Taylorsville grad wrestles to world title

Taylorsville grad Ruiz earns gold at world championships

The moment seemed so surreal--standing atop the podium. The U.S. national anthem playing in the background in a foreign land only added to his unforgettable accomplishment.

For Taylorsville High graduate Brandon Ruiz, winning the 2011 Grappling World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, was the fulfillment of years of painstaking practice. Ruiz won the gold medal in the 110-kilogram (242 pounds) No-Gi division with a 3-0 decision over Sweden’s Mikael Knutsson. Ruiz had qualified by winning the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in Las Vegas in August.

“They were all very skilled, tough opponents,” Ruiz, 34, said. “By the time I got to the world championships, I felt comparative knowing what level to expect.”

The 1995 Warrior alum earned three decision victories and one submission at the world championships. Ruiz, who didn’t start wrestling until his sophomore year at Taylorsville, defeated Brazil’s Maicon Nunes 6-0 in the semifinals to advance to the finals. At nationals, he went 3-0, earning two victories by decision and one by submission to earn a spot on the world team.

Grappling, also known as submission wrestling, is gaining in popularity in the United States and across the world. Ruiz competed in two other world championships, but placed second both times in 2008 (Switzerland) and 2009 (Florida). He lost by decision both times.

“It’s like UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) without the punching and kicking,” Ruiz explained. “The end goal is to gain a submission. You can do all the illegal moves you can’t in other wrestling styles. You’re looking for chokes, arm locks and leg locks with the intention of hyperextending a joint to the point of submission. There’s more emphasis on mat wrestling.”

Grapplers compete in a single, five-minute period. If no submission occurs during that time, whoever is ahead on points is declared the winner of the match by decision.

Ruiz showed his mettle at nationals. His weight class included three grappling world team members, as well as a former Team USA member in freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines. Nonetheless, Ruiz outlasted them all, overcoming a 1-1 tie against Kelly Anundson late in their finals match with a leg attack takedown for a 2-1 lead. He scored four more points on the mat and prevailed 6-1. Earlier, Ruiz submitted Gabe Barahona in the semifinals.

During his prep career, Ruiz placed twice at state for Taylorsville in the 189-pound division and won a pair of Greco-Roman championships. He walked on to the wrestling team at Brigham Young University and gradually earned himself a scholarship. He graduated from BYU in 2003 after returning from a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Ruiz’s family is no stranger to the mat. His younger brother, Justin, was a 2005 world bronze medalist in Greco-Roman for the U.S. and the top-ranked 96 kg in the nation.

Ruiz and his wife, Brynne, live in West Jordan with their three children. The couple is expecting another child early next year. Ruiz, who works in landscape architecture design, said he is grateful for the support of his family in his grappling career.