Sherdog’s Top 10Sherdog’s Top 10: Successful Olympic Crossovers
Number 5
5. Ben Askren
One of the most entertaining and outspoken personalities in MMA today got his start on the wrestling mats. After a 153-8 run as a collegiate wrestler that included four All-American honors and two national championships, most expected Askren’s amateur folkstyle success and unorthodox, “funky” style to carry over to the international level in 2008. Alas, it was not to be, as Askren finished out of the medals at the Beijing Olympics. Ever the competitor, he tearfully analyzed his performance: “I just wasn’t good enough. I sucked.”
Askren need not have worried about a lack of success in the future. He quickly transitioned to mixed martial arts, winning his professional debut a mere six months after the Olympics. A series of stunningly easy victories brought him the second Bellator welterweight tournament title, and a grinding win over Lyman Good made him the promotion’s champion -- a crown he held for more than three years. A highly publicized spat over his free agency eventually brought him to One Fighting Championship, where he won that promotion’s welterweight strap in short order.
Still only 30 years old, with a style that keeps him relatively free from damage and a mouth that just will not quit, Askren’s best days are still in front of him. Since heading to One FC, the former Olympian has made his views on UFC President Dana White, the UFC and the top promotion’s welterweights increasingly public, and when he eventually does make his way back to the United States, the sky is the limit.
Number 4 » Daniel Cormier
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