3 Olympic wrestlers that should transition to MMA

With the popularity of MMA rising, there has slowly been a shift where the most elite-level individuals of their respected combat sport have started cross-training to prepare for an MMA career after their world-level and Olympic dreams are concluded.

Outside of the U.S., this year we won’t see Russians sending a fleet of wrestlers to Paris due to a variety of reasons. Two Russians who would threaten to repeat as Olympic gold medalists, Zaurbek Sidakov and Abdulrashid Sadulaev, would be two massive names from the wrestling world to transition to MMA.

Sidakov and Sadulaev both have storied senior-level wrestling careers, holding multiple world titles and beating names such as Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Dake, and Kyle Snyder. Sidakov is preparing for a jump to MMA soon, and Sadulaev was recently shown training with UFC lightweight challenger Arman Tsarukyan.

The three individuals below all come from the USA’s wrestling squad. Not to leave out other combat sports such as judo or boxing, but this American wrestling team is so deep and talented, that there isn’t a standout Olympian in another sport that would make a splash in MMA like the following three wrestlers below.

Kyle Snyder

Accomplishments: 3x NCAA Champion, 2016 Olympic Gold, 2020 Olympic Bronze, 3x World Champion, 2x World Silver, 2x World Bronze

At just 20 years old, Kyle Snyder topped UFC legend Henry Cejudos’s accomplishment of being the youngest American to win Olympic gold in wrestling. Snyder has been a staple for Team USA since he burst onto the senior-level scene in 2015. With his Olympic gold medal in 2016 and his three world titles, Snyder would be the most accomplished wrestler we have ever seen transition to MMA. 

Helen Maroulis

Accomplishments: 2016 Olympic Gold, 2020 Olympic Bronze, 3x World Champion, 2x World Silver, 2x World Bronze

Arguably the greatest American women’s wrestler of all time, Helen has been a fixture in the world and Olympic scene for the last decade. The three-time world champ, and Olympic gold medalist, Maroulis’ wrestling would be unmatched if she were to transition into MMA. Ultimately, this idea is probably a pipe dream as multiple concussions have stalled her at times during her wrestling career. It’s unlikely we see her venture into MMA, although thinking of the dominance and how quickly she would rise to the top will always be something MMA and wrestling fans can theorize on.

Aaron Brooks

Accomplishments: The 6th ever 4x NCAA Champion, no previous senior-level world teams

Being the youngest on the U.S. men’s freestyle team at just 24 years old, Aaron Brooks is probably the most likely American Olympian from this cycle we see make the transition to MMA. After his somewhat historic upset of (now former) Nittany Lion teammate David Taylor, Brooks made his first Olympic (and World) team this spring, only a few short weeks after he capped off his stellar collegiate career. A gold medal in Paris may be the final chapter of his wrestling career, and be the starting point of following in the MMA footsteps of his PSU brethren, Bo Nickal.