Wrestling is one of the most useful and strong foundations any mixed martial artist can possess.
It helps fighters maintain their sense of balance, creates worlds of opportunities on the open canvas and instills fear into unsuspecting strikers.
However, as hard as it is to defend shots from world-class takedown machines, it’s just as hard for them to leave their comfort zones and let their repertoires blossom.
Here are five elite wrestlers who must craft their striking in order to maintain success, longevity and popularity in today’s sport.