Possible Wrestlers to MMA?

ArtemV

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This is a video that I stumbled upon whilst browsing through youtube:


The wrestlers listed from this video are:
Jordan Burroughs
Kyle Snyder
Abdulrashid Sadulaev
Migran Arutyunyan

I know that Migran Arutyunyan is planning to start a career in MMA because he already is with an MMA management company.

I think that Snyder and Sadulaev could make the move after 2020 Olympics, but only time will tell.

I don't think Burroughs will make the move as his athletic prime will soon be ending (in 30's).

I enjoy watching high level wrestlers in MMA, from great college wrestlers like Ed Ruth, Darrion Caldwell; now Joey Davis is coming up, while Ryan Bader, Phil Davis, Chris Weidman have been players in their divisions for years now.

Any predictions on which wrestlers could enter MMA next?
 
Well Patrick Downey III will be heading that way soon most likely. 1x NCAA all-American and past junior world silver medalist.
 
Well Patrick Downey III will be heading that way soon most likely. 1x NCAA all-American and past junior world silver medalist.
Awesome, how old is he? The younger the better!
 
Kyle Snyder has expressed interest in mma in the past. Of course he was more focused on international competition at the time, but things could change perhaps.
 
Awesome, how old is he? The younger the better!
He’s like 26 I think. He’s a very talented wrestler but a total toolbox and a guy that prefers to run his mouth instead of letting his actions on the mat do his talking. He has bounced from school to school because he’s got a lot of bad habits and troubled. He was arguing back and forth with Daniel Cormier back late in the summer being an idiot on twitter. Once his international career is done he’s going to mma.
 
with modern day mma guys cant really get into mma at 28 yearsold now and have good success at top levels i think u need to get into it by 25 now or its a bit too late t have a career id say 2 years after college would be as long as one should wait unless they are a heavy weight where tdd is alot weaker
 
I can't think of too many guys who have made their intentions to compete in MMA known, aside from the Armenian you mentioned and Bilyal Makhov who seems to have changed his mind on MMA as he has been wrestling at the highest levels lately. But I can name a bunch of guys who are either just starting or just resuming their MMA career.

-Deron Winn is 3-0 in pro MMA. He just very recently decided to still compete as a wrestler bc he is having such a hard time finding fights. He was a top freestyle guy in the States, bunch of foreign and domestic medals in international wrestling, good college wrestler though outside of division I, still very good. Extremely decorated High School wrestler.

-Gustavo Balart is 6-0. He was a Cuban Olympian in London 2012, world team member, silver medal in the world cup, etc.

-Maikel Perez Gonzalez is 5-1, a 2008 Freestyle Olympian from Cuba.

-Marthin Hamlet Nielsen, a Norwegian Greco world team member, European medalist is like 2-0. He trains with UFC guys like Emil Meek.

-Mark Madsen just took silver in Rio on the Greco side. Been one of the best Greco guys in the world for years. He fought a few times years ago and is now getting back into MMA full time.

-Damian Janikowski, olympic and world greco medalist is looking really good in KSW at 2 or 3-0.

-The Cuban freestyle world and olympic medalist Michel Batista is fighting as a HW now, training with Yoel Romero, he's like 4-0 in MMA.

-Canadian Olympian Arjan Bhullar is like 7-0 and already in the UFC.

-Khetag Pliev who Im sure you know, Russian who ripped Canada as a world and olympic team member is 4-0 in MMA now.

-Jake Butler is an NCAA DI wrestler and USA Wrestling High School big shot currently coaching and competing in Singapore at Evolve MMA and OneFC. 7-2 pro MMA.

-Raufeon Stots was a NCAA DII champ twice, same school as Olympian Tercel Dlagnev and Kamaru Usman. He fought for a spot in the UFC and lost for the first time.

-NCAA wrestling standout Tywan Claxton just made his pro MMA debut in Bellator and won with a spectacular KO. I expect big things from him.

-Logan Storley, 4x NCAA DI All American with some international experience is now 7-0 and in Bellator.

-Iranian Greco world champ Amir Aliakbari is looking like such a beast now, 7-1 in MMA, lost to Crocop.

-Bojan Veličković is fighting in the UFC for a while now, he competed well in the Serbian greco Nationals recently which is impressive.

-NCAA wrestler who is making his way into the world greco scene, Richard Carlson just won his pro MMA debut.

-NCAA Division I wrestler Curran Jacobs just won his pro MMA debut and has taken up catch wrestling.

-Monster HW 2x NCAA DI champ and world level stud, Tony Nelson has been training with Josh Barnett for a while now. I don't think he has fought yet but I expect him to.

-2x NCAA DI All American and HS wrestling national champ Kyle Crutchmer is out at AKA training with DC waiting for his first fight.

-NCAA DI All American and Junior Greco world team member Eric Grajales is 2-0 now in MMA but hasn't fought since 2016.

-One of Robert Whitaker's coaches, Talgat Ilyasov is an Olympian from Uzbekistan and 1-0 in MMA.

-Bekzhod Abdurakhmanov was tearing up the Northeastern MMA scene in the USA for a while but he is doing extremely well on the world freestyle scene so he has not fought in a while but he was like 4-0 in MMA.

Plus all the ton of wrestlers Bellator has signed. Theres probably a bunch more too all over the world.
 
I can't think of too many guys who have made their intentions to compete in MMA known, aside from the Armenian you mentioned and Bilyal Makhov who seems to have changed his mind on MMA as he has been wrestling at the highest levels lately. But I can name a bunch of guys who are either just starting or just resuming their MMA career.

-Deron Winn is 3-0 in pro MMA. He just very recently decided to still compete as a wrestler bc he is having such a hard time finding fights. He was a top freestyle guy in the States, bunch of foreign and domestic medals in international wrestling, good college wrestler though outside of division I, still very good. Extremely decorated High School wrestler.

-Gustavo Balart is 6-0. He was a Cuban Olympian in London 2012, world team member, silver medal in the world cup, etc.

-Maikel Perez Gonzalez is 5-1, a 2008 Freestyle Olympian from Cuba.

-Marthin Hamlet Nielsen, a Norwegian Greco world team member, European medalist is like 2-0. He trains with UFC guys like Emil Meek.

-Mark Madsen just took silver in Rio on the Greco side. Been one of the best Greco guys in the world for years. He fought a few times years ago and is now getting back into MMA full time.

-Damian Janikowski, olympic and world greco medalist is looking really good in KSW at 2 or 3-0.

-The Cuban freestyle world and olympic medalist Michel Batista is fighting as a HW now, training with Yoel Romero, he's like 4-0 in MMA.

-Canadian Olympian Arjan Bhullar is like 7-0 and already in the UFC.

-Khetag Pliev who Im sure you know, Russian who ripped Canada as a world and olympic team member is 4-0 in MMA now.

-Jake Butler is an NCAA DI wrestler and USA Wrestling High School big shot currently coaching and competing in Singapore at Evolve MMA and OneFC. 7-2 pro MMA.

-Raufeon Stots was a NCAA DII champ twice, same school as Olympian Tercel Dlagnev and Kamaru Usman. He fought for a spot in the UFC and lost for the first time.

-NCAA wrestling standout Tywan Claxton just made his pro MMA debut in Bellator and won with a spectacular KO. I expect big things from him.

-Logan Storley, 4x NCAA DI All American with some international experience is now 7-0 and in Bellator.

-Iranian Greco world champ Amir Aliakbari is looking like such a beast now, 7-1 in MMA, lost to Crocop.

-Bojan Veličković is fighting in the UFC for a while now, he competed well in the Serbian greco Nationals recently which is impressive.

-NCAA wrestler who is making his way into the world greco scene, Richard Carlson just won his pro MMA debut.

-NCAA Division I wrestler Curran Jacobs just won his pro MMA debut and has taken up catch wrestling.

-Monster HW 2x NCAA DI champ and world level stud, Tony Nelson has been training with Josh Barnett for a while now. I don't think he has fought yet but I expect him to.

-2x NCAA DI All American and HS wrestling national champ Kyle Crutchmer is out at AKA training with DC waiting for his first fight.

-NCAA DI All American and Junior Greco world team member Eric Grajales is 2-0 now in MMA but hasn't fought since 2016.

-One of Robert Whitaker's coaches, Talgat Ilyasov is an Olympian from Uzbekistan and 1-0 in MMA.

-Bekzhod Abdurakhmanov was tearing up the Northeastern MMA scene in the USA for a while but he is doing extremely well on the world freestyle scene so he has not fought in a while but he was like 4-0 in MMA.

Plus all the ton of wrestlers Bellator has signed. Theres probably a bunch more too all over the world.
Damn, good list. Thanks! I forgot about Maikel Perez, I knew about Madsen, but I didn't know if he was interested in continuing with MMA, I will watch him, he is very talented.

Also, wow. Bekzod? The Uzbek who teched Burroughs at Rio? Wow, he could have a good future in MMA if he pursues a career in mma. Would watch him 100%. He is apparently 7-0, and recently fought last October. Nice prospect!

I have heard of Crutchmer, too. Shawn Bunch (who Caldwell beat) is another good wrestler I think.

Thanks for the list, will go and look up these guys for future prospects!
 
I can't think of too many guys who have made their intentions to compete in MMA known, aside from the Armenian you mentioned and Bilyal Makhov who seems to have changed his mind on MMA as he has been wrestling at the highest levels lately. But I can name a bunch of guys who are either just starting or just resuming their MMA career.

-Deron Winn is 3-0 in pro MMA. He just very recently decided to still compete as a wrestler bc he is having such a hard time finding fights. He was a top freestyle guy in the States, bunch of foreign and domestic medals in international wrestling, good college wrestler though outside of division I, still very good. Extremely decorated High School wrestler.

-Gustavo Balart is 6-0. He was a Cuban Olympian in London 2012, world team member, silver medal in the world cup, etc.

-Maikel Perez Gonzalez is 5-1, a 2008 Freestyle Olympian from Cuba.

-Marthin Hamlet Nielsen, a Norwegian Greco world team member, European medalist is like 2-0. He trains with UFC guys like Emil Meek.

-Mark Madsen just took silver in Rio on the Greco side. Been one of the best Greco guys in the world for years. He fought a few times years ago and is now getting back into MMA full time.

-Damian Janikowski, olympic and world greco medalist is looking really good in KSW at 2 or 3-0.

-The Cuban freestyle world and olympic medalist Michel Batista is fighting as a HW now, training with Yoel Romero, he's like 4-0 in MMA.

-Canadian Olympian Arjan Bhullar is like 7-0 and already in the UFC.

-Khetag Pliev who Im sure you know, Russian who ripped Canada as a world and olympic team member is 4-0 in MMA now.

-Jake Butler is an NCAA DI wrestler and USA Wrestling High School big shot currently coaching and competing in Singapore at Evolve MMA and OneFC. 7-2 pro MMA.

-Raufeon Stots was a NCAA DII champ twice, same school as Olympian Tercel Dlagnev and Kamaru Usman. He fought for a spot in the UFC and lost for the first time.

-NCAA wrestling standout Tywan Claxton just made his pro MMA debut in Bellator and won with a spectacular KO. I expect big things from him.

-Logan Storley, 4x NCAA DI All American with some international experience is now 7-0 and in Bellator.

-Iranian Greco world champ Amir Aliakbari is looking like such a beast now, 7-1 in MMA, lost to Crocop.

-Bojan Veličković is fighting in the UFC for a while now, he competed well in the Serbian greco Nationals recently which is impressive.

-NCAA wrestler who is making his way into the world greco scene, Richard Carlson just won his pro MMA debut.

-NCAA Division I wrestler Curran Jacobs just won his pro MMA debut and has taken up catch wrestling.

-Monster HW 2x NCAA DI champ and world level stud, Tony Nelson has been training with Josh Barnett for a while now. I don't think he has fought yet but I expect him to.

-2x NCAA DI All American and HS wrestling national champ Kyle Crutchmer is out at AKA training with DC waiting for his first fight.

-NCAA DI All American and Junior Greco world team member Eric Grajales is 2-0 now in MMA but hasn't fought since 2016.

-One of Robert Whitaker's coaches, Talgat Ilyasov is an Olympian from Uzbekistan and 1-0 in MMA.

-Bekzhod Abdurakhmanov was tearing up the Northeastern MMA scene in the USA for a while but he is doing extremely well on the world freestyle scene so he has not fought in a while but he was like 4-0 in MMA.

Plus all the ton of wrestlers Bellator has signed. Theres probably a bunch more too all over the world.

Excellent post. Thanks for the info.
 
Damn, good list. Thanks! I forgot about Maikel Perez, I knew about Madsen, but I didn't know if he was interested in continuing with MMA, I will watch him, he is very talented.

Also, wow. Bekzod? The Uzbek who teched Burroughs at Rio? Wow, he could have a good future in MMA if he pursues a career in mma. Would watch him 100%. He is apparently 7-0, and recently fought last October. Nice prospect!

I have heard of Crutchmer, too. Shawn Bunch (who Caldwell beat) is another good wrestler I think.

Thanks for the list, will go and look up these guys for future prospects!
Apparently Madsen is training with Emil Meek and a few other UFC guys and is going to make a run in MMA. Also, Bekzod's brother Muzzafar who is a coach at Princeton University and a damn good wrestler himself has fought MMA once or twice but that was a while ago. Bunch is an incredibly athlete and he went 4-2 in Bellator but he left the organization for the regional scene. Has since gone 3-1. I know he still trains with DC and them at AKA but he has yet to really make waves in MMA. I love this discussion, world class or high level wrestlers who enter MMA. There was an absolute ton more from the old school as well.
 
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