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Next Gen: 10 MMA Stars Whose Sons Became Fighters

Almost a quarter of a century since UFC 1 ushered in the age of mixed martial arts (MMA), we’ve now reached the stage where some of the sport’s early pioneers have gone on to raise children of their own who decided to follow in their footsteps. However, as you’ll see in the pages that follow, […]

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However, as you’ll see in the pages that follow, it’s not always easy for these next-generation fighters to get out from under their famous fathers’ shadows and deal with the weight of expectation that inevitably falls on their shoulders as they look to make their own mark in the sport.

Nevertheless, among these ten fighters stand a few who have so far lived up to the hype, and could yet become future stars in the sport that their fathers helped build.

Randy Couture / Ryan Couture

A true legend of the sport, Randy Couture is one of the UFC’s most decorated fighters, having won the heavyweight title on three separate occasions, the light-heavyweight title twice, and not to mention also having been an interim champ at 205 pounds and UFC 13 heavyweight tournament winner.

With such a formidable career, it was always going to be tough for Couture’s son Ryan to live up to his father’s legacy when he set out to forge his own path in the sport.

As such, the next-generation Couture hasn’t reached the same level of success or fame, but nevertheless he has managed to build a career in the sport that’s seen him fight for the likes of the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator, compiling an 11-5 record so far that includes includes wins over established veterans like KJ Noons and Conor Heun.

When asked what advice he’d give to others sons of famous fighters, the now 35-year-old said it’s all about managing expectations.

“They should be trying to achieve their own goals and be happy with that,” Couture told BloodyElbow. “If they’re doing it out of some need to achieve the same level of success as that person, whose footsteps they’re following, then they’re setting themselves up for frustration.”

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On This Day in MMA History: Vitor Belfort, Marvin Eastman, & The UFC 43 “Goat Vagina” Incident

(Oh, so *that’s* how The Rock does it.)

It might surprise you to learn that years before Vitor Belfort was just a TRT-fueled killing machine, well, he was slightly younger, 4-Hydroxytestosterone-fueled killing machine (progress!). In fact, during his second UFC run in the early aughts, Belfort had already been in the game long enough to draw comparisons to his “old” self despite being just 26 years old at the time. And no one was more privy to the *first* career rebirth of “The Phenom” than Marvin Eastman, who became Belfort’s most infamous victim to date at UFC 43 on June 6th, 2003 — 11 years ago today.

Following a 5-1 run in PRIDE between 1999-2001, Belfort returned to the UFC in June of 2002, dropping a hard-fought unanimous decision to Chuck Liddell at UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets (eesh) upon arriving. Belfort was then matched up against the 5-2 “Beastman” for the latter’s promotional debut. The size and reach difference between the mountainous Belfort and the compact Eastman was immediately noticeable and immediately exploited by Belfort, who proceeded to tie up Eastman in a muay Thai clinch and knee his stout opponent’s face off of his face in just over a minute’s time.

Described by Joe Rogan as “a goat’s vagina” and “the worst cut he’d ever seen” in the moments after it occurred, the axe-wound Belfort opened up on Eastman’s forehead remains the Citizen Kane of MMA cuts to this day. To check out a full, bloody replay of Belfort vs. Eastman, join us after the jump.

(Oh, so *that’s* how The Rock does it.)

Described by Joe Rogan as “a goat’s vagina” and “the worst cut he’d ever seen” in the moments after it occurred, the axe-wound Belfort opened up on Eastman’s forehead remains the Citizen Kane of MMA cuts to this day. Check out a full, bloody replay of Belfort vs. Eastman below.

Following this slaughter, Belfort would go on to win the UFC Light Heavyweight championship on a technicality, then lose successive bouts to Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and Alistair Overeem (in PRIDE). He would spend four long years destroying has-beens like Matt Lindland and never-weres like Kazuo Takahashi before returning to the UFC and annihilating Rich Franklin at UFC 103. Then blah blah blah Anderson Silva foot sammich, blah blah nearly submitted Jon Jones blah TRT-shaming the rest is history.

Eastman, on the other hand, would become something of infamous KO victim over the years, suffer highlight reel defeats at the hands of Rampage Jackson, Drew McFedries, and Travis Lutter (LOL!). He would also have a son who followed in his footsteps as an MMA fighter but refused to share his name. You tell me whose career has been more fulfilling.

Not Roy Nelson. Not Martin Kampmann. Not Abe Wagner or Cub Swanson or Ross Pearson’s cuts will ever compare to Eastman’s goat vagina, a battle scar so horrific that it caused the Just Bleed guy to have an existential crisis. And for that, we pay tribute.

–J. Jones

Photo of the Day: Kaitlin Young Proves That Horrific Training Injuries Aren’t Just for the Boys

(“Photo: Kaitlin Young’s gash is a sight to behold” – actual fake headline from Jesse Holland.)

In the long history of horrific cuts suffered by MMA fighters during training, this axe wound posted by Invicta FC bantamweight Kaitlin Young might just top them all. Passed along by MiddleEasy earlier today, the above photo prompted Young to quickly dispel rumors that the injury was the result of actually being attacked with a demonically-possessed axe, stating on her Twitter, “shot under my buddy’s jab, and he kicked at the same time. Knee vs forehead.”

Sounds too convenient, if you ask me. All I’m saying is that we still leave open the possibility that a Stephen King story come to life is responsible for this.

Seriously though, that has got to be one of the worst goddamn cuts I’ve ever seen, MMA or otherwise. I give it 5 out of 5 Eastmans. I’m pretty sure I can see Kaitlin’s thoughts. I’m going to go throw up.

–J. Jones

(“Photo: Kaitlin Young’s gash is a sight to behold” – actual fake headline from Jesse Holland.)

Sounds too convenient, if you ask me. All I’m saying is that we still leave open the possibility that a Stephen King story come to life is responsible for this.

–J. Jones

Photo of the Day: Roy Nelson By Way of Marvin Eastman

(The shirt says it all.)

Roy Nelson’s UFC 143 scrap with Fabricio Werdum was truly an exercise in futility for “Big Country,” because it more or less showcased what we already knew about him (the man can take a beating like no other), while at the same time reinforcing the idea that Nelson has damn near refused to evolve as a MMA fighter. Yes, he has recently shown a commitment to slimming down and yes, not many of us expected him to try and submit Werdum on Saturday, but if Roy doesn’t start switching up his striking routine (aka looking for anything but a big overhand right), he can expect several more axe wounds like the one above in his future.

We love you Roy, but it might be time to depart from The Country Club for a while, because you can only change the tee box and hole locations for so long until you just get sick of playing the same course over and over again.

Speaking of axe wounds, join us after the jump for a brief look back at some of MMA’s nastiest cuts…

(The shirt says it all.)

Speaking of axe wounds, join us below for a brief look back at some of MMA’s nastiest cuts…

The “Goat Vagina” – Marvin Eastman