5 former UFC stars who found success outside of MMA 

#4 Carlos Condit: MMA to Submission Underground

Carlos Condit [Photo credit: @carloscondit on Instagram]

Carlos Condit hasn't officially retired from the UFC and MMA. But to say that his days as a contender are far behind him is an understatement.

Once a dominant force in the UFC welterweight division, Condit went on a five-fight winning streak with notable victories over Rory McDonald, Dan Hardy and Nick Diaz. But he ran into a brick wall against then-champion Georges St-Pierre.

The former UFC title challenger has recently taken on the role of a high-level gatekeeper. He dropped fights against top welterweight contenders Neil Magny and Michael Chiesa but has scored wins over fellow MMA veterans Court McGee and Matt Brown in two of his most recent fights.

Condit takes out Ellenberger in a minute! 🦶 #SUG23[ @SUG_Grappling LIVE https://t.co/EVxsl0x3o7 ] pic.twitter.com/WikLaPli2R

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 23, 2021

Primarily a striker, Condit has showcased his grappling prowess on Submission Underground. 'The Natural Born Killer' took on Jake Ellenberger in a rematch of their UFC Fight Night bout in 2009. Condit emerged victorious once again as he secured a heel hook early on in the match.

#3 Matt Riddle: MMA to Pro-Wrestling

Matt Riddle [Photo credit: @riddlebro on Instagram]

Matt Riddle grew disillusioned with MMA. As a result, the former UFC fighter decided to leave the sport after spending five years as a professional.

Riddle was released by the the UFC after his second positive test for marijuana in less than a year. He signed with Legacy Fighting Championship (Legacy FC) but found himself in Bellator after his contract was purchased by the promotion.

Bellator's rigid schedule, coupled with a rib injury he sustained, reinforced Riddle's decision to finally hang up his gloves in 2013. But Riddle found a way to use his physical gifts and charisma for good use outside of cage-fighting.

Reinvigorated by a newly-found passion, Riddle revealed why he's so much happier as a pro-wrestler than he was as a mixed martial artist. In an interview with MMA Junkie, Riddle said:

“I love what I do now. I mean, I loved MMA, but it didn’t always love me back.”

Right now, Riddle is one of the biggest stars in the WWE. A former WWE United States Champion, Riddle has already surpassed in the squared circle what he had accomplished in MMA.