Riad Salomão Ribeiro de Andrade, commonly known as Riad Ribeiro, is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist who competed in the heavyweight division. Known for his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background, he briefly fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the early 2000s.
Early Career and Background Riad Ribeiro began his professional mixed martial arts career in Brazil, quickly establishing himself as a formidable grappler. He trained with the renowned Brazilian Top Team, a prominent MMA camp. A significant early career highlight came on February 17, 2001, when Ribeiro secured a victory over a then-up-and-coming Fabricio Werdum via armbar submission at the Millennium Battle event in Brazil. Werdum would later go on to become a UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Ribeiro made his UFC debut at UFC 33 on September 28, 2001. He faced Russian fighter Roman Zentsov, whom he defeated by armbar submission in the first round.
His second and final UFC appearance was at UFC 34 on November 2, 2001, where he faced future UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir. Ribeiro lost the bout via armbar submission in the first round.
Post-UFC Career Following his departure from the UFC, Ribeiro continued to compete in regional promotions in Brazil. He recorded two more victories, both by submission, in 2002 and 2004, before retiring from professional competition.
Fighting Style Ribeiro's fighting style was predominantly based on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, utilizing his grappling skills to take opponents to the ground and seek submissions. All five of his professional victories came by way of submission, primarily armbars.
Professional Mixed Martial Arts Record
- Total Fights: 6
- Wins: 5
- By Submission: 5
- Losses: 1
- By Submission: 1