3 hours ago
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has continued to turn successful fame since its emergence successful nan early ‘90s. The UFC has consistently drawn multi-million spectator audiences crossed integer platforms.
Tiger Style has contributed respective fighters to galore mixed martial arts leagues crossed nan United States, though nan UFC has go nan astir celebrated nether this umbrella. Mizzou has had erstwhile wrestlers progressive successful UFC fights since nan first arena aired connected US cablegram tv successful 2002, done its astir caller event, UFC Freedom 250.
While master wrestling hasn’t been capable to prolong capable popularity, though Real American Freestyle (RAF) is growing, nan world of MMA has offered collegiate wrestlers a way to proceed fighting successful an adjacent style. Many erstwhile wrestlers who donned nan achromatic and golden singlet person taken nan opportunities that nan athletics offers. Here are nan 3 astir prolific ones:
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: Michael Chandler enters nan Octagon successful a lightweight conflict during nan UFC Freedom 250 arena connected nan South Lawn astatine nan White House connected June 14, 2026 successful Washington, DC. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Although sometimes considered nan champion’s challenger of nan UFC, Michael “Iron” Chandler is 1 of Mizzou’s champion to make nan modulation from wrestling to MMA.
He’s a Missouri autochthonal and graduated from Northwest High School successful Cedar Hill. Chandler was a precocious bloomer arsenic a wrestler, ne'er claiming a authorities title and opening his profession pinch Tiger Style arsenic a walk-on. In his redshirt play pinch nan team, he shared nan mat pinch different early MMA fighters successful Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
Chandler was nan first redshirt freshman from Missouri to suffice for nan NCAA Championships since Askren successful 2004. After going 1-2 against 3 of nan apical six wrestlers successful nan country, he fell short of All-American honors. He qualified for nationals successful nan pursuing 3 seasons astatine 157lbs, compiling complete 100 wins and yet reaching All-American honors arsenic a senior.
His MMA profession began soon aft his assemblage wrestling profession ended. Chandler made his first people successful nan manufacture done Bellator, an MMA promotion that went from 2008-2025.
He won nan Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament, winning successful nan last against Patricky Pitbull, wherever he heavy utilized his inheritance successful wrestling to gain nan unanimous decision. Chandler vanished his clip pinch Bellator arsenic a three-time Lightweight Champion and boasted an 18-5 record, 11 by KO aliases TKO.
He began a UFC profession that is still ongoing successful 2021 against Dan Hooker astatine UFC 257. Chandler won nan conflict by TKO and earned nan Performance of nan Night award. He past sewage a changeable astatine nan vacant Lightweight Championship 4 months later against Charles Oliveira. Despite astir finishing him successful nan first round, Chandler mislaid by TKO successful nan second. That would beryllium nan only title conflict of his UFC profession to this point, but astatine 40 years old, he’s good past his chances astatine another.
Chandler’s 2nd triumph successful nan UFC to this constituent came against Tony Ferguson astatine UFC 274. He knocked him retired successful nan 2nd information pinch a beforehand footwear and earned his 2nd Performance of nan Night award. His past 4 bouts person ended successful defeat, bringing his UFC grounds to 2-6. Chandler astir precocious mislaid against Maurício Ruffy this past Sunday by TKO astatine UFC Freedom 250.
Ben “Funky” Askren sewage into wrestling from a young age, but it wasn’t until Askren deed mediate schoolhouse that he recovered a passion for it. At Arrowhead High School successful Wisconsin, he became a two-time authorities champion earlier taking his talents to Mizzou. Askren redshirted successful his first play pinch Tiger Style earlier taking nan Big 12 by large wind successful his first starting season.
He won nan Big 12 Championship astatine 174lbs and took 2nd astatine NCAAs. After a akin sophomore season, he made different leap successful his last 2 years of eligibility. Askren became nan 3rd jock ever to triumph aggregate Dan Hodge awards aft compiling an 87-0 record, 2 much Big 12 Championships and 2 nationalist championships. He still holds nan third-most pins all-time successful NCAA Division I history. Askren became 1 of six caller entrants into nan University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame connected January 9, 2012.
After graduation, he made nan move to freestyle wrestling and recovered success. Askren became a US National Champion successful nan athletics and past earned a spot connected nan Olympic squad successful 2008, wherever he did not medal. He sparsely competed successful different wrestling events pursuing his tally astatine nan Olympics.
Askren made his commencement pinch nan UFC successful 2019 aft an 18-0 agelong done Bellator and ONE Championship. Askren was signed by nan UFC successful nan “trade UFC and One Championship agreement” successful return for Demetrious Johnson, nan erstwhile flyweight champion. His first conflict came against erstwhile welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. Although location was a arguable stoppage by referee Herb Dean, Askren won nan conflict successful nan first information via a bulldog choke.
His undefeated streak came to a screaming halt astatine UFC 239 against Jorge Masvidal. He was connected nan incorrect broadside of nan fastest knockout successful UFC history, taking a flying knee 5 seconds into nan first round, virtually being unopen up aft plentifulness of trash talk starring up to nan fight. Askren’s UFC profession came to an extremity nan aforesaid twelvemonth it started, pinch a nonaccomplishment via method submission successful nan 3rd information against Demian Maia. That conflict was branded nan Fight of nan Night for that card.
He stayed applicable done nan 2020s aft his MMA status pinch a boxing lucifer against Jake Paul, which he mislaid by TKO successful nan first round. Later on, Askren suffered a wellness scare successful 2025 aft he was hospitalized pinch “severe pneumonia.” Askren remained connected a ventilator and an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation strategy for astir a period earlier he received a successful double lung transplant.
Despite flatlining 4 times and losing 50 pounds done nan process, Askren still plans to return to nan mat done RAF. He’s an ambassador, matchmaker and commentator for nan organization, but is group to person a bout against Belal Muhammad successful nan co-main arena of RAF 11 connected July 18, 2026.
The astir accomplished Mizzou wrestler to make nan modulation to MMA frankincense acold is Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley. He’s different Missouri native, retired of Ferguson, and nan oldest of 13 siblings. Woodley went connected to person a successful precocious schoolhouse wrestling career, winning a authorities title astatine 160lbs astatine McCluer High School.
He past committed to nan Tigers, wherever he was an All-American successful 2003 and 2005 astatine 165lbs. It wasn’t until 2009 that Woodley sewage his commencement successful nan world of MMA. He joined StrikeForce for a conflict against Sal Woods successful St. Louis, which he won by submission successful nan first round. StrikeForce signed him to a six-fight woody aft nan win. Woodley’s last StrikeForce conflict was for nan vacant welterweight title against Nate Marquardt. He mislaid by knockout successful nan 4th round, bringing his StrikeForce grounds to 10-1.
Woodley made his UFC debut astatine UFC 156 against Jay Hieron. He won nan conflict via knockout successful conscionable 36 seconds. His adjacent conflict would spell nan region astatine UFC 161 against Jake Shields, ending successful a divided determination loss. Woodley went backmost to his winning ways successful his adjacent 2 fights, winning by KO and TKO, respectively.
He sewage his changeable astatine nan Welterweight Championship successful 2016 against Robbie Lawler astatine UFC 201 for nan main event. Woodley knocked retired Lawler halfway done nan first round, besides earning him nan Performance of nan Night award.
He had 5 title defenses, yet losing against Kamara Usman astatine UFC 235 by unanimous decision. His last 3 fights successful nan UFC ended successful defeat. Woodley’s UFC grounds ended astatine 9-6-1 and his MMA grounds astatine 19-7-1.
After a little boxing stint wherever he mislaid 2 fights against Jake Paul and 1 against Anderson Silva, Woodley is group to look Joaquin Buckley astatine RAF 12 connected Aug. 22, 2026.
