Ricardo Lamas
Active 2013–present · rated in 2 editions · peak overall 82.0
Scouting report
A Division III All-American wrestler at Elmhurst College, Ricardo "The Bully" Lamas earned a shot at the UFC Featherweight Championship. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Lamas beat Charles Oliveira, Cub Swanson, and Dennis Bermudez with top pressure and a guillotine choke. His grappling is reflected in an 84 Wrestling and 84 BJJ rating.
Peak ratings
By edition
Lamas challenged Jose Aldo for the featherweight title at UFC 169 in February 2014, losing a decision, then beat Hacran Dias and submitted Dennis Bermudez via guillotine choke in Mexico City. His wrestling base, ground-and-pound, and submission threats are reflected in an 84 Wrestling and 80 Boxing score.
In July 2017 Lamas stopped Jason Knight with first-round punches at UFC 214 in Anaheim, then lost by first-round knockout to Josh Emmett in Winnipeg in December. His wrestling entries, front-choke threats, and durability against ranked opposition anchor his 84 Wrestling and 82 Durability across these matchups.
Ricardo Lamas, the Elmhurst wrestler with a guillotine
Ricardo Lamas was a Division III All-American wrestler at Elmhurst College and was born in Chicago and grew up in Illinois. He earned a featherweight title shot against Jose Aldo in 2014 with top pressure and grappling, after beating Cub Swanson in 2011, and he later submitted Dennis Bermudez and Charles Oliveira with guillotine chokes. Lamas was known as a steady, grinding fighter who rarely made a mistake. He is a solid pick for a well-rounded team.
Lamas across his eight ratings
Boxing. Solid. He can stand and trade but usually mixes in wrestling.
Kickboxing. The same as his boxing. Adequate and not his main weapon.
Wrestling. One of his top numbers. Steady takedowns and heavy top pressure.
BJJ. Equal to his wrestling. The guillotine choke is his best finisher.
Strength. The lowest number. He wins through technique, not force.
Durability. Good. He absorbed strikes and kept moving forward.
Cardio. His best rating. He kept a strong pace and often finished stronger.
Fight IQ. Good. He is smart about when to wrestle and when to strike.
Cardio at 86 fuels his pressure
His endurance is the top number, which suits the way he fights. He grinds with pressure, then adds a takedown or a guillotine attempt as the other fighter slows. Wrestling and BJJ at 84 make that plan credible, and a long fight tends to favor him.
Strength is the ceiling
At 78, Strength is the lowest number, though it is not a large gap. He does not carry knockout power and can be outmuscled by bigger opponents. Support him with a fighter who can hurt people at range.
Keep exploring
Closest featherweight profiles to Ricardo Lamas, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Kenny Florianbest bjj 86 · weakest strength 74
- Dustin Poirierbest cardio 86 · weakest wrestling 75
- Mirsad Bekticbest wrestling 86 · weakest kickboxing 76
- Dan Igebest durability 88 · weakest bjj 78
- Featherweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Ricardo Lamas's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Ricardo Lamas into your build
Ricardo Lamas enters the pool on any spin landing on featherweight between 2014 and 2017. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Ricardo Lamas is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Ricardo Lamas's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.