Ryan Spann gives C+ to KO win over Marcus Buchecha: 'I can do better'

LAS VEGAS – A KO and a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus are usually good indicators of a solid win in the UFC. However, despite checking those boxes, Ryan Spann wasn't too high on his latest win in the octagon.

Saturday, Spann (24-11 MMA, 10-6 UFC) stopped highly decorated grappler Marcus Buchecha (5-3-1 MMA, 0-2-1 UFC) on the main card of UFC Fight Night 274 at the Meta APEX. It was a nice finish that put Spann on a two-fight winning streak, the first time he has had back-to-back wins since 2022, and made him the first to put away Buchecha. Yet, despite all the positive, Spann can't bring himself to rate his performance higher than a C+.

"I feel I can do better," Spann told MMA Junkie at the UFC Fight Night 274 post-fight press conference. "I feel I can look better. I feel like I can look better at it, and that's what I intend to do, is to get better and grow. This version of Ryan Spann is going to be better, it is better than the last version, and the next version is going to eat my lunch and sleep with my wife."

Spann entered the fight as an underdog, as many thought it would be a mismatch for him. Spann thought that narrative was "cute."

"Sixteen-time jiu-jitsu world champion meets a 16-time UFC veteran. That's it," Spann said.

Spann was able to fend off Buchecha's submission and grappling attacks before getting the stoppage. He looked prepared to deal with the elite-level jiu-jitsu of the Brazilian.

"Nothing necessarily surprised me," Spann said. "I was cramping a little bit, so I kind of slowed down on the ground a little more. But the plan was to make him want to drag your shark to water. Yeah. And that's what I felt we was on the way to."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ryan Spann gives C+ to KO win over Marcus Buchecha: 'I can do better'