This weekend's UFC 239: Jones vs Santos card features Ben Askren, a guy obviously very familiar to fans of combat sports. Ben wrestled for Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Games, finishing in a respectable seventh place. Shortly after the Olympics Ben made the transition to MMA and thus far has performed magnificently, going undefeated in 20 fights (1 no-contest). Finally in the biggest MMA promotion, a win this weekend will position Ben nicely to make a major run at the UFC welterweight title, and it won't be long before fans start pondering where he stacks up compared to other fighters who were once Olympic wrestlers. Here we will attempt to answer that question.
Keep in mind, there have been many world-class wrestlers who inconspicuously entered MMA over the years, but to be considered on this list the wrestler must have at least five pro fights and/or been fighting for five years or more. This removes guys like Mark Schultz, Kenny Monday, and a host of other greats from consideration but remember, this is a list of Olympic wrestlers who were most successful in MMA, not wresting. This also excludes newer, up and coming, Olympic wrestling converts from consideration but do not fear, they will be covered in a future list. On to the list …
Honorable Mention
Heath Sims
Antoine Jaoude
Katsuhiko Nagata
Kevin Jackson
Steve Mocco
Arjan Bhullar10. Arjan Bhullar
2009 Canadian Wrestler of the Year, two-time NAIA national champion, and 2012 Olympian, heavyweight Arjan Bhullar came to MMA in 2014 after an extensive senior-level freestyle wrestling career that goes back to 2006. Leaving wrestling with a respectable medal collection that included bronze at University Worlds and Pan American Games, and gold at the Commonwealth Games, Bhullar had his eyes on a UFC contract from the beginning.
The Indian-Canadian wrestler reached the UFC after winning his first 6 fights convincingly, also going on to win his UFC debut. He then suffered his first defeat before winning his next two UFC fights and is now a free agent. Considering his stellar conditioning, work ethic, and the fact that he's still learning how to fight, it wouldn't surprise me to see him re-sign with the world's top MMA promotion.
9. Alexis Vila
Beginning with his defection from his native Cuba in 1997 and continuing in the USA with struggles that included a three-year prison sentence, this two-time freestyle world champ, world silver medalist, and Olympic bronze medalist had to traverse a long, difficult road before he even began his MMA career in 2007. Despite being arguably the most decorated wrestler on this entire list, Vila entered MMA a bit too late to enjoy any real prolonged success at the highest levels of this tough sport. Having said that, he did leave his mark.
He hit the ground running, winning his first 10 fights against solid but unspectacular opposition, which led him to the biggest fight of his career and probably his crowning achievement. Matched up with Bellator MMA champ and fellow wrestling world champ Joe Warren in his Bellator debut, Vila knocked the Greco specialist clean out, signaling his arrival as a force in the 135-pound MMA scene. Unfortunately, after winning his next fight the wheels began to fall off a bit. Vila would still impress with flashes of physical brilliance but became wildly inconsistent, going 4 and 7 for the remainder of his career. He became the head coach of American Top Team Kendall, but was recently charged with second degree murder in an ugly murder-for-hire case.
8. Kazuyuki Miyata
Japanese fans and MMA promotions have always had a reverence for the Olympic athlete. Strangely, they choose to show this reverence by matching up their Olympic heroes with their most dangerous fighters right out of the gate. This was the case with Miyata, a Japanese collegiate champ, All-Japan national champ, and 63-kilo Olympian at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Miyata's first fight, although in Hawaii and not Japan, was against a member of MMA's first family, Royler Gracie. Miyata, aka Little Hercules, held his own before being choked out in the second round. Miyata's second fight would take him back home to Japan's K-1 Hero's promotion, which was at the time home to some of the world's best fighters. Facing a murder's row of top fighters for the next 3 years, he fought valiantly, going 5-6 against world-class opponents before taking a year off in 2008, switching promotions, and changing up his training. He emerged from his sabbatical a much better fighter and won 11 of his last 13 fights. He still fights in Japan, having last stepped in the ring on New Year's Eve 2018 where he defeated fellow Japanese wrestling standout Asen Yamamoto.
7. Matt Lindland
The Rodney Dangerfield of MMA-Wrestling pioneers, Lindland doesn't get nearly the amount of respect he deserves. Beginning his MMA exploits long before exiting the world scene in amateur wrestling, Lindland is unique in that he simultaneously competed in both sports at the highest levels. And the most impressive part of this is, Lindland did his best wrestling after starting his MMA career. Lindland, aka the Law, enjoyed a brilliant wrestling career. His collegiate career, which was equal parts impressive, strange, and successful led him to international Greco-Roman wrestling where he won back-to-back silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Games at 76 kilos and the 2001 World Championships at 85 kilos. He continued to compete domestically but ultimately gravitated towards MMA as a fighter, coach, and gym owner.
As a fighter, Lindland accomplished an absolutely stellar career that remains woefully underappreciated. He won his first seven fights against really tough guys before losing in his first and only UFC title shot. From beginning to end, Lindland fought the toughest guys out there. He beat most of them and suffered a few losses that probably could have easily been wins (see his Fedor Emelianenko fight). He became very capable striker and submission fighter all while retaining his relentless, grinding style of wrestling. He retired from MMA in 2011 to focus on coaching, currently serving as USA Wrestling's Greco-Roman national coach.
6. Mark Coleman
Some may be surprised to see "The Hammer" this far down the list considering he is a pioneer and living legend. However, that is a reflection on the outstanding quality of the converted wrestlers that came after him and not a condemnation of the man's skills or accomplishments. On the contrary, Coleman accomplished all that a fighter could hope for in the MMA realm. He came to MMA just a couple of years after a wrestling career which saw him win an NCAA Division I title, world silver medal and a spot on the 1992 Olympic Team at the Barcelona Games.
An imposing, intimidating figure to be locked in a cage with, Coleman's foes were intimidated by his physique at least as much as his decorated background. And they had every reason to be, as Coleman ripped through six extremely good fighters on his way to winning two UFC tournaments and becoming the UFC's first-ever heavyweight champion. Four shocking losses followed his initial success and he found his way to Japan where he totally resurrected his career in Pride Fighting Championship, winning Pride's first ever openweight grand prix. Mark fought the toughest guys out there until the very end, going 5-6 before retiring in 2010. He is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and still very much connected to the MMA scene.
5. Ben Askren
Seen as a huge coup for the MMA world when he signed his first pro MMA contract just a few months after wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, "Funky" Ben Askren was a huge MMA prospect. The expectations were justified, seeing as how Ben was a two-time NCAA Division I champ (four-time NCAA finalist), two-time Hodge Trophy winner, and Olympian who undoubtedly had more wrestling left in him when he stepped away from the mat.
After three first-round finishes on the regional MMA scene, Askren signed with the emerging Bellator MMA, a promotion then on its way to becoming an industry leader. Though seen as the MMA B league at the time, Bellator matched Askren up with definite A level talent for the duration of his time with the promotion. After an undefeated nine-fight stretch that saw him become welterweight champ, Askren left Bellator for Asia's One Fighting Championships when a UFC offer did not materialize. Fighting seven times with One FC, Askren had a close call or two (see the Luis Santos fight) but remained undefeated before briefly retiring in 2017. Some moving and shaking occurred behind the scenes and miraculously, Askren found his way into the UFC at last. Now after an impressive but controversial debut win over the incomparable Robbie Lawler, Askren is closing in on MMA immortality. Should he succeed in capturing a UFC title (perhaps even two), he would most definitely move up a few spots on this list.
Yoel Romero4. Yoel Romero
MMA's own human highlight reel, Romero sits this high up on the list despite not owning any major MMA titles mainly because of the manner in which he has dispatched several former UFC champions, but also because of the potential he still holds. While wrestling for Cuba, the "Soldier of God" experienced great success and fantastic longevity, winning a world title, two silvers, two bronzes and an Olympic silver in Sydney over a decade plus. One day, while contemplating his humble living conditions, Romero made the decision to defect from Cuba, which he did after wrestling in, and winning, a German Grand Prix event.
Romero won four easy fights impressively while living in Europe before relocating to the United States and signing with the very solid Strikeforce MMA promotion. Despite losing his debut fighting as an undersized light-heavyweight against a far more experienced foe, Romero was given another chance when Strikeforce was absorbed by the UFC. What has followed in the 11 fights since has been a beautiful, violent, impressive, slightly enigmatic run in the UFC middleweight division. Winning seven post-fight bonuses, destroying three former UFC champions, and coming painfully close to snatching the title, Romero is never far from another title shot. He is scheduled to fight next on Aug. 17 at UFC 241 against the young and dangerous Paulo Costa.
3. Henry Cejudo
Cejudo is another guy who walked away from wrestling with a whole lot of potential on the table. A decorated high school wrestler, the great success he experienced wrestling in the Olympic styles at the USA Wrestling Junior/Cadet Championships, aka Fargo, Henry eschewed collegiate wrestling to focus on freestyle and the Olympics. Winning the U.S. Open while still in high school, an Olympic gold medal followed shortly after in 2008. Cejudo kind of went off the grid for a while after this, emerging in 2011 to make another Olympic run. It didn't pan out, and he was fighting his first pro MMA fight less than a year after losing at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials.
Cejudo's somewhat erratic, slightly unfocused behavior at play during the final years of his wrestling career certainly carried over to the beginning of his MMA run. He missed weight a few times, turned down a fight with Stephen Abas, and had some dramatic ring entrances, all of which caused many to wonder if he'd ever realize his vast potential. But one or two fights into his UFC career, Cejudo's focus and immense skills were evident. He improved with every fight, and was fighting for the UFC flyweight title just three years into his MMA career. A very tough loss caused him to buckle down, re-focus, and improve. He emerged from this a much better fighter, eventually earning and winning a rematch with still-champion Demetrious Johnson. Since becoming flyweight champ Henry has looked incredible. He ran through the then-bantamweight UFC champ who came down in weight to fight him, before moving up in weight himself and fighting for his second UFC belt. A legendary fight and amazing performance saw Henry win and now stands as one of only a handful of 2-weight UFC champs.
Daniel Cormier at a press conference before his fight against Stipe Miocic on July 7, 20182. Daniel Cormier
Always a model of hard work and consistency, the man known as DC has enjoyed 2 lengthy careers excelling at both wrestling and MMA. After a stellar collegiate wrestling run that produced two NJCAA titles and an appearance in the NCAA Division I finals against Cael Sanderson, Cormier went on to secure a stranglehold on the USA's 96-kilo weight class. For six straight years he was the USA representative at his weight for the Worlds and two Olympics. Though he won a world bronze medal, a Pan American Games gold, gold at the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial, and placed fourth at the Olympics, DC came away from wrestling disappointed. Missing weight and failing to compete at the 2008 games, DC came to MMA with purpose. He wanted….needed to become world champ.
The man was a bit of a natural. His powerful wrestling style translated beautifully to the cage and he had a natural affinity for punching guys really hard. Debuting in Strikeforce MMA in 2009, DC faced stiffer and stiffer competition, impressing every time he entered the cage, and in 2015, he got his first crack at the undisputed world number one spot at 205 pounds. Though he came up short not once but twice in his efforts to beat Jon Jones, controversy and DC's subsequent legendary performances aid in creating the current perception that Daniel Cormier is one of the greatest fighters of all time. Capturing and defending the 205-pound belt in Jones' absence, DC moved up to heavyweight where he has won and defended that title as well. His next fight is a rematch with fellow Division I wrestler and the man he took the belt from, Stipe Miocic.
Dan Henderson1. Dan Henderson
The man, the myth, the living legend, "Hendo" has had quite the combat sports career. Reaching his first Olympics in 1992 a few weeks shy of his 22nd birthday, the Greco-Roman specialist spent the majority of the 1990's as Team USA's top 82/85-kilo wrestler. Decorated as he was, a Junior world champion, two-time Olympian, two-time world team member, Pan American Championships gold medalist, Henderson was even more successful in MMA if you can believe that.
One of the very few fighters to be considered a pioneer and a modern great, Henderson, along with his buddy Matt Lindland, began fighting in 1997 with the intention of earning money to fund his wrestling. Hendo impressed immediately with his wrestling, toughness and grit. He had an uncanny ability to avoid submissions and navigate larger opponents. Then, about 4-5 years into his career, Henderson came out of nowhere and began unleashing what would later become known as the "H Bomb." His vicious right hand became the stuff of legend and he scored a ton of highlight reel knockouts over the years. Starting with the Brazil Open and the UFC 17 Middleweight tournament, Hendo won titles in every MMA promotion he was ever part of, including two separate titles in Japan's Pride Fighting Championship. Henderson amassed an incredible resume and vast highlight reel over the course of his 47-fight, 20-year MMA career, and it ended the way it should have, with Hendo clobbering Michael Bisping for 25 minutes before narrowly losing a fight of the year caliber championship bout. Torch passed, legacy secure.
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