Gabe Ruediger

Last updated
Gabe Ruediger
Born (1977-08-29) August 29, 1977 (age 46)
Topanga Canyon, California, United States
Other namesGodzilla
Residence Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st)
Division Lightweight (155 lb)
Reach70 in (180 cm) [1]
Fighting out of Van Nuys, California
Team PKG
Rank Orange belt in Judo
 Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Years active2002–2012
Mixed martial arts record
Total26
Wins18
By knockout4
By submission13
By decision1
Losses8
By knockout5
By submission2
By decision1
Website www.gabegodzilla.com
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Gabriel G. "Gabe" Ruediger (born August 29, 1977) is a former American mixed martial artist, who competed in the Lightweight division for the UFC, WEC and Tachi Palace Fights. He is a former WEC Lightweight Champion, and former TPF Lightweight Champion.

Contents

Mixed martial arts career

Ruediger is a retired mixed martial arts fighter from Rancho Cucamonga. He started training in karate when he was seven years old and eventually moved on to kung fu. He was a student at Nevada Union High School. [2] He appeared in a video as Paris Hilton's personal trainer.

Ruediger is a former WEC Lightweight Champion. In the WEC, he maintained a 9 fight winning streak before being defeated by Hermes Franca. Ruediger made his UFC debut at UFC 63, losing to The Ultimate Fighter 2 contestant Melvin Guillard via body punch in the second round.

The Ultimate Fighter

Ruediger was one of three fighters on The Ultimate Fighter 5 who had previously fought inside the UFC's Octagon (the others being Joe Lauzon and Matt Wiman). Only Lauzon, of the three, had a victory in the UFC. In episode 5, Team Pulver selected Corey Hill to fight Ruediger. The episode showed Ruediger eating ice cream cake after learning of his upcoming fight, shortly before the weigh ins. He was then struggling to make the weight requirement, and let himself be dragged to and from the sauna room, but getting out before it could actually work. Ultimately, Penn and Maynard gave up and walked off as Ruediger literally begged for them to pick him back up. After displaying what could be signs of extreme exhaustion, an ambulance carried him off to the hospital. He took direct criticism from his own coaches and teammates for "taking short cuts" and displaying a lack of dedication, due to his request for a colonic to lose weight (a procedure where they input plastic tubes up your rectum to flush fecal matter out of your system) and his overall poor work ethic. The next day, Dana White dismissed Ruediger from the competition and he was ordered to leave the house.

Ruediger later stated that he saw The Ultimate Fighter show as a "marketing tool" [3] and that audience members should "take what you see on TV with a grain of salt."

Post UFC

In a March 2007 interview Ruediger says that he would be fighting "very soon" in a "large organization". [4] In an article by Loretta Hunt at The Fight Network, it was revealed that FEG officials had a verbal commitment from Ruediger to fight Katsuhiko Nagata for their June 2 K-1 Dynamite!! USA supercard in Los Angeles. [5] Many unsubstantiated rumours appeared on the Internet regarding his failure to obtain a license to fight in California, asserting that his failure to make weight on The Ultimate Fighter was the reason. These were refuted in an interview with Armando Garcia, the executive director of the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). According to Garcia, because Ruediger was a late replacement on the K-1 Dynamite card doctors with the CSAC did not have sufficient time to review his medical information, and could not issue him a license in time for the K-1 fight. He was then cleared for a license, fighting 5 times in the state of California since his reinstatement . [6]

Return to the UFC

After Terry Etim injured himself in preparation for his bout against Joe Lauzon at UFC 118, Ruediger signed a four fight deal with the UFC, and stepped in as Etim's replacement. [7] The fight was selected to be shown on the Spike TV broadcast. Ruediger lost the fight early in the first round via armbar submission.

Ruediger was expected to face Paul Kelly on November 20, 2010 at UFC 123. [8] However, Ruediger was forced out of the bout with a groin injury. [9]

Ruediger faced Paul Taylor on February 5, 2011 at UFC 126. [10] Ruediger was defeated via second round KO and subsequently released from the promotion. [11]

Post UFC

Ruediger faced Scott "KO" Catlin on March 16, 2012 at BAMMA BadBeat 5 and lost via TKO from punches 36 seconds into the second round.

Gabe fought SiriusXM radio host Jason Ellis in a celebrity boxing match at Ellismania 8 "Shave my Friends Tonight" in Las Vegas on July 14, 2012. Gabe was KO'd by Ellis in the 2nd round. Ruediger contested that Ellis had cheated by using different wraps, gloves, and headgear and stated that if they wore the same gear, Ellis would not have won the fight. Gabe then requested a rematch with Ellis and the two fought at Ellismania 9. Gabe lost the decision 29-28, and was generally dominated by Ellis.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
26 matches18 wins8 losses
By knockout45
By submission132
By decision11
Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Win18–8Scott CatlinSubmission (armbar)Bamma USA: Bad Beat 9May 31, 201322:13 Commerce, California, United StatesRetired shortly after the fight.
Loss17–8Scott CatlinTKO (punches)Bamma USA: Bad Beat 5March 16, 201220:36 Anaheim, California, United States
Loss17–7 Paul Taylor KO (head kick and punches) UFC 126 February 5, 201121:42 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss17–6 Joe Lauzon Submission (armbar) UFC 118 August 28, 201012:01 Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Win17–5Lenny LovatoTKO (punches) TPF 5: Stars and Strikes July 9, 201013:25 Lemoore, California, United StatesWon the vacant TPF Lightweight Championship.
Win16–5Dominique RobinsonSubmission (rear-naked choke) TPF 3: Champions Collide February 4, 201024:49 Lemoore, California, United States
Win15–5Wander BragaSubmission (guillotine choke)Call to Arms: Called Out FightsAugust 15, 200920:58 Ontario, California, United States
Win14–5Adam LehmanSubmission (rear-naked choke)Fight Circuit MMA: VictoriousJune 7, 200912:19 Adelanto, California, United States
Win13–5Darren CrispSubmission (guillotine choke) PFC 13: Validation May 8, 200911:03 Lemoore, California, United States
Win12–5Max SonSubmission (rear-naked choke)Gladiator Challenge: WarriorsFebruary 4, 200910:24 Pauma Valley, California, United States
Loss11–5 Justin Wilcox Decision (unanimous)JG and TKT Promotions: Fighting 4 KidzAugust 30, 200835:00 Santa Monica, California, United States
Loss11–4 Akbarh Arreola Submission (kimura)MMA Xtreme 15November 16, 200712:03 Mexico City, Mexico
Win11–3George KassimatisSubmission (guillotine choke)Ringside TicketAugust 30, 200713:51 Highland, California, United States
Loss10–3 Melvin Guillard TKO (punch to the body) UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn September 23, 200621:01 Anaheim, California, United States
Win10–2 Savant Young Submission (armbar)PF 1: The BeginningMay 12, 200631:29 Hollywood, California, United States
Loss9–2 Hermes França KO (punches) WEC 19: Undisputed March 17, 200610:36 Lemoore, California, United States Lost the WEC Lightweight Championship.
Win9–1Sam WellsDecision (unanimous) WEC 17: Halloween Fury 4 October 14, 200535:00 Lemoore, California, United StatesDefended the WEC Lightweight Championship.
Win8–1Bobir HasanovSubmission (armbar) KOTC 61: Flash Point September 23, 200510:23 San Jacinto, California, United States
Win7–1Jason MaxwellSubmission (rear-naked choke) WEC 14: Vengeance March 17, 200513:28 Lemoore, California, United StatesDefended the WEC Lightweight Championship.
Win6–1Olaf AlfonsoSubmission (rear-naked choke) WEC 12 October 21, 200413:05 Lemoore, California, United StatesWon the vacant WEC Lightweight Championship.
Win5–1Steve RamerezSubmission (triangle choke) WEC 11 August 20, 200411:24 Lemoore, California, United States
Win4–1Cory ReevesTKO (punches)IFC: Battleground TahoeJanuary 31, 200412:40 Lake Tahoe, Nevada, United States
Win3–1Carlos CorderoTKO (punches) WEC 7 August 9, 200312:57 Lemoore, California, United States
Win2–1Phat HoungSubmission (rear-naked choke)Pit Fighting ChampionshipJuly 16, 200311:10N/A
Win1–1Josh GardnerTKO (punches)Gladiator Challenge 14February 16, 200311:41 Porterville, California, United States
Loss0–1Sam WellsKO (punch) WEC 5: Halloween Havoc October 18, 200214:27 Lemoore, California, United States

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References

  1. "Gabe "Godzilla" Ruediger's Tapology Profile". tapology.com. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  2. "Gabe Ruediger | UFC". 14 September 2018.
  3. "Last post here for a while". mma.tv. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
  4. UFCDaily.com Exclusive Interview with Gabe Ruediger
  5. The Fight Network :: All fights, all the time :: Get it on!
  6. CSACs Garcia clears air about Ruediger Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ""TUF 5" vet Gabe Ruediger replaces Terry Etim, faces Joe Lauzon at UFC 118 | MMAjunkie.com". Archived from the original on 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  8. "RUEDIGER VS. KELLY SET FOR UFC 123". mmaweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  9. "Injured Gabe Ruediger out of UFC 123 prelim fight with Paul Kelly". mmajunkie.com. October 25, 2010. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010.
  10. "Gabe Ruediger vs. Paul Taylor Agreed For UFC 126 In Las Vegas". MMAWeekly.com. November 29, 2010.
  11. "Gabe Ruediger Released by the UFC, Contemplating Move to 145lbs". MMAWeekly.com. February 14, 2011.
Awards and achievementsVacant
Title last held by
Gilbert Melendez
2nd WEC Lightweight Champion
October 21, 2004 - March 17, 2006
Succeeded by