5 wrestlers who became UFC champions
The UFC houses some of the best mixed martial artists in the world. Be it judo, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu or karate, fighters have been able to dominate their opponents for years. While the generalist approach has worked for many fighters, where they rely on a mix of multiple martial arts, several specialists in the UFC have enjoyed huge success too.
Many fighters coming from wrestling backgrounds have earned big names for themselves in MMA. Some of them have even gone on to become UFC champions, using their superior wrestling skills to outclass their competition. While these athletes also knew how to strike, they were primarily wrestlers who toyed with their opponents on their way to UFC championships.
On that note, let's take a look at five such wrestlers who became UFC champions.
#5 Randy Couture
Randy Couture is one of the greatest MMA fighters ever who dominated the competition for nearly 15 years, riding on his wrestling prowess. He is a six-time UFC champion and the first of seven fighters to win titles in multiple weight classes in the UFC. 'The Natural' holds wins over legends like Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell.
Couture is a decorated wrestler who started training and competing in wrestling in middle school. By the time he reached high school in Washington, he had won a state championship in wrestling.
The UFC legend was a three-time Olympic team alternate and a semi-finalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials. An NCAA Division I All-American, Randy Couture has also won several Pan-American championships and world championships in Greco-Roman wrestling.
Randy Couture has the most championship fights in UFC history (15), and is also the oldest UFC fighter to win a championship. Couture has also served in the US Army as a Sergeant .and it was here that he got acquainted with the Greco-Roman style of wrestling.
He was honored by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Outstanding American for 2018. After having a child on the way, Couture realized that it was time to leave athletics behind and lead a regular life. However, after joining the US Army in 1982, he returned to the wrestling mat. The MMA legend said:
"Kind of figured wrestling and athletics were out. It was time to get busy taking care of a family, and living a regular life. Lo and behold ... I ended up back wrestling."
Watch 1990 Greco Trials Final Michial Foy v/s Randy Couture: