High level wrestlers in MMA

Paul L

Paul L

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I've been thinking about the current trend of high level wrestlers (NCAA/Olympics/international level) really taking over in rankings, and I've tried to dig up the current active high level wrestlers outside of the UFC, WSoF, OneFC, and Bellator, as well as those expressing interest. I'll post my list and if anyone else knows of others please let me know.

Active High Level Wrestlers

Gregor Gillespie - NCAA Division 1 Champion
Jamal Parks - NCAA Division 1 5th place
Wade Sauer - NCAA Division 1 5th place
Scott Steele - US Olympic Alternate
Ryan Patrovich - NCAA Division 1 Qualifier
TJ Hepburn - NCAA Division 2 Champion
Shawn Bunch - US Olympic Alternate
Mark Madsen - Danish Olympian
Arjan Bhullar - Canadian Olympian

Expressing Interest

Kyle Cerminara - Olympic Alternate - Has fought previously. Working on a 2016 Olympic run.
Randi Miller - US Bronze Medal Olympian - Has fought previously. Working on a 2016 Olympic run.
Tyrell Fortune - 3rd ranked team USA heavyweight. Working on a 2016 Olympic run.
 
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Cant help but think PeeWee Herman would be on this list if he didnt out of the blue leave his wrestling team circa 2006.
 
Tony Ramos - 2013 133lb National Champ - current world team member at 127lbs. - He was a bit lucky to make the world team, if he hadn't I think we'd already see him fighting. I know 127 is a real struggle for him, so i'm thinking 135, but with the 24 hours in advance weigh in he might be at 125. Anyways, his head wrestling trainer from the age of 15 or so is Izzy Martinez, who is Jon Jones main wrestling coach, so he is has connections to the sport. He was also a bit of a "heal" in the wrestling world, so he has a personality that might cause people to like or hate him.
 
Nestoras Batzelas

Nestoras Batzelas (Greek: Νέστορας Μπατζέλας; born January 7, 1980 in Larissa, Thessalia) is a Greek MMA fighter and retired amateur freestyle wrestler, who competed in the men's super heavyweight category. Batzelas has been selected to the nation's Olympic wrestling team when Greece hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and also trained as a member of the wrestling team for E.A. Larissa, under his personal coach Konstantinos Avramis.

Batzelas qualified for the Greek squad in the men's super heavyweight class (120 kg), when Greece welcomed the world to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He filled up an entry by the International Federation of Association Wrestling and the Hellenic Olympic Committee, as Greece received an automatic berth for being the host nation. He lost his opening match to 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Alexis Rodr
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Meathead Jock said:
His last opponent (who he lost to) was a 2 time world bronze medalist. He has only been fighting once a year, not sure why so inactive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ioannis_Arzoumanidis

At 27, with the lack of depth at heavyweight in this sport, can't help but wonder if he is a possible contender?
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Ah didn't noticed that!
Maybe he tried and he c MMA isn't his cup of tea despite being undefeated, who knows ...

I've heard speculations even about some european wresters that are olympic gold medallists to start MMA but that never materialized, most of them think about something different of plain wrestling when they're 30yo or so, and btw they're ok training and teachin wrestling in the national federation centers
 
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