Ed Ruth makes his welterweight debut at Bellator 201 on Friday, and has no worries about the weight cut. He just wants to show he’s a different kind of fighter.
Penn State Alum and wrestling standout ‘Easy’ Ed Ruth (5-0) returns to action this Friday at Bellator 201. Making his welterweight debut against Andy Murad, the undefeated prospect is looking to make a statement. And show, perhaps, that he’s ready for Bellator’s welterweight grand prix. Thus far, he’s made it all look easy, which is exactly how he got his fighting nickname. Ruth spoke to the media Wednesday and addressed that, and showing he’s a different kind of fighter ahead of Friday’s card in Temecula, California.
“It kind of came from my personality,” he said of the ‘Easy’ (or EZ) moniker. “A lot of my coaches and my managers, they saw me wrestle, and they’re like ‘man, you make things look easy, even though it’s really hard and difficult.'”
“I want people to see that this is actually a profession for me. I’m a technician.”
While ‘Easy’ may not be the most intimidating name, Ruth told Cageside Press that “I don’t like things to be harsh at all.”
“I feel like words kind of lie. If anything,” Ruth explained, “I want people to see me as a different type of fighter. I don’t want to be that guy that goes out there and he’s just a brute. I want people to see that this is actually a profession for me. I’m a technician. I don’t want to be a ‘oh I’m just going to go out there and be durable.’ I’m going to go out there and I’m going to fight, and show people that I know what I’m doing.”
Ruth, of course, has a solid wrestling background. Questioned about why that makes such a strong base to transition to MMA from, he pointed out that “one of the things about wrestling, it’s very close to MMA, with weight cuts and workouts and the mindset it takes with it.”
“I feel like a lot of wrestlers going up through college, you’re kind of already prepared for that, and you’re kind of already put on a schedule, and you kind of know what it takes to do what your body needs to be ready to fight, or ready to wrestle,” Ruth continued. “I feel like fighting and wrestling, they’re basically the same thing. You’ve got two people that are going into a cage, or a ring, or whatever, and there’s only one person that can win.”
As for his welterweight debut? No problem. “170 is more closer to my natural weight,” Ruth explained. “When I first went to college, my registry year I wrestled at 84. Then I dropped back down to 74, and I didn’t have any problem making weight there. Right now, I’m walking around at 185, 180. Right now I’m walking around at 180.” Though he can get as high as 190. “I spend a lot of time in the gym. I’m a big gym rat,” he added.
“I think one of the biggest problems that we have right now with the weight cutting is just the lack of discipline,” said Ruth. “A lot of times when guys step out of the ring, it’s just like okay, burgers and shakes. Until the next fight, and then you’ve got to cut down.”
“For me, if you’re doing this and you want to keeping doing it and you want to do it for a long time, then just be a little more disciplined about what you eat.”
Catch the full pre-fight press scrum with Ed Ruth above. Ruth meets Andy Murad on the preliminary card of Bellator 201 this Friday, June 29.
