#898 - Bas Rutten & Mauro Ranallo

Bas Rutten, born Sebastiaan Rutten on February 24, 1965, in Tilburg , Netherlands , is a retired Dutch-American mixed martial artist, kickboxer, professional wrestler, actor , and commentator renowned for his pioneering contributions to MMA. As a fighter, he compiled a professional MMA record of 28 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw, finishing his career on a 22-fight unbeaten streak that included 21 victories. Rutten captured the UFC Heavyweight Championship in 1999 by defeating Kevin Randleman via split decision at UFC 20 and held the title until his retirement later that year. Prior to his UFC success, he became a three-time King of Pancrase World Champion in Japan , dominating the promotion with his striking prowess and finishing 14 of his 17 Pancrase bouts by knockout or submission. Rutten's early life was marked by challenges, including childhood asthma and bullying, which led him to discover martial arts as a teenager after watching Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon . At age 20, he began training in taekwondo, karate, and kickboxing while working as a bouncer and model in the Netherlands, quickly rising to become the number two ranked kickboxer in Europe with 14 first-round knockouts in 16 professional bouts. Transitioning to MMA in the early 1990s, he joined Pancrase in 1993, where his background in Muay Thai and grappling made him a standout, earning him the nickname "El Guapo" for his charismatic personality and good looks. Beyond the cage, Rutten has built a multifaceted career as a beloved UFC color commentator from 2006 to 2017, providing insightful analysis during events like UFC 129. He also ventured into acting, appearing in films such as Here Comes the Boom (2012) and The Smashing Machine (2025), and professional wrestling with promotions like Inoki Genome Federation . A taekwondo black belt and certified Muay Thai instructor, Rutten has authored instructional materials on self-defense and liver shots, influencing generations of fighters through his emphasis on technique and humor. Inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2018, his legacy endures as one of MMA's most entertaining and effective strikers, with 24 of his 28 MMA wins coming by knockout or submission. Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten was born on February 24, 1965, in Tilburg , Netherlands . As a child, Rutten suffered from severe health issues, including eczema that covered much of his body and asthma that left him frequently out of breath, conditions that persisted from infancy and worsened after the family moved to a rural village. His mother managed his eczema nightly by applying creams and bandaging his skin, a routine that highlighted the family's supportive yet challenging home environment. These health problems made Rutten a frequent target for bullying during his school years, where peers mocked him relentlessly, calling him a "leper" due to his visible skin condition and physical frailty. The constant harassment , combined with his small stature, contributed to deep personal insecurities that shaped his early worldview. To cope, Rutten developed solitary hobbies, spending hours climbing trees—where his agility helped him escape tormentors—and drawing birds, an activity that provided a creative outlet amid the isolation. In his early twenties, after moving out of his parents' home at age 21, Rutten attended culinary school for four years and took on his first significant job as a sous-chef in a restaurant , where he honed cooking skills by preparing meals for up to 42 people during busy shifts. This period also marked his initial encounters with violence outside school , including street fights that began around age 14, such as a confrontation with a prominent bully named Sjakie, whom he unexpectedly knocked out with a single punch shortly after beginning martial arts training. These experiences, stemming from ongoing insecurities, eventually prompted him to seek formal self-defense training.

Mauro Domenico Ranallo (born December 21, 1969) is a Canadian sports announcer, commentator and mental health advocate. He is currently signed as a play-by-play announcer with MMA organization Bellator, and also performs play-by-play duties for boxing broadcaster Showtime and professional wrestling promotion Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling (MLP). He is also known for his time with WWE on the NXT and SmackDown brands. He has experience in Canadian football, ice hockey, professional wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts events. Ranallo is also known for his work as a commentator for Pride FC and, more recently, Showtime for Elite XC, Strikeforce, Showtime Championship Boxing, New Japan Pro-Wrestling on AXS TV, and RIZIN broadcasts. He signed with WWE as the lead SmackDown announcer in January 2016, making his debut on the brand's premier on the USA Network. He also served as announcer for the WWE Cruiserweight Classic and became part of the NXT broadcast team on June 22, 2017. In 2015, Ranallo became the first sports broadcaster in history to call boxing, kickboxing, MMA and professional wrestling on U.S. national television.