How far do you think Cole Konrad would have got with MMA?

[sampuncher]

I know this name won't ring a bell to everyone but back in the day Cole Konrad was Brocks main training partner and former Bellator champion, he retired at 9-0 and has a crazy wrestling record prior to MMA.

Amateur wrestling[edit]

• International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
  • 2007 Sunkist Kids International Open Senior Greco-Roman Bronze Medalist
  • 2005 Pan American Championships Senior Freestyle Gold Medalist
• International University Sports Federation
  • 2006 FISU World University Championships Freestyle Bronze Medalist
• USA Wrestling
  • USA Senior Freestyle National Championship Runner-up (2007)
  • USA University Freestyle National Championship (2006)
  • USA University Folkstyle National Championship (2003)
  • USA Junior Freestyle National Championship (2002)
  • USA Junior Greco-Roman National Championship (2002)
  • ASICS Tiger High School All-American First Team (2002)
  • USA Junior Greco-Roman National Championship Runner-up (2001)
  • Northern Plains Junior Freestyle Regional Championship Runner-up (2001)
  • Northern Plains Junior Greco-Roman Regional Championship (2001)
  • 2004 South Regional Olympic Team Trials Qualifier Senior Greco-Roman Winner
  • 2003 FILA Junior Freestyle World Team Trials Winner
  • 2003 FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Team Trials Winner
• National Collegiate Athletic Association
  • NCAA Division I Collegiate National Championship (2006, 2007)
  • NCAA Division I Collegiate National Championship Runner-up (2005)
  • NCAA Division I All-American (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
  • Big Ten Conference Championship (2005, 2006, 2007)
  • Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year (2007)
• Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association
  • WIAA Division II High School State Championship (2002)
  • WIAA Division II All-State (2002)
  • Valley 8 Conference Championship (2002)
  • WIAA Division I All-State (2001)

I know he retired and was never seen again plus Bellator was relatively young as a promotion when he started competing and won the belt.

The question is, how far do you think he'd have got if he continued in MMA and made it to the UFC? Obviously his rise in the sport came around the same time as Cain's which could have been a problem for him but do you think he could have ever been UFC champ? Top 5 mainstay or more of a gatekeeper of a division?

 

[Substance Abuse]

I don't think he would have made it that far if he left Belloltor. He was relatively one dimensional and his best win was Paul Buentello. If he ventured over to the UFC, he must definitely would have been knocked out, and eventually would have suffered the same fate in Belloltor.

 

[sampuncher]

This sounds retarded but I think guys would have eventually figured they could sub him by just grabbing his loose skin until he taps. That shit was so gooey it looked like you could just rip it off.

 

[noizer]

He has some wins over decent opponents and his wrestling credentials are outstanding no doubt about that.

I do remember him being a blanket with poor striking skills tho. If he continued his mma career and sharpened up his striking skills he could have had the potentional to be a top 10 fighter imo. Sadly we will never know.

 

[Fight Professor]

He was basically the HW Askren.

 

[NoSmilez]

He is more of a defensive wrestler who is slow and big. He is actually probably perfect for beating Brock or older gen one dimensional wrestlers with very little striking. I think he has multiple wins over Cain in wrestling.

 

[Thesnake101]

I don't think he would have made it that far if he left Belloltor. He was relatively one dimensional and his best win was Paul Buentello. If he ventured over to the UFC, he must definitely would have been knocked out, and eventually would have suffered the same fate in Belloltor.

Tbh, I think Minakov would have been his only real threat during those years. Would have been free to reign over the division again during Vitaly's sabbaticals.

Just joking, the Bellator HW title is a myth.

 

[sampuncher]

He was basically the HW Askren.

My own take was he was Jared Rosholt before Jared Rosholt was Jared Rosholt.

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

He would've done some great things with computers. Maybe fixed the ESPN app so it doesn’t buffer like a broken down Bruce ugh

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

Tbh, I think Minakov would have been his only real threat during those years. Would have been free to reign over the division again during Vitaly's sabbaticals.

Just joking, the Bellator HW title is a myth.

Whatttt? You don’t believe in Darth Bader lol

 

[JP557CU]

He left to be a trader in finance. He is on LinkedIn at some dairy company I’ve never heard of. Wonder if he has regrets or just fell out of love with mma. He beat Cain in wrestling and Steve mocco, could have been a contender in ufc in my opinion. His body was rather soft and quite possibly the worst body in the division...

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

He was a great wrestler and had very good control, his striking was very stiff though, but UFC HW is very limited so I think he would have done good if he ever got signed. He used to help Brock train a lot too and Tony sometimes

 

[Elvis.]

He was one dimensional for sure but it was a really impressive dimension. Let’s say he had left Bellator at the height of his powers and gone to ufc , the ufc hw division was much deeper then than it is at the moment and I still wouldn’t be shocked if he cracked the top 5 at some point .

 

[Tweak896]

I remember watching his fights, he looked really unathletic, but was a great wrestler that probably no one would stop. I think any high level wrestler can be champion if they dedicate to it. Konrad seemed to not care as much as he did with wrestling. He probably would have been subbed or KO'd by the top of the division because he was very one dimensional.

 

[OneManGang]

A heavyweight version of Ben Askren. A one dimensional fighter of the purest form.

 

[jx820]

I thought he had a ton of potential and he left without too much milage on his brain. He was young, gargantuan, and had some very good experience. If he made the jump to the UFC he'd absolutely have rocketed to the top 5. Hard to say if he'd have ever been champ, because we never saw him against a big striker or high level grappler. Reem, JDS, Mir, or Werdum are on such a different level than Eric Prindle.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Tbh, I think Minakov would have been his only real threat during those years. Would have been free to reign over the division again during Vitaly's sabbaticals.

Just joking, the Bellator HW title is a myth.

Vitaly himself is a myth these days, turns up to completely destroy poor Tim Johnson and then disappears again.

 

[Hoist The Flag]

Definite top 5 if not champion. A good wrestler with hands would have given him problems, but he would rag doll anyone without a D1 pedigree of super high level BB like Werdum. I can honestly see him beating JDS but someone like Cain would have been a problem. He also was still working, only doing MMA part time, and if he focused more he could have really been something. Apparently he absolutely massacred Brock in sparring from the stories I have heard - heard the same about Ubereem and Jones too.