Guys who became experts at new martial arts?

superpunch

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You look at a guy like Mark Hunt and he's been competing in MMA for 14 years. He started as a kickboxer with no grappling skills whatsoever. He has improved at grappling but he's not an expert.

However, if he was talented enough at grappling to become a world grappling champion, training grappling for 14 years was long enough to do it.

What fighters have started off their careers as kickboxers but became expert wrestlers or expert BJJ guys? What about the other way around?
 
Some of the ATGs showed they can be the best at MMA grappling after coming from a striking background. I can't think of any examples where the reverse if true.

For instance, GSP comes from a Karate and overall striking background, but became one of the best ever MMA grapplers. Not a pure wrestler, not a BJJ submission whiz, an MMA grappler. Jon Jones also springs to mind - he became an amazing wrestler in the MMA field. I can't see either of those guys getting to top tier pure grappling comp's though. Although JJ did submit Hendo in a submission grappling match - tho Dan was past prime and probably outweighed as he was in in MW stage.

I'd love to see some experiences where an MMA person transitioned out of MMA into a pure striking or grappling field and excelled, when they started in the inverse. Big Nog got his shit pushed in when he entered Glory so that doesn't count.
 
The correct answer is GSP. No wrestling background and becomes a dominant wrestler.
 
Hunto is a purple belt in Bjj. That’s not a world grappling expert ts
 
The correct answer is GSP. No wrestling background and becomes a dominant wrestler.
Came here to say this. To see him hang with guys like Koscheck without a college wrestling background is insane.
 
In terms of natural ability Crocop's grappling evolution was impressive, developed good sub defence(good enough to hold of Wand and Saku) in a year, world class takedown defence within 2 years whilst still fighting K-1 alongside MMA.
 
cm punk came from acting school of professional wrestling.

now he's a pro fighter in the most prestigious fighting organization in the world
 
Butt bombing is not grappling
 
Dominic Cruz was a wrestler with no striking experience and then he became one of the best strikers in the game.
 
Cerrone. Kickboxing background. He has great jiu jitsu, and he has underrated takedowns.
 
Honestly for me Hunt is someone who does actually have some natural grappling ability but has never fully exploited it. You watch his debut vs Yoshida for example and he's far from clueless, he reverses the takedown of a Judo gold medallist, avoids one armbar before getting caught(by someone wearing a Gi making escape harder). That said I'm not sure I believe his take of having almost no training before that, theres a 1 year gap between Hunt's last K-1 match and his first MMA and I seem to remember him signing well before it.
 
According to PRIDE the second Cro Cop started training with Werdum he became a top 5 BB.
 
Mach Sakurai was a judoka who became a beast kickboxer in his day.

Takanori Gomi was a wrestler until he got beat by BJ then he decided he should learn to throw hands and started knocking dudes blocks off.

Tatsuya Kawajiri was a track star and learned to be one of the best wrestlers in 155 history.
 
Mach Sakurai was a judoka who became a beast kickboxer in his day.

Takanori Gomi was a wrestler until he got beat by BJ then he decided he should learn to throw hands and started knocking dudes blocks off.

Tatsuya Kawajiri was a track star and learned to be one of the best wrestlers in 155 history.
Hespect on these guys. All beasts and legends imho
 
Tatsuya Kawajiri was a track star and learned to be one of the best wrestlers in 155 history.

That's one of the most impressive for me, no MA background before age 20 yet became a quality wrestler/sub grappler and a pretty good striker as well.
 
DIllashaw was primarily a grappler. He now has world class MMA striking.
 
One that comes to mind is rda who had a great groundgsme and is now a pretty good striker
 
Say what you will about his "boring" style, but Tyron Woodley used to be a pure wrestler / grappler, who over the years, developed his striking game to a level where he could stand with and beat some of the best strikers in his division (Wonder Boy, Lawler).
 
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