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Among the hundreds of fighters on the UFC roster, there are a few that have served in the military.
Mixed martial arts and the armed forces share many commonalities. Honor, courage, and commitment are just a few of the core values instilled in military personnel and mixed martial artists. It takes discipline and a strong will to survive on the battlefield and in the cage. Additionally, fighters with military experience are used to working harder than everyone else to climb the ranks.
Their toughness is nearly unmatched. Intimidation tactics fail to work on these fighters as they refuse to back down and are trained to deal with immense pressure. Some of the best headlining names in MMA are those who have fought for their country, and although major success is not always the case when transitioning to MMA, these fighters are still respected by many. From the Marine Corps to the Army, veterans of the armed forces make it evident that a military background can be an edge over most competitors.
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#5. UFC middleweight fighter - Brian 'All American' Stann
Retired mixed martial artist Brian Stann received the nation's third-highest commemoration for valor in combat.
In 2005, he was awarded the Silver Star for his exemplary leadership and courage in the face of the enemy during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Stann was the leader of Weapons Company, Third Battalion, Second Marines, Regimental Combat Team 2, Second Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 2003 to 2008. During that time, Stann also started a promising MMA career.
As a professional fighter, he devastated his first six opponents with brutal punches, ending the show in round 1. Additionally, out of his 12 wins, 9 of them are by knockout. Before joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he was the light heavyweight champion in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC).
His UFC debut was less than remarkable, as he was finished early by 'The Polish Experiment' Krzysztof Soszynski via a kimura. Stann scored six victories under the UFC and retired in 2013 on a two-fight losing streak. Following his retirement, he spent a few years as a commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and other sports platforms.
#4. Jorge 'El Conquistador' Rivera
'El Conquistador' joined the US Army in his early 20s and served as a 19K Armored Calvary Scout at Fort Polk, Louisiana. After two years in, he left the military to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.
Following his departure from the Army, Rivera spent the next four years dedicated to training at the gym. Despite starting late as a pro fighter, he easily worked his way up to the UFC within two years.
He was a fierce competitor in the sport for seven years, having fought big names like Chris Leben and rival Michael Bisping before the end of his career. In 2012, Rivera retired on a good note, winning his final MMA match at UFC on FX 1 in his original fashion, i.e, a TKO before the final bell.
#3. Liz 'Girl-Rilla' Carmouche
The UFC's second counterpart in their first female fight, Liz Carmouche was an aviation electrician for the Marines before starting her MMA career. She spent a total of five years in the military and did three tours in the Middle East.
A year after ending her military contract in 2009, her professional MMA career began in magnificent fashion. Carmouche took the women's MMA scene by storm as she eliminated the competition in devastating fashion. She flaunted six straight victories in one year and only one went to the judges' scorecards. The 16-7 fighter met with some defeats in the following years but has won against some of the UFC's best, including the No.1 and No.2-ranked flyweights Jessica Andrade and Kaitlyn Chookagian respectively.
Carmouche is currently dominating the flyweight division in Bellator. She debuted with the promotion in 2020 after 6 years in the UFC. The 38-year-old veteran fights next at Bellator 278 on April 22.
#2. Neil 'The Haitian Sensation' Magny
Neil Magny is one of the most disciplined professional mixed martial artists to grace the octagon. His dedication in the gym is nearly unparalleled when measured by the number of fights he has taken on in a year. To elaborate, at the start of his professional career in 2010, he was on an undefeated six-fight streak, winning four fights in the same year. In 2014, Magny was undefeated in seven straight fights, with five being won in the same year.
Magny credits handling being away from family and maintaining a strict diet while training to his time in the military. He spent several years as a light-wheeled mechanic in the Illinois National Guard. Additionally, he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 during Operation Iraqui Freedom. The National Guard is where Magny learned hand-to-hand combat. He won two amateur fighting tournaments for the Army called “All-Army Combatives” and “All-Guard Combatives”. While on active duty, Magny competed in MMA matches and continues to be a fierce competitor at 170 pounds to this day.
The Brooklyn-born fighter won his last fight via split decision and is currently tied with Georges St-Pierre for the most wins at welterweight in UFC history.
#1. Randy 'The Natural' Couture
Before Randy Couture became a two-division champion, he served for six years (1982-1988) in the army as an air traffic controller. He finished his tour as a Staff Sergeant in the 101st Airborne Division and spent his last four years representing the army in global wrestling competitions.
Couture was a longtime UFC veteran who fought from 1997 until his retirement in 2011. He is now a Hall-of-Famer, which is a consequence of the numerous accolades on his fight resume. As a champion, he defended the heavyweight belt three times and the light heavyweight belt twice. At 16 total, he has the most title fights in UFC history, and out of the short list of fighters to hold two titles, Couture is the first of them.
In addition to his many obligations to the sport of mixed martial arts, Randy Couture participates in military functions as well.
