Mixed martial arts, or MMA, is a unique art form that combines different fighting styles under one umbrella. Fighters train for MMA competitions from UFC colleges to help them become the best of the best; however, there are many old school UFC fighters who have degrees outside the MMA world, too: 1. Chael Sonnen […]
Mixed martial arts, or MMA, is a unique art form that combines different fighting styles under one umbrella. Fighters train for MMA competitions from UFC colleges to help them become the best of the best; however, there are many old school UFC fighters who have degrees outside the MMA world, too:
1. Chael Sonnen
Chael Sonnen is known as” The American Gangster” in the ring, but there’s more to this universally loved fighter than his kicks and punches; before joining MMA fighting, Sonnen completed a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology. He achieved this degree from the well-known university of Oregon.
Prior to fighting full-time, Sonnen worked as a real estate consultant and even tried his luck in politics. However, despite his many ventures, the octagon seemed to be the one place he found his true passion.
2. Shane Carwin
They don’t call him “The Engineer” for nothing; acclaimed fighter, Shane Carwin, has not one but two degrees to his name. The first one is a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines; this is where he got his nickname, “The Engineer,” from.
Carwin’s second degree is a Bachelor’s in Environmental Technology from Western State College. Despite receiving two degrees, Carwin believes his place is inside the cage with his fellow MMA fighters.
3. Terry Martin
Terry Martin has been fighting professionally since 2002 and is another well-known fighter in the world of mixed martial arts. Martin was born and raised in Chicago and was drawn to fighting from a young age; he soon joined gang culture but was severely wounded at age 15, after which he began to focus more on his education rather than fights.
This led to him achieving a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology. In fact, Martin’s love for the subject is so strong that he is currently back in school for a doctorate!
It’s no secret that Martin has had his fair share of street brawls and gang fights, but his motto has changed since his younger days. Now, you can find him giving talks and seminars in schools across Chicago as he does his part to convince kids to choose education over gang culture.
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4. Takeya Mizugaki
If you’re a fan of Japanese mixed martial arts fighters, you’ve definitely heard of Takeya Mizugaki. This gem from Japan has a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Kanto Gakuin University, but has abandoned his path as an aspiring engineer and has chosen to follow his heart, instead; lucky for his fans; it seems that Mizugaki’s heart has led him to the ring and shows no sign of leaving anytime soon.
5. Jeff Monson
Better known as “The Snowman,” Jeff Monson is a famous MMA fighter. He has been competing since 1997 and has found immense success in it thanks to his MMA qualifications.
However, he had his life as an MMA master not worked out so well, Monson would have been found working as a therapist as a result of his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Psychology. He even has a record of having worked as a mental health professional in the past and is known for his open anti-war and pro-peace sentiment.
6. Rich Franklin
Franklin is a former UFC middleweight champion who joined the world of professional MMA at 25. The reason why it took him so long is simple: Franklin was busy studying for his bachelor’s in Mathematics and Master’s in Education.
He even worked as a teacher for a year before joining the MMA federation. His notable success and dedication lead to the mayor of Cincinnati naming 21st February as “Rich Franklin Day.”
This achievement was only possible because of Franklin’s dedication within and beyond the MMA octagon; his education made him an important contributor to society while his MMA days made him well-known throughout the country.
Despite not having an MMA degree from a renowned MMA college, Franklin is known for his martial arts style that resembles many old school MMA fighters.
Conclusion
As you can see, many MMA fighters have degrees beyond the scope of the UFC; these have helped them win success in multiple fields even after retiring from MMA fighting.
Dustin Poirier Vs. Jim Miller Poirier was on a dream run in the 155 pounds category, but sadly for him, that run came to a screeching and devastating halt when he came up against Michael Johnson who completely outclassed him in all aspects. Poirier now gets a chance to get back up on his two […]
Dustin Poirier Vs. Jim Miller
Poirier was on a dream run in the 155 pounds category, but sadly for him, that run came to a screeching and devastating halt when he came up against Michael Johnson who completely outclassed him in all aspects. Poirier now gets a chance to get back up on his two feet when he faces the surging Jim Miller in UFC 208. Miller himself will also find himself in a similar boat where he will be looking to make a rebound after his rather poor 2014 – 2015 season where he dropped 1-4.
This fight will really provide an insight into whether or not he can make a Andrei Arlovski-esque come back. How will it all play out? We will just have to wait and watch.
Ryan LaFlare Vs. Roan Carniero
Both these guys at one point in time had their names in up in shining lights in the welter-weight division, but it is safe to say that those days are long gone. Are they just not in their prime anymore? Or are things not clicking for them? Well, it looks like one of them will catch a break when they face each other come UFC fight night 208.
LaFlare has been coming up against opponents who, with all due respect to Carniero, are generally regarded a stiffer challenge than what Carniero puts up. This will be LaFlare’s best chance to get back to winning ways.
However, technically speaking, Carniero is still a better finisher amongst the two and he certainly knows how to put a fight to bed. However, we still think that LaFlare has the upper edge when overall conditioning is considered and he might take this one home in a decision victory. What is your bet?
Randy Brown Vs. George Sullivan George Sullivan certainly made a lot of jaw drops when he dropped Igor Araujo who was favored rather heavily when the two faced off in Sullivan’s last victory, however, since that win, it is safe to say that things are not quite going as per plan for George Sullivan […]
Randy Brown Vs. George Sullivan
George Sullivan certainly made a lot of jaw drops when he dropped Igor Araujo who was favored rather heavily when the two faced off in Sullivan’s last victory, however, since that win, it is safe to say that things are not quite going as per plan for George Sullivan considering that he been defeated in two of his last three fights which is not an impressive run. Age is not on his side either, Sullivan, a 35 – year old fighter will be desperately looking to make up for his recent form when he comes up against Randy Brown. You can rest assured that Randy Brown is certainly not going to make things easy for Sullivan. This could possibly be Sullivan’s last fight for the company and that makes things all the more interesting for sure.
Marcin Tybura Vs. Luis Henrique
Tybura is no stranger to success in the octagon considering that he was once the M-1 Champion. The ex M 1 champ’s UFC debut, however, went a little of the rails. He fought against Timothy Johnson in his debut and while he stood his ground and saw out the last of the rounds, he still lost by unanimous decision. However, that loss really did not take a toll on the former M – 1 champ who came back with a spring in his step when he took on Viktor Pesta back in August of 2016 and there was no mistaking who won that fight, Tybura obliterated Pesta very convincingly indeed.
Tybura will now be looking to get a consecutive victory, but his opponent is certainly going to meal of it, Luis Henrique is a formidable fighter himself to say the least and the Brazilian will certainly make Tybura work for it.
Here at CP, I see “us” as a bunch of cynical, condescending, annoyed class-clowns that have a genuine love for the sport of MMA. We love great fights and enigmatic fighters, it’s really that simple. Whether it is a fighter’s personality or in-ring performance, we try our best not to be “nut-huggers,” but sometimes these things happen in MMA (Damn you Georges!). Because I wanted to curb any bias towards fighters that I might have, I tried my best to not be like a 14 year-old girl, so I avoided Twitter like an invitation to a Mike Whitehead BBQ – but I have given in. Not to the invite, but to my status as a new member of Twitter, and I must admit, there are some pretty damn compelling, comical, and surprisingly elegant MMA fighters that can wax poetic in 140 characters or less.
“Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one and they think everyone else’s stinks.” I believe that phrase was coined by Sigmund Freud or the Dalai Lama…or George Carlin. Whoever came up with the analogy was clearly a genius with a tremendous affinity for “Dirty” Harry Callahan. So take a big whiff because these are the MMA fighters that I think you should be following on Twitter with a few examples from their recent timelines.
We were all introduced to KenFlo on TUF 1. Although he was somewhat overshadowed by more flamboyant participants and in-house scuffles, he’s elevated himself within the UFC as one of its most versatile members. Whether as a fighter or broadcaster, he displays his wit and charisma like a true pro, but on Twitter he mixes in self-deprecation with an almost narcissistic vibe.
“When I’m being threatened, I will start doing splits to let ppl know what’s up. I always get mistaken for a talented dancer or gymnast.”
“Is a bow tie & no shirt too formal for a charity event I’m going to next week?”
“Guys, stop putting high expectations on fighters. @rory_macdonald didn’t steal my hairdo, he borrowed it. #Respect”
“If you’ve never taken a man’s shoe & beaten him with it then you’ve never been in a street fight. #KenFloFacts”
(It turns out Miguel was actually making grape jokes, which I have no problem with whatsoever.)
Here at CP, I see “us” as a bunch of cynical, condescending, annoyed class-clowns that have a genuine love for the sport of MMA. We love great fights and enigmatic fighters, it’s really that simple. Whether it is a fighter’s personality or in-ring performance, we try our best not to be “nut-huggers,” but sometimes these things happen in MMA (Damn you Georges!). Because I wanted to curb any bias towards fighters that I might have, I tried my best to not be like a 14 year-old girl, so I avoided Twitter like an invitation to a Mike Whitehead BBQ – but I have given in. Not to the invite, but to my status as a new member of Twitter, and I must admit, there are some pretty damn compelling, comical, and surprisingly elegant MMA fighters that can wax poetic in 140 characters or less.
“Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one and they think everyone else’s stinks.” I believe that phrase was coined by Sigmund Freud or the Dalai Lama…or George Carlin. Whoever came up with the analogy was clearly a genius with a tremendous affinity for “Dirty” Harry Callahan. So take a big whiff because these are the MMA fighters that I think you should be following on Twitter with a few examples from their recent timelines.
We were all introduced to KenFlo on TUF 1. Although he was somewhat overshadowed by more flamboyant participants and in-house scuffles, he’s elevated himself within the UFC as one of its most versatile members. Whether as a fighter or broadcaster, he displays his wit and charisma like a true pro, but on Twitter he mixes in self-deprecation with an almost narcissistic vibe.
“When I’m being threatened, I will start doing splits to let ppl know what’s up. I always get mistaken for a talented dancer or gymnast.”
“Is a bow tie & no shirt too formal for a charity event I’m going to next week?”
“Guys, stop putting high expectations on fighters. @rory_macdonald didn’t steal my hairdo, he borrowed it. #Respect”
“If you’ve never taken a man’s shoe & beaten him with it then you’ve never been in a street fight. #KenFloFacts”
Mark Hunt – twitter.com/#!/markhunt1974
Though the #RallyForMarkHunt campaign fell short, the Super Samoan’s twitter activity has not. Unlike most, Hunt is a lot more personable and will reply to damn near any question. When asked, “Do you EVER stop consuming alcohol?” He replied, “never.” Scripps probably won’t be sending him an invite to their next competition but it can’t be easy typing on a mobile device when your fingers have the same girth as beer bottles.
“Man last time I saw Jo son he was trying to pull the other fighters pants down hahahaha u didn’t know bout that style of fighting lol”
“dammit disregard my last tweet man that was not supposed to go out lol i am so stupid at this shit fark”
James Thompson – twitter.com/#!/JColossus
We all know the MegaPunk and judging by the way he fights, I am pretty sure that most would assume that the guy communicates like a caveman with a brain hemorrhage. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is he a Twitter dynamo who answers questions and responds to fans, he writes a very cerebral blog at colossalconcerns.com where he discusses all things MMA.
“Gf got me working the door again for her bar for some night. So tired I could cry. Sometimes i wish I was small and not so colossus like.”
“After working the door last night I’m curious and slightly disturbed/confused about what young people have against socks.”
“Needed to burn more calories today so set a fat kid on fire.”
“Who the fuck decide it would be cutting edge and cool not to be able to digest wheat properly. #neversawthatcoming”
Josh Barnett – twitter.com/#!/JoshLBarnett
If you are into MMA, Heavy Metal music, food binges, and muscle cars, then the artist formerly known as “The Baby-faced Assassin” is a guy to follow. Not only will he advise you on your current metal play-list, he will also describe his odd meals complete with pictures. A couple weeks ago, Barnett documented his destruction of a menu item called “Symposium of Ecstasy”- a giant meat platter intended on offending every vegan or member of PETA.
“Query: How long will it take before some rapper has taken ‘Someone That I Used to Know’ & ripped it off into ‘Someone That I Used to F#@!’”
“Goddamn I LOVE Don Frye. The man has a way with words.”
“A gay dude just eyeballed me, smiled and said “hi” while walking by…I still got it. #handsomedevil”
Dan Hardy – twitter.com/#!/danhardymma
“The Outlaw” always puts on entertaining fights, and after reading his tweets you will quickly realize that there is another reason why he wasn’t released by the UFC after 4 consecutive losses: he just seems like a pretty damn cool guy. Whether it is his escapades at the gym, his late night excursions to Target or the fact that he is a gun aficionado, Hardy comes off as a dude you want to have a pint with while theorizing your plan for the looming attack by the undead.
“I think Twitter should have a teleport function so instead of blocking someone I could show up wherever they are and beat them mercilessly.”
“Floyd Mayweather is such a dick. I dislike him a little more every time I hear him speak.”
“Police checkpoint on the way home from the gym, trying to catch the stoners because its 4/20. Tax money well spent right? #WhatAWaste”
“On a side note kids – Guns are for self defense, target practice, action movies and the coming zombie apocalypse. Not for problem solving.”
Forrest Griffin – twitter.com/#!/ForrestGriffin
Being an author of 2 books and having a sense of humor that could make a nun blush really gives FoGriff an advantage in this medium. What more could you expect from a guy that dressed in a loin cloth on one of his book covers? Answer: On Twitter you can get a picture of a spread-eagle Forrest dressed like SuperGirl in front of a casino slot machine.
“The other thing is real life prostitutes never look like the ones on tv”
“I want to sincerely apologize for my last tweet. I did not mean to say prostitute I meant to say sex worker. There much better”
“Homework: next time someone casually says hi say ‘your death will give me great pleasure’ or ‘your death will bring me great joy’”
“Did you here UFC fighter @StephanBonnar was arrested for loitering at a public highway reststop restroom”
Tim Kennedy – twitter.com/#!/TimKennedyMMA
There are some that think Tim may be the next person fired for his Twitter contributions but I enjoy the crap out of him. He is active with his tweets and judging from some of the things that CP has covered, he clearly doesn’t take himself too seriously. Although he is too politically motivated for my taste, Kennedy is still a worthwhile follow.
“Professional politicians, hippies, zombies, brussels sprouts, cheap furniture, cutting weight, and one ply toilet paper #ThingsIDislike”
“Dr. Phil please email me. [email protected] I want to coordinate punching some sense into you! You are an idiot.”
“Whenever I want to renew my concern for our country I just go down to the Starbucks by the university and fear for our future.”
“They should let @BrianStann and I head to North Korea to straighten some things out.”
Pat Barry –twitter.com/#!/HypeOrDie
Barry may have the greatest twitter wallpaper/background image in all the land and apparently his CAPS LOCK key is stuck. Aside from being generally hilarious, “HD” was pretty active with the tweets during last weekends Invicta FC with good insight mixed with comic relief. Don’t forget, he did give us one of the greatest video clips ever.
“FUCK TREADMILLS!!!”
“NOT SURE IF THIS IS A BAD SIGN BUT I WOKE UP, ATE, DRANK A REDLINE, THEN INSTANTLY WENT BACK TO SLEEP HARDER THAN I SLEPT LAST NIGHT!!!#fb”
“I WONDER IF ALL THE PEOPLE CONSTANTLY ASKING ME TO SUPPORT THIS HUNT RALLY ARE ASKING MIR AND CAIN TO HELP SUPPORT ALSO???”
“I’LL SUPPORT THE RALLYFORHUNT AS SOON AS EVERYONE ASKING ME TO SUPPORTS RALLYFORHD WHICH IS JUST GIVE ME THE TITLE WITH NO FIGHT!!! DEAL???”
I am not delusional and in no way do I think that I know these dudes because they answered a question or sent out one of mine as a retweet, but Twitter does give you a better understanding of some of the combatant’s personalities. Although social media is a hand grenade without a pin, when used responsibly, it gives althletes and fans a way to interact. I recommend Twitter to follow fighters especially during live events because you can’t get a better source for in-fight analysis. If I know the CP community, I am about to get treated like Ned Beatty in Deliverance.
