Ryo Chonan

is a Japanese retired professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2001 to 2013, Chonan competed for the UFC, PRIDE, DEEP, DREAM, Pancrase, and World Victory Road. Chonan is the former DEEP Middleweight Champion and the former DEEP Welterweight Champion.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career Chonan's roots are in Kyokushin, which he began in high school before later moving to Thailand to train. Chonan officially began his professional mixed martial arts career in 2001, losing his first fight in Pancrase – Neo Blood Tournament. He then went on to fight in DEEP, going 6–2 in the organization including a TKO win against Hayato Sakurai.

Chonan fought in PRIDE Bushido 3 as a representative of Team Japan, losing a decision to Ricardo Almeida. Then at PRIDE Bushido 5 he went on to defeat Carlos Newton via unanimous decision.

Chonan's next win was against future UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva at PRIDE: Shockwave 2004, where he executed a spectacular flying scissor-lock takedown, followed quickly by a heel-hook submission.

Chonan returned in DEEP defeating Roan Carneiro via TKO at 18th Impact.

He won his fight at PRIDE Bushido 7 against Nino Schembri via unanimous decision. His next fight was a KO loss against Phil Baroni at PRIDE Bushido 8. He also lost his next fight against future teammate Dan Henderson via KO at the opening seconds of the bout at PRIDE Bushido 9.

He returned at DEEP: 23 Impact to defeat Ryuta Sakurai by TKO to become the DEEP Middleweight Champion.

In the 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix, Chonan suffered a broken orbital bone at the end of his match against Joey Villasenor caused by a stomp but was able to continue in the tournament. In his next match of the tournament, against Paulo Filho, Chonan was submitted by armbar early in the first round.

In February 2007, Chonan returned to DEEP and defeated former DEEP Middleweight Champion Ryuta Sakurai to retain the Middleweight Championship.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Ryo Chonan made his UFC debut against Karo Parisyan on November 17, 2007, at UFC 78 which Chonan lost via unanimous decision after three rounds.

Chonan then defeated Roan Carneiro in their rematch via split decision on September 6, 2008, at UFC 88.

Chonan was also defeated in his next fight on December 27, 2008, by Brad Blackburn. Blackburn controlled the first two rounds before Chonan was significantly more dominant in the third round. He was unable to finish the fight by T/KO or submission and lost by unanimous decision, 2 rounds to 1.

Chonan is currently a part of the Team Quest, along with former PRIDE Fighting Championships Middleweight and Welterweight Champion Dan Henderson, Matt Lindland, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.

Ryo Chonan was subsequently released from the UFC following a controversial split decision loss to T. J. Grant.

Return to Japan He won his fight at DEEP : 43 Impact against Jutaro Nakao by unanimous decision.

Chonan made his DREAM debut at DREAM 13 defeating Andrews Nakahara by unanimous decision.

He then made his World Victory Road debut at Soul of Fight on December 30, 2010. Chonan was originally scheduled to face Dan Hornbuckle, but illness forced Hornbuckle off the card and he was replaced by Taisuke Okuno. Chonan lost the fight via KO in the first round.

Chonan returned at DEEP: 54 Impact on June 24, 2011, against Iwase Shigetoshi. Chonan won the fight by knockout.

On October 29, Chonan defeated Naoki Samukawa by unanimous decision.

Chonan returned at Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011 where he faced Hayato Sakurai. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

On October 20, 2013, Chonan fought Dan Hornbuckle in his retirement fight. He won the fight by unanimous decision and retired as DEEP Welterweight Champion.

Championships and accomplishments DEEP DEEP Middleweight Championship (One time) One successful title defense DEEP Welterweight Championship (One time) Sherdog 2004 Submission of the Year- vs. Anderson Silva on December 31 Sports Illustrated 2000s Best Submission of the Decade- vs. Anderson Silva on December 31, 2004 2000s One Hit Wonder MMA Fighting 2004 Middleweight Fighter of the Year 2004 Submission of the Year- vs. Anderson Silva on December 31

Mixed martial arts record Win

Dan Hornbuckle Decision (unanimous) DEEP: Tribe Tokyo Fight

Tokyo, Japan Won the DEEP Welterweight Championship. Win

Seichi Ikemoto Decision (unanimous) DEEP: Osaka Impact 2013

Osaka, Japan Loss

Hayato Sakurai Decision (unanimous) Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011

Saitama, Japan Win

Naoki Samukawa Decision (unanimous) Deep: Cage Impact 2011 in Tokyo, 2nd Round

Tokyo, Japan Win

Shigetoshi Iwase KO (punch) Deep: 54 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Taisuke Okuno KO (punch) World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight

Tokyo, Japan Win

Jun Hee Moon TKO (punches) Deep: 50 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Jung Hwan Cha KO (punches) Astra

Yokohama, Japan Win

Andrews Nakahara Decision (unanimous) DREAM 13

Yokohama, Japan Win

Jutaro Nakao Decision (unanimous) Deep: 43 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

T. J. Grant Decision (split) UFC 97

Montreal, Quebec, Canada Loss

Brad Blackburn Decision (unanimous) UFC 92

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Roan Carneiro Decision (split) UFC 88

Atlanta, Georgia, United States Loss

Karo Parisyan Decision (unanimous) UFC 78

Newark, New Jersey, United States Vacated DEEP Middleweight Championship. Win

Seo Do Wong TKO (strikes) DEEP: DEEP in Yamagata

Yamagata, Japan Drops to Welterweight. Win

Ryuta Sakurai Decision (majority) DEEP: 28 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Defended DEEP Middleweight Championship. Loss

Paulo Filho Submission (armbar) PRIDE: Bushido 12

Nagoya, Japan PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal. Win

Joey Villaseñor Decision (split) PRIDE: Bushido 11

Saitama, Japan PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Opening Round. Win

Ryuta Sakurai TKO (doctor stoppage) DEEP: 23 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Won DEEP Middleweight Championship. Doctor stoppage due to cut. Loss

Dan Henderson KO (punch) PRIDE: Bushido 9

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Phil Baroni KO (punch) PRIDE: Bushido 8

Nagoya, Japan Win

Nino Schembri Decision (unanimous) PRIDE: Bushido 7

Tokyo, Japan Win

Roan Carneiro TKO (doctor stoppage) DEEP: 18th Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Anderson Silva Submission (flying scissor heel hook) PRIDE Shockwave 2004

Saitama, Japan MMAFighting Submission of The Year (2004). Win

Carlos Newton Decision (unanimous) PRIDE Bushido 5

Osaka, Japan Loss

Ricardo Almeida Decision (unanimous) PRIDE Bushido 3

Yokohama, Japan Win

Daijiro Matsui Decision (majority) DEEP: 13th Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Hayato Sakurai TKO (doctor stoppage) DEEP: 12th Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Yuji Hisamatsu Decision (majority) DEEP: 11th Impact

Osaka, Japan Loss

Masanori Suda Decision (split) DEEP: 7th Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Katsumi Usuta TKO (strikes) DEEP: 6th Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Eiji Ishikawa Decision (majority) DEEP: 5th Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kenji Akiyama TKO (submission to punches) DEEP: 4th Impact

Nagoya, Japan Win

Takaku Fuke Decision (unanimous) DEEP: 3rd Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Hikaru Sato Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: 2001 Neo-Blood Tournament Eliminations

Japan