6. Collegiate Wrestlers
If we included a section for each former NCAA champion who have competed in the UFC, it would monopolize the entire article.
Here is a list of notable mixed martial artists who have also been NCAA champions:
Phil Davis – 2008- 197lbs
Jake Rosholt – 184lbs in 2003, and twice at 197lbs (2005-06)
Josh Koscheck- 174lbs in 2004
Johny Hendricks – 165lbs in 2005 and 2006
Mark Coleman – 188lbs in 1988
Bubba Jenkins (fights for Bellator) 157lbs in 2011
Mark Kerr – 190lbs in 1992
Kevin Randleman – 177lbs in 1992-93
Cole Conrad (fights in Bellator)- heavyweight in 2006 and 2007
Brock Lesnar – heavyweight – 2000
When Mark Coleman evolved his amateur wrestling background and became the “Godfather of Ground and Pound”, it really opened the door for other wrestlers to get into the sport. Thanks to wrestling-to-MMA pioneers like Coleman, Randleman, Mark Kerr, Dan Severn and Randy Couture, wrestling became the second most successful fighting style of the early UFC days.
