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With all the excitement around the NCAA tournamnets, I was thinking about all the UFC fighters that had wrestled in college and made it to the national stage. Particularly at the division one tournament.
I was looking at the old brackets on wrestlestat.com, and it looks like 2005 and 2006 might have had the most entrants that went on to be UFC fighters. Both tourneys had 9 entrants that went to the UFC as far as I could tell. Both tourneys also had several of the same wrestlers but I included them in the counting of both regardless.
In 2005
1. Scott Jorgensen at 133 pounds. Fell just short of All American Status.
2. Frankie Edgar at 141 pounds. Also fell one match short of All American Status.
3. Tyron Woodley at 165 pounds. Took 7th place, his second time being an All American.
4. Johny Hendricks at 165 pounds. Was the national champion that year. All American the year before at 157, national champ again the year after at 165, and was upset to end his college career as a runner up in 2007.
5. CB Dolloway at 184 pounds. Did not place.
6. Ryan Bader at 197 pounds. He did not place.
7. Phil Davis also at 197 pounds. Took 7th in what was the beginning to a great collegiate wrestling career.
8. Jake Rosholt at 197 pounds. Won his second national championship after placing third the year before in the same weight class as Greg Jones.
9. Cain Velasquez at 285. Took 5th place in a tough heavyweight pool.
2006
1. Chad Mendes at 125. Took 6th earning All American Status for the first time. Interesting to note that he would end up being a runner up in 2008 at 141 pounds.
2. Scott Jorgensen again at 133. Also fell one match short of All American status.
3. Johnny Hendricks at 165 pounds. Won his second national title.
4. CB Dolloway at 184 pounds. Took 5th place to earn All American status.
5. Ryan Bader at 197 pounds. Took 7th and lost to Chris Weidman earlier in the tournament.
6. Chris Weidman at 197 pounds. Took 6th place, made it to the semifinals before being pinned by Jake Rosholt.
7. Phil Davis at 197 pounds. Was national runner up, and would later take 5th the next year before ending his collegiate career with a national championship in 2008.
8. Jake Rosholt at 197 pounds. National champion for the third and final time. Beat both Chris Weidman and Phil Davis in dominant fashion with a quick pin over Weidman and being a point shy of majoring Davis.
9. Cain Velasquez at 285. Took 4th place in a heavyweight bracket that included Steve Mocco and Cole Konrad, with his semifinal match with Konrad being very close.
Was there any other years that produced more UFC fighters? These lists don't even include other MMA fighters such as Ben Askren making these years even more filled with talent. Likewise I might have missed other UFC fighters that I simply didn't recognize by name and were most likely cut by the organization.
I was looking at the old brackets on wrestlestat.com, and it looks like 2005 and 2006 might have had the most entrants that went on to be UFC fighters. Both tourneys had 9 entrants that went to the UFC as far as I could tell. Both tourneys also had several of the same wrestlers but I included them in the counting of both regardless.
In 2005
1. Scott Jorgensen at 133 pounds. Fell just short of All American Status.
2. Frankie Edgar at 141 pounds. Also fell one match short of All American Status.
3. Tyron Woodley at 165 pounds. Took 7th place, his second time being an All American.
4. Johny Hendricks at 165 pounds. Was the national champion that year. All American the year before at 157, national champ again the year after at 165, and was upset to end his college career as a runner up in 2007.
5. CB Dolloway at 184 pounds. Did not place.
6. Ryan Bader at 197 pounds. He did not place.
7. Phil Davis also at 197 pounds. Took 7th in what was the beginning to a great collegiate wrestling career.
8. Jake Rosholt at 197 pounds. Won his second national championship after placing third the year before in the same weight class as Greg Jones.
9. Cain Velasquez at 285. Took 5th place in a tough heavyweight pool.
2006
1. Chad Mendes at 125. Took 6th earning All American Status for the first time. Interesting to note that he would end up being a runner up in 2008 at 141 pounds.
2. Scott Jorgensen again at 133. Also fell one match short of All American status.
3. Johnny Hendricks at 165 pounds. Won his second national title.
4. CB Dolloway at 184 pounds. Took 5th place to earn All American status.
5. Ryan Bader at 197 pounds. Took 7th and lost to Chris Weidman earlier in the tournament.
6. Chris Weidman at 197 pounds. Took 6th place, made it to the semifinals before being pinned by Jake Rosholt.
7. Phil Davis at 197 pounds. Was national runner up, and would later take 5th the next year before ending his collegiate career with a national championship in 2008.
8. Jake Rosholt at 197 pounds. National champion for the third and final time. Beat both Chris Weidman and Phil Davis in dominant fashion with a quick pin over Weidman and being a point shy of majoring Davis.
9. Cain Velasquez at 285. Took 4th place in a heavyweight bracket that included Steve Mocco and Cole Konrad, with his semifinal match with Konrad being very close.
Was there any other years that produced more UFC fighters? These lists don't even include other MMA fighters such as Ben Askren making these years even more filled with talent. Likewise I might have missed other UFC fighters that I simply didn't recognize by name and were most likely cut by the organization.
