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“I’m not gonna let you get in your own way.” Ryan Spann wasn’t feeling the best during a session in his preparations to face Mario Pinto this weekend in Paris a few weeks back, and that was the response he got back from his strength and conditioning coach, Mike Scaccia. It’s a message Spann has heard in the past and one that hits the UFC heavyweight like a ton of bricks every time because for years, the only thing that has ever truly stopped Spann from being great has been the man in the mirror. Watch Every UFC Event On Paramount+ “It’s all about me, man,” he said with a smile on Tuesday afternoon. “It’s The Ryan Spann Show; it’s always been The Ryan Spann Show. You bring up LFA days, and I said all the way back then —matter of fact, we can go back even further to the Legacy days: I remember saying after a fight back then that ‘I’m the only one that can beat me,’ and that’s a true statement. “A big theme of what’s been going on for me this camp was not to let myself fall into the same grooves — and that’s what Scaccia alluded to when he said, ‘I’m not gonna let you get in your own way’ —and just to stay focused and stay locked in, and I feel like I’ve been able to do that.” Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Upgrade licenceThis video is not available in your country There was a problem while loading content. Please try again. That hasn’t always been the case. Standing six-foot-five with power in both hands and nasty grappling skills, it has never been a question of natural gifts or talent for Spann, who has both in abundance. On his way up the ranks and even through his first of two appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series, it was about trusting in those talents and doing everything necessary to put everything together in the moments that mattered the most, and there were a surprising number of times when that just didn’t happen. MORE UFC PARIS: Fight By Fight Preview | Fighters On The Rise | Donchenko Got His Wish | Soriano Happiest In The Background | Dan Hooker Back On The Grind | Get To Know Salahdine Parnasse For a moment, the Memphis-raised martial artist felt like he might end up being one of those guys you hear about or saw a few times on the regional circuit that everyone was certain would reach the highest levels of the sport and be a contender but never managed to find a way to make it happen. But after losing his initial Contender Series appearance, Spann earned three straight wins before blowing through Emiliano Sordi in 26 seconds during his second appearance in Las Vegas to secure a UFC contract. In his second appearance inside the Octagon, he knocked out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro, adding two more wins after that to put together a 4-0 start to his UFC career and an eight-fight winning streak overall. The breakout everyone anticipated seemed inevitable but never materialized. Spann went 4-5 over his next nine starts, showing occasional flashes of brilliance alongside a few disappointing efforts before deciding to move up to heavyweight. He lost his divisional debut against Waldo Cortes Acosta in part because he didn’t do the things he needed to do to give himself the best opportunity to win. He got in his own way. Since then, he’s been doing the work and has posted a pair of dynamic stoppage wins. READ: September's Must-See Matchups “It’s all been here; this whole time,” he said. “I’ve been knowing who I am and who I could be — God showed me a long time ago what I’m capable of, and it’s been on me to stay focused. If I can stay focused, I can get all the things that are unfathomable to the regular mind. God can bless us with unfathomable things, so I just want to stay focused and get what I can get, be a light to the world. I don’t really stress or pressure too much on this —I just really want to be able to get what God has for me.” For a long time, Spann didn’t believe he was deserving of the gifts and the opportunities God had bestowed upon him. “I struggle with that too,” he said. “That’s why it’s hard for me to take compliments sometimes.” Spann has continually worked to address and recognize struggles over the years, acknowledging some of what has hindered him in the past in post-fight interviews, and now, he makes sure to surround himself with a collection of people who not only want to see him shine, but know what it takes to keep him committed to the task at hand. “That’s easy —my people,” said Spann when asked what has kept him locked in. “They keep me locked in; they keep me focused. I thank God for the people that He’s put around me, in front of me, that help to uplift me. We don’t do this alone. Yeah, I get in there and fight by myself, but it’s a lot of work that goes into what we have to do. I feel like having everybody on the same goal, on the same path, going the same way, you become unstoppable, and that's what I feel like we’re on the verge of reaching. “We’re still not on the final form of The Ryan Spann Show yet.” UPCOMING UFC EVENT TICKETS: UFC Edmonton | UFC 332 | Noche UFC The final form may still be a work-in-progress, but over his last two outings, Spann has been mighty impressive. After putting in the work to prepare for his sophomore appearance in the heavyweight ranks, “Superman” quickly choked out fellow DWCS alum Lukasz Brzeski in the opening round at UFC 318. And then back in April, Spann stood in with Marcus Buchecha and starched him, scoring a walk-off knockout win two minutes into the second round while pocketing a Performance of the Night bonus for his efforts. Now, he’s set to step in with Pinto, who carries a 12-0 mark that includes three straight UFC victories into this preliminary card pairing on Saturday. When asked his thoughts on his 28-year-old foe, Spann simply shrugged his shoulders before reiterating that his focus is always on himself and that if he’s focused —as he is —he’s difficult to beat. What he did have a reaction to, however, was the question of how good it will feel to be the first to defeat Pinto, which prompted the Beaumont, Texas resident to flash his grill and let out a thunderous cackle that was probably heard back at home. While we initially agreed to let his immediate reaction stand as his only thoughts on the matter, Spann quickly course-corrected and explained his true feelings. DWCS: Week 4 Results + Scorecards | Contract Winner Interviews | Welcome To The UFC “Homie deserves my absolute attention,” he said of Pinto. “I can give you the big iced-out smile for beating somebody that’s undefeated because me, personally, I know what that means. There is a little bit of petty in me where if I’m not allowed to be undefeated for how good I am, nobody gets to be undefeated. “All due respect to him, I’ve gotta make him do something he’s never done, which is lose,” continued Spann. “I don’t know how everybody feels about that, but me personally, I know that I didn’t want mine to go when it left, and when it’s gone, you can’t get it back.” For the skilled and ascending Fortis MMA heavyweight, everything boils down to something truly simple that his brother tells him ahead of each of his fights. “‘You show God you’re thankful by having fun,’ so that’s all —I just gotta go have fun, and that’s the same with every fight,” said Spann. “The fights where I don’t have fun, I don’t do well, and that usually stems from even before getting in there.” He took another pensive beat before flashing his broad smile once more. “And I feel like we’re on track to have fun.” Don't Miss A Moment Of UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse, Live From Accor Arena In Paris, France On September 5, 2026. This event airs at a special time: prelims start at 12pm ET/9am PT, followed by the main card at 3pm ET/12pm PT. Stream the entire card live on Paramount+.