Ed Ratcliff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ed Ratcliff |
|
|---|---|
| Born | March 5, 1983 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Other names | 9 mm |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) |
| Division | Welterweight Lightweight |
| Reach | 71.5 in (182 cm) |
| Fighting out of | San Diego, California, United States |
| Team | Purebred Und1sputed Alliance MMA |
| Rank | Black Belt in Karate Black Belt in Taekwondo |
| Years active | 2005-2010 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 10 |
| Wins | 7 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Losses | 3 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 1 |
Edward Norris Ratcliff, born on March 5, 1983, is a retired American professional mixed martial artist. He competed from 2005 to 2010. During his career, he fought in a well-known organization called the WEC.
Early Life and Training
Ed Ratcliff grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He is African-American and also has Iroquois Native American family roots. Ed was raised by his single mother, Laceine, along with his sister. His mother was actually his first martial arts teacher!
When he was in elementary school, Ed started learning Taekwondo. He worked hard and eventually earned black belts in both Karate and Taekwondo. This shows how dedicated he was to martial arts from a young age.
At 17, in 2001, Ed tried out for a famous gym called The Lion's Den. This gym was run by the legendary fighter Ken Shamrock. Ed successfully made the team, which was a big step in his journey.
Becoming a Pro Fighter
Ed Ratcliff officially started his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2005. He quickly showed his talent, winning his first four fights without any losses. This amazing start caught the attention of the WEC.
The WEC was a major MMA organization. They signed Ed because of his impressive undefeated record. This meant he would now be fighting on a bigger stage against tougher opponents.
Fighting in the WEC
Ed made his debut in the WEC at an event called WEC 27. He faced Johnny Sampaio and won the fight in the second round. He won by TKO, which means "Technical Knockout." This happens when the referee stops the fight because one fighter can no longer defend themselves.
His next fight was against Alex Karalexis, another tough fighter. Ed won again by TKO, showing his powerful striking skills. However, at WEC 33, Ed faced Marcus Hicks. This was his first loss in the WEC and his first professional loss ever. He lost by "guillotine choke," which is a type of submission hold.
After his first loss, Ed bounced back strongly. He fought Phil Cardella at WEC 42 and won the fight by "unanimous decision." This means all the judges agreed that Ed won the fight.
Ed's last fight in the WEC was against the famous fighter Donald Cerrone at WEC 45 in December 2009. Ed lost this fight by submission. Even though he lost, this fight was so exciting that it won the "Fight of the Night" award.
Ed was supposed to fight Chris Horodecki in June 2010. But he had to pull out of the event at the last minute. The fight eventually happened later that year, at WEC 51 in September 2010. Ed lost this fight by "split decision," meaning the judges didn't all agree on who won.
After this fight, Ed Ratcliff was released from his contract in January 2011. He then retired from professional fighting.
Achievements
- World Extreme Cagefighting
- Fight of the Night (One time) against Donald Cerrone
