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Many UFC fighters who reach the top echelons in the world of MMA usually start young. Growing up with an inclination towards some form of mixed martial arts or another helps athletes enter the field of combat sports and dominate their competition.
However, many gifted athletes grow up playing multiple sports at the same time while being equally good at all of them. Here, we look at athletes from the UFC who could've been superstars at a sport other than MMA.
5 UFC fighters who were equally good at other sports:
#5 - Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov: Soccer
Even before Khabib Nurmagomedov became famous as the bear-wrestler that he is, the Dagestani grappler was a soccer fan. The former UFC lightweight champion and is widely considered to be one of the greatest MMA fighters in history. However, according to him, coming into combat sports was something that happened by chance. He said
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"To play football [soccer] on a professional level is a childhood dream. Of course, I have such a wish. Football is the king of sports after all. Who haven't I discussed this with? I've spoken even with the UEFA president Aleksandr Ceferin, with the owner of PSG, yes, and even with Cristiano Ronaldo."
Also Read: 5 things that prove that Khabib Nurmagomedov is a soccer superfan
FC Kamaz, a soccer team in the second tier of Russia's Professional Football League, even offered Khabib Nurmagomedov a contract in January 2021. Their club statement read:
"We offer you to make your football debut as part of our team. PFL is the football UFC... We play every match only to win [and are] an ambitious team with the task of entering the FNL."
Khabib Nurmagomedov is often seen on the soccer field, playing the role of a winger. He's got an impressive sprint and handles the ball quite well. 'The Eagle' has also played soccer with former footballer Clarence Seedorf, who has been a part of some of the greatest soccer teams like AC Milan, Inter, and Real Madrid.
#4 - Former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic: Baseball
Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters in the history of the promotion. He holds several records in the UFC, including the most consecutive heavyweight title defenses (3) and the most post-fight bonuses in the division (9).
However, before choosing MMA as a career and joining the UFC in 2011, Stipe Miocic was a promising baseball player. In his college years at Cleveland State University and the Trevecca Nazarene University, Miocic was on the baseball team.
Stipe Miocic ended the 2005 baseball season with a .344 batting average, which is considered excellent in the sport. Miocic also totaled seven home runs and 43 RBIs, leading his college team to a Conference title.
If not for a career in MMA, Stipe Miocic could surely have opted for his home team in Major League Baseball, Cleveland Indians.
Also Read: 5 unbelievable facts about Stipe Miocic.
#3 - UFC heavyweight Walt Harris: Basketball
Before Walt Harris started his MMA career in 2010, he was a basketball player at Jacksonville State University. The 6'5" heavyweight is ranked number eleven in the UFC, where he debuted in 2013. 'The Big Ticket' said his time on the basketball court has helped him become a better fighter inside the octagon.
He credited the footwork he learned playing basketball as a key attribute that has helped him in MMA. Walt Harris said:
"I think that (footwork) has been my key attribute as a heavyweight. Heavyweights don’t move like I do.. When I picked up striking, it was tough at first, and then one of my coaches told me to think about a drop step in basketball when you pivot. And I was like ‘ding ding ding’ and then everything started syncing up and flowing."
Walt Harris has a 13-10-1 record in MMA, and all of his wins have come via knockout. In the UFC, Walt Harris has faced many MMA veterans like Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski, and Fabricio Werdum.
#2 - UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski: Rugby
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski currently fights at 66 kgs. However, he was once a buffed-up rugby player weighing more than 99 kgs. 'The Great' began training in Greco-Roman wrestling at an early age and won a national title by the age of 12.
Alexander Volkanovski was more inclined towards playing rugby and gave up wrestling for it at the age of 14. He played semi-professional rugby in the South Coast Rugby League for the Warilla Gorillas as a front-rower. In 2010, Volkanovski was awarded the Mick Cronin Medal as the league's best player.
He also played a key role in his team's victory in the 2011 season's final against Gerringong, receiving a Man of the Match award for his performance. However, Volkanovski decided to quit rugby at the age of 23 to pursue MMA.
Alexander Volkanovski started his MMA career in 2012 and joined the UFC in 2016. He defeated Max Holloway at UFC 245 to become the featherweight champion. Currently, Volkanovski is acting as a coach along with Brian Ortega for The Ultimate Fighter 29.
Also Read: 3 UFC divisions that are a mess right now.
#1 - UFC heavyweight Greg Hardy: American Football
Greg Hardy kickstarted his MMA career with Dana White's Contender Series in 2018. After picking up a 3-0 record in the same year, he made his UFC debut in 2019 against Allen Crowder. However, before venturing inside the world of mixed martial arts, 'Prince of War' was an American football athlete.
Greg Hardy liked football and was playing as a defensive end for his team at the University of Mississippi. He was even drafted into the NFL by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round in 2010. After becoming a free agent in 2015, Hardy was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015 on a one-year contract worth $11.3m.
Greg Hardy has a 7-3 record in MMA and currently competes in the heavyweight division of the UFC. He is scheduled to enter the octagon at UFC 264 against Tai Tuivasa.
