Strikeforce Press Release
“A famous father means that in order to prove yourself you have to work three times harder than the guy off the street.” – Frank Sinatra, Jr.
Offspring following in the footsteps of their well-known parents is nothing new. Sometimes, the child ends up eclipsing their mother or father in stature, and sometimes they fall short. In the case of Frank Sinatra, Jr., it was the latter. His father was one of the most recognizable figures in music history, and is considered an American legend. Unfortunately, though Frank, Jr. followed his dad’s footsteps into the music world and carved out his own career, he simply was never able to reach the heights enjoyed by “Ol’ Blue Eyes.”
There are several fighters that can be considered a “legend” in the sport of MMA, but few command the respect of Randy “The Natural” Couture. A pioneer and one of the most revered fighters in the game, Couture has built a legacy in the sport. Now his son will attempt to succeed where others have failed. 27 year-old Ryan Couture makes no bones about knowing where he comes from. “I’d have to be a fool to think coming into this sport that others wouldn’t focus on who my father is. But I accepted that and embrace it. Truly, I couldn’t spend time talking about a better person. I’m pretty sure he would be my favorite fighter even if he wasn’t a blood relative.” Clearly, Ryan is ready to make a name for himself in the sport his father helped popularize.
Grappling came natural to Ryan, as he participated in wrestling in both junior high and high school. Eventually, he entered Western Washington University, where he got his degree in mathematics. Then, about four years ago, Ryan started training in jiu-jitsu. He also began to manage his father’s gym in Las Vegas, Nevada, and before long, he was studying MMA…and became hooked. An offer for an amateur fight came in, and Ryan took it. After compiling a 4-0-1 record, he’s now ready to make his professional debut, which will come this Friday in Phoenix, Arizona at STRIKEFORCE Challengers, live on SHOWTIME®. Couture will take on Lucas Stark in a bout that will be featured on the televised main card.
Randy Couture is known for his tremendous preparation for a fight, and this has not been lost on his son. “There are tough guys [at Xtreme Couture] everyday helping me get ready. Several of the amateur team members have been a big help, including some of our up-and-comers who are getting ready to turn pro, as well as Tyson Griffin and Steve Lopez. Tim Lane’s been helping me with my striking, getting me sharp, and my grappling coach, Neil Melanson, has been with me for several fights. My camp’s been great. I am ready.” Though he’s clearly focused on improving his all-around game, Ryan knows where his best chance of winning this weekend lies. “All of my wins have come via submission, so I’d have to go with that. But I feel like I’m pretty dangerous everywhere. My wrestling’s not where it should be yet, so there are a lot of guys that are going to beat me there. But with my submission game and decent striking, I feel like I make up for that.”
So, what should fight fans expect to see from Ryan this Friday night on SHOWTIME? “I’m planning on getting in there and mixing it up, and hopefully showing a variety of skills. I think Lucas will be looking to take me down, so I expect to be able to show my submissions. If it stays standing, I hope to utilize my length and hopefully score my first KO.” Still, despite his level-headed confidence, being the son of an MMA pioneer is not easy. Expectations are high for Ryan, being Randy’s son, and in addition, he’ll be making his pro debut on a televised STRIKEFORCE card. Does he feel that extra pressure? “Being who I am, I feel like I get a lot of extra attention, but the only extra pressure I feel is the kind that I put on myself from trying to perform to the level that I know I can. There are going to be very few people that have the kind of impact on the sport that my dad has, so thinking I will equal that would be unrealistic. So I’m just trying to do everything I can to make sure I perform to the best of my abilities. The rest will take care of itself.”
With that kind of mental approach, it appears Ryan Couture is well on his way to carrying on his father’s legacy while carving out his own career. And he’s not afraid to work hard enough to make it happen.