By Akshat Trivedi Credits: UFC & Twitter
Combat athletes often go through a proper amateur career before going completely professional, and many of them reach the peaks of their careers right in the amateur phase.
However, there are a few UFC fighters who have competed in the Olympics and bagged a medal before stepping inside the Octagon. Let's take a look at five UFC fighters who won in the Olympics.
Sara McMann, an American fighter who won a silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics in freestyle wrestling, has also bagged three medals at the World Amateur Championships and the Pan Ams.
Yoel Romero has won five medals at the World Championships and a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Despite his age, he is the most feared UFC fighter, with 10 knockouts in his career.
Kevin Jackson won his Olympic gold medal in 1992 in Barcelona and has additionally won two gold medals in the World Championships and the Pan Ams. His success earned him a spot in the UFC.
Ronda Rousey had a successful career in the UFC, winning her first 12 fights, 11 of them by armbar submission. She was also a former Olympic bronze medalist in Judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Henry Cejudo is another top UFC fighter who won a gold medal at the age of 21 in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Later, he went on to become "Triple C," with 2 division UFC titles and 1 Olympic gold.
The discipline, work ethic, and determination required to excel in the Olympics are transferable skills that have helped these athletes achieve great success in the Octagon.
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