UFC Fighters Who Played Other Sports
Mixed martial arts is a relatively new sport, but many UFC fighters have backgrounds in other sports. In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the top UFC fighters who played other sports before finding success in MMA.
Anderson Silva, former UFC middleweight champion
Anderson Silva is something of a legendary figure in the martial arts world. He was the former middleweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), holding the longest title defence streak in UFC history. Before his martial arts career, Silva was a professional soccer player in Brazil.
At a young age, he trained with karate and taekwondo, eventually taking up Muay Thai during his professional soccer days as extra training for an edge on the field. His rise to MMA stardom quickly followed thereafter.
Conor McGregor, current UFC lightweight champion
Conor McGregor has achieved success inside the Octagon, unifying the featherweight and lightweight titles during his career to become one of UFC’s most successful champions. However, his achievements can be partly attributed to his early years of football (soccer) and boxing training. At age 12, Conor began boxing at Crumlin Boxing Club in Dublin, Ireland, and gained a substantial amount of skills through the numerous sparring sessions he undertook throughout those days.
He then switched to football as a young teen and competed in various local leagues before developing an interest in MMA two years later when he was 18. Using many attributes from his football and boxing childhoods, Conor developed into one of UFC’s premier fighters, eventually claiming a memorable victory over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, making him the lightweight champion.
Ronda Rousey, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion
Ronda Rousey is one of the most dominant mixed martial arts competitors of all time, having been considered the first female UFC champion in 2012. Before she entered the world of MMA, she was already a Judo Olympic medalist.
Rousey had been studying judo since the age of 11 and rose to become an international phenomenon when she won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics; this made her the first American woman ever to take home an Olympic medal for judo. After becoming professional in 2011, Rousey transitioned into mixed martial arts and has continued to rise as a fighting legend.
Brock Lesnar, former UFC heavyweight champion
Brock Lesnar first rose to fame in 2000 as the NCAA Division 1 heavyweight wrestling champion. After that, he went on to become an international professional wrestler and eventually transitioned to creating a career in the UFC. There, Lesnar became the youngest UFC heavyweight champion at age 25. However, his success wasn’t solely confined to these two arenas; Lesnar also had a stint in the NFL as he signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2004.
Champions in the UFC come from all different backgrounds, but they’re incredibly tough and resilient. So, next time you’re keeping an eye on MLB odds, know that those players came a long way to be that good. If you’re thinking about becoming a professional fighter, know that it takes more than just fists of fury. It takes heart, dedication, and a lot of hard work.
