Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is coming to New England this weekend for UFC Fight Night 81 at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on Sunday (Jan. 17, 2016) but president Dana White will be keeping one eye on the Patriots game happening Saturday.
The New England native is a Patriots fan and will be rooting for them when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Mass.
White also thinks several of the stocky football players could easily make it as mixed martial artists. Here’s what he told Patriots.com about his top five choices:
Tom Brady, 38, quarterback, 6’4″, 225 pounds
“Tom would come into the fight as a huge underdog. People would count Tom out, but just like he always does, he’d find a way to win. He’s a WINNER. He defines what it means to be clutch.”
Rob Gronkowski, 26, tight end, 6’6″, 265 pounds
“He’s A BEAST! He just runs people over and I love that about him. I have no doubt he could be a successful fighter.”
Julian Edelman, 29, wide receiver, 5’10”, 200 pounds
“Edelman is a stud athlete. He’s so versatile on the field. He’s a great wide receiver, he’s played quarterback, he can return kicks. That type of versatility shows that he can do anything. Anywhere the fight goes, he wins on the feet or on the ground.”
Rob Ninkovich, 31, defensive end, 6’2″, 260 pounds
“He’s big, strong and has deceptive quickness. When you think toughness, you think about guys like Rob Ninkovich.”
Chandler Jones, 25, defensive end, 6’5″, 265 pounds
“He’s such an incredible athlete. His brother, Jon Jones, became UFC light heavyweight champion and probably could have played football, and I’m sure Chandler could have been a fighter. He’s got it all: explosive power, speed, technique. Chandler could absolutely be a fighter.”
Uh, Chandler Jones is a definite yes.
Although it’s unlikely any of these millionaires would be willing to give up their pro football careers to get a piece of that Reebok money, it’s not unheard of for former NFLers to take their A-games to the Octagon.
UFC Fight Night 81’s Matt Mitrione is likely the best example of a crossover athlete. The 37-year-old heavyweight played as a defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers before turning to MMA in 2005.
His quickness on the feet with heavy punching power quickly earned him respect among the ranks of UFC (despite being nicknamed “Meathead” by Rashad Evans on The Ultimate Fighter Season 10).
I know for a fact there are some football fans on MMAmania.com. Who do you think could make it as a crossover NFLer turned fighter?