Saiyan (gamer)

Ryan Danford (born October 20, 1985) is a former professional American Halo player known by the handle Saiyan. He is currently retired from professional gaming.

Saiyan
Personal information
NameRyan Danford
BornOctober 20, 1985
North Carolina
NationalityUnited States
Career information
GamesHalo 2
Gears of War
Playing career2004–present
Team history
2004–2006StK/Team 3D/Final Boss
Make It Rain
The Raincallers

Background

Danford is from Cary, North Carolina.[1] He attended West Cary Middle School where he made the 'A' Honor Roll.[2] After graduation from high school, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[3] However, he took a year off in 2006 to focus on gaming.[3] Danford noted, "It's hard to keep your grades up at a top university and play on a top team."[3]

Career

Danford began competing professionally in 2004.[1] That year, he played Halo 2, a game of inter-galactic war, with Team StK.[4][3]

In 2005, he played with Team 3D which ended the season as the number one ranked Halo 2 team.[3] His cash winnings for the season were approximately $40,000.[3] He also received the 2005 Pro's Choice Awards.

In June 2006, Danford signed a three-year contract with Major League Gaming (MLG).[5] He became a member of the MLG 4-on-4 team Final Boss, and was he was voted Best Support Player and Most Unpredictable Player for the 2006 MLG Pro's Choice Awards r[6][7] Danford was also played on seven episodes of the Boost Mobile MLG Pro Circuit show on USA Network in 2006.[1][8][3]

Despite his contract with Major League Gaming, Danford filed for free agency after the end of the 2006 season.[5]

Gaming reputation

Major League Gaming on Danford's ability:[9]

One of the true veterans of the league, Saiyan has been a force in Major League Gaming's upper echelon since its onset. Saiyan joined Final Boss' powerful squad at the start of the 2005 season, and has been an instrumental key to their success. A perfectionist at heart, Saiyan is never satisfied with mere victory. He is consumed by thoughts of how plays could have been performed better, faster, and more effectively. While exceptionally self-critical, it is his strive for superlative excellence that motivates Saiyan and keeps him at the peak of competition. Perhaps the most humble player in the league, Saiyan's low-key personality permeates his gameplay. Occupying Final Boss' supporting role, Saiyan is entirely focused on aiding his teammates and spurring the team toward victory. With incredible reflexes and a watchful eye on his teammates' screens, Saiyan provides assistance before his allies have time to ask. While he does little to bring attention to himself, his superb teamwork and selfless gameplay cannot be overlooked.

MLG Competitions

2006: Team Final Boss
Halo 2 Gears of War
Event Open FFA
New York Top 128
Dallas Top 32
Anaheim --
Chicago --
Orlando --
NY Playoffs --
Las Vegas National CC --
Team Final Boss
Event Place Team Teammates
Las Vegas 5th Team Saiyan Greg Gollin, Joe Naves, Devon Byford
[10]

2005: Team 3D, Halo 2
Event Championship FFA
Washington, D.C., USA 4th
San Francisco, California, USA Top 32
Houston, Texas, USA Top 32
Orlando, Florida, USA Top 16
St. Louis, Missouri, USA Top 16
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Top 128
Los Vegas, Nevada, USA --
Nashville, Tennessee, USA --
Seattle, Washington, USA --
LA Western CC 24th
Atlanta Eastern CC 15th
Chicago Central CC 26th
New York National Championship --

References
  1. "Saiyan on USA Network". Archived from the original on 2006-12-17.
  2. "Honor Roll, West Cary Middle". The News and Observer. September 11, 1998. p. 8F. Retrieved January 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Slayden, Tanner (April 23, 2006). "Middle School Student is Major League Gamer". The Chapel Hill News. p. 9. Retrieved January 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Official Pro Website without free MLG tournament Footage
  5. Final Boss Changes Roster
  6. 2006 Halo Pro's Choice Awards 1 Archived 2007-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
  7. 2006 Halo Pro's Choice Awards 2
  8. "Boost Mobile Major League Gaming Pro Circuit". IMBd. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  9. "Pro Player – Saiyan | News | Major League Gaming". www.majorleaguegaming.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-17.
  10. "GoW Tournament Standings". Archived from the original on August 4, 2003. Retrieved 2018-01-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)


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