most notable victory was a victory over Hiroshi Tanahashi in an unsuccessful challenge for then-champion Hiroshi Nagata's IWGP Heavyweight Title.
2 Bas Rutten was the co-host of the Inside MMA TV show for many years.
He co-hosted the long-running series with Mauro Ranallo.
- Inside MMA is a mixed martial arts news magazine that aired on AXS TV from 2007 to 2016.
Rutten served as host for 10 seasons. During last season, he reunited with his former broadcast colleague Mauro Ranallo. The show featured interviews with various fighters and celebrities from the MMA community. In a May 2015 interview, UFC president Dana White announced that Bas Rutten would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in July of the same year.
1 Bas Rutten vacates UFC heavyweight title after winning it
He hoped to move up the weight classes and become a double champion
- “El Guapo” decided not to defend the belt as he decided to give it back.
After a stint with Pancrase, Bas Rutten signed a contract with the UFC in 1998. He was originally scheduled to face Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight title, but the bout never materialized as the American wrestler decided to leave the promotion due to a contract dispute. The Dutchman took part in a four-a-side tournament to declare himself the new heavyweight kingpin. “El Guapo” KOed Tsuyoshi Kosaka at UFC 18. At UFC 20, he faced Kevin Randleman.
The two fought for over 21 minutes, with Randleman punishing Rutten inside his guard. Surprisingly, the judges declared Rutten the winner. The Dutchman was crowned the new UFC heavyweight champion, but decided to vacate the belt a few months later. He was aiming for the middleweight title, becoming the first two-division champion in UFC history. However, Rutten sustained an injury during training and was forced by doctors to retire from MMA competition for the time being.
