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From Ronda Rousey to Daniel Cormier: Olympians who got new lease of life with MMA

Like Salman Khan’s Sultan on screen, several other Olympians turned to MMA for a fresh lease of life

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Coming once every four years, the Olympics is a rare sporting spectacle. An honour that athletes train and struggle for and give entire lives to. But not everybody stands on the winners’ podiums. For the rest, it’s a life of relative anonymity. Even winners eventually get relegated to the pages of history. It’s a cruel world, yes. One, we imagine, Sultan, played by Salman Khan in the film of the same name is all too familiar with, going by the film’s trailers. By the looks of it, he was an Olympic  gold medallist wrestler who falls on bad times. It takes a friend, played by Amit Sadh, to recommend him for the other sporting spectacle du jour — the one you’ll probably never see being a part of the Olympics, thanks to its bloodsport-y nature — MMA or mixed martial arts. It’s an unforgiving sport, but one that reaps huge benefits, if the athlete has the right team and the drive to win. Something Sultan finds out and gets a new lease of life from. But, by no means, is this a new thing. Over the years, several Olympians have made their way to what is known as the cage or the Octagon for gladiatorial matches that could end either in injury or shame, but one that can quite easily be avenged far sooner than the Olympics. Over the years, several MMA tournaments sprung up, but none as prominent as those in the US, UK and Japan and none as popular as the UFC, globally. Anyway,  Olympian athletes from various disciplines found their way to tournaments everywhere. Here’s looking at the best-known names, over the years...

Ronda Rousey

If you don’t know ‘Rowdy’, you probably don’t watch MMA or action movies. Until recently, she was undefeated in MMA and the first UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Known for her effective armbars, what is lesser known about her is that she’s a 2008 US Olympic bronze medalist in judo and the first woman in US Olympic history to win one. Her one and only loss so far, came via a bout with former boxer Holy Holms. Rousey has also appeared in blockbuster action films like Fast & Furious 7 and The Expendables 3 as well.

Randy Couture

A 1988, 1992, and 1996 US Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team alternate, Randy “The Natural” Couture is also a three-time UFC World Heavyweight champion, Aormer two-time UFC World Light Heavyweight champion and a UFC Hall of Famer, now retired.  His UFC run finally stands at 19-11-0 (Wins-Losses-Draws). He’s an action star, too!

Daniel Cormier

The UFC Light Heavyweight champion is the big draw at the upcoming UFC 200 opposite long-time opponent Jon Jones. But before his dizzying rise to MMA fame, DC placed fourth in freestyle wrestling in the 2004 Olympics for the USA, also participating in the 2008 Olympics. His current W-L-D record with the UFC stands at 17-1-0. The former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champ debuted opposite UFC division champ Frank Mir.  

Dan Henderson 

A 1992 and 1996 US Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team member, Dan Henderson is easily one of the greatest MMA fighters of all-time. At UFC 17, Henderson earned his first and second victories inside the Octagon to be crowned the middleweight tournament winner. From there, Henderson had a successful stint in RINGS and won the PRIDE welterweight and middleweight championship belts. Henderson returned to the UFC in unsuccessful attempts for the UFC light heavyweight and middleweight titles, which he followed up with three Octagon wins. Still a feared contender after all these years. He won his last fight convincingly.

Henry Cejudo

The US freestyle wrestler won gold for the US in 2008, becoming the youngest American to do so. And since turning pro in 2013, has notched up a 10-1-0( W-L-D ) record at UFC. Currently #2 in the flyweight division.

Sara McMann

McMann won a silver in for the US in the 2004 Olympics for Freestyle wrestling. Making her debut at UFC 159, she eventually landed a title shot against the former UFC bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey at UFC 170. Of course, rampaging Ronda  handed her a loss at the time. Her UFC record is currently 9-3-0.

Yoel Romero

Another relatively new entry to the UFC, this 2004 Cuban Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling, had a strong UFC debut. With only one career loss in the Strikeforce cage, this contender in the UFC’s middleweight division, called “Soldier of God” his UFC record is 11-1-0.

Matt Lindland 

Lindland won silver for the US at the 2000 Olympics in the Greco-Roman wrestling category. A veteran of the Octagon, his career began in Tokyo at UFC 29. His first TKO came from Yoji Anjo. While he had a shot at the middleweight title shot once, it ended in a loss for him. He has remained a top contender, however.

Mark Coleman

The 1992 US Olympic freestyle wrestling team member, Mark Coleman made his Octagon debut by winning the UFC 10 tournament and then returning two months later by winning the UFC 11 tournament. In PRIDE, he won the 2000 PRIDE Openweight Grand Prix tournament. After that, he returned to the Octagon at UFC 100. In his final outing, Coleman participated in the first ever UFC Hall of Famer vs. UFC Hall of Famer bout as he took on Randy Couture. All-in-all, Coleman went16-10-0 in the UFC.

Hector Lombard

A 2000 Cuban Olympic judo team member, Hector Lombard made his long-awaited Octagon debut at UFC 149 in a disappointing split decision loss to “The Barbarian” Tim Boetsch. With an impressive 33-4-1, 1 NC overall MMA record, the second Octagon Olympian nicknamed “Lightning” tore through smaller promotions to a one-time ridiculous 25 fight unbeaten streak filled with knockouts and submissions. Still fighting!

Other Olympians turned MMA fighters

(And that’s just a shortlist)

Ben Askren

Wrestling, 2008, 7th, Bellator, 14-0-0

Arjan Bhullar

Wrestling, 2012, 13th, BFL, 1-0-0

Satoshi Ishii

Judo, 2008, gold, IGF, 12-4-1

Daniel Kelly

Judo, 2000/ 2004/2008/2012, 9th/7th/20th/17th, UFC, 11-1-0

Kevin Jackson

Kevin Jackson, wrestling, 1992, gold, UFC, 4-2-0

Townsend Saunders

Wrestling, 1992.1996 7th/silver, UFC, 2-0-0

Bu-Kyung Jung

Judo, 2000, silver, Dream, 0-4-0

Ray Mercer

Boxing, 1988, gold, Adrenaline MMA, 1-0-0

Randi Miller

Wrestling, 2008, bronze, Invicta, 1-0-0

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