The Best MMA Athletes Who Have Wrestled Their Way to the Top

Sara McMann. Photo courtesy of MMA Junkie.

Wrestling is more than just a skill; it’s a mindset. It teaches control, resilience, and the ability to dictate the pace of a fight. Wrestlers learn how to maintain top positions, execute takedowns, and conserve energy while exhausting their opponents. Therefore, it is unsurprising to discover that some of the world’s women Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes have a wrestling background because the skills required for each discipline translate perfectly.

People unfamiliar with MMA, notably the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), wrongly believe it is a combat sport centered around heavy punchers and big hitters. While it helps athletes if they have opponent-stopping power, the fighters who are continually favorites with the best UFC online betting sites are more than a one-trick pony. These top-tier combatants have remarkable grappling skills and groundwork that saps the energy of their opponents and often ends the contest by forcing a submission.

The following three women forged a career in the UFC, often utilizing their impressive wrestling skills when battling inside the Octogan. They set the bar for aspiring female wrestlers and MMA fighters and continue inspiring young women worldwide.

Sara McMann - The Olympic Medalist

Sara McMann is a perfect example of a wrestler transitioning to professional MMA. McMann started wrestling at 14, discovering she had a natural talent for the sport. Her ability was so high that she represented the United States at the 2003 World Championships, winning a silver medal, before claiming the bronze medal at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships.Sandwiched between those impressive results is a silver medal from the 2004 Summer Olympic Games; McMann was the first American woman to win such a medal in Olympic wrestling.

McMann’s combination of raw power and technical finesse made her a formidable wrestler. She used those highly-tuned skills in MMA. After signing with several promotions, McMann signed for the UFC, where she stood toe-to-toe with the legendary figures of Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena. Although she lost both those fights, McMann was a respected UFC athlete before heading to fight in Bellator events.

Her professional MMA record reads 21 matches, 14 wins, and seven defeats. Eight of McCann’s wins were by decision, five via submission, and one by knockout.

Cat Zingano - The Four-time All-American Champion

Cat Zingano. Photo courtesy of MMA Junkie.

Cat Zingano, formerly Albert, is another female mixed martial artist who became involved in combat sports by discovering wrestling at high school. Zingano got involved in wrestling at age 12 and went on to wrestle for the Unversity of the Cumberlands and MacMurray College, becoming a four-time All-American and National Champion.

Zingano took up Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2007 and fell in love with the sport. Zingano began competing in amateur MMA a few months later, focusing on Brazilian jiu-jitsu but never forgetting her wrestling roots.

By 2013, Zingano had signed with the UFC. She made her debut against Miesha Tate and won by TKO, becoming the first female UFC star to win a match via that method. Zingano sat out the following year with knee injuries but returned to the Octagon to defeat Amanda Nunes, again by TKO. The victory over Nunes earned Zingano a shot at the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship against Ronda Rousey. However, Rousey forced Zingano to submit with a straight armbar after only 14 seconds.

Zingano is part of the Bellator setup, where she has four wins and one defeat, the latter coming in the Bellator Women’s Featherweight World Championship against the legendary Cris Cyborg in October 2023.

Tatiana Suarez - Overcoming Adversity

We said earlier that wrestling teaches you discipline and helps you become mentally tougher, and Tatiana Suarez is a testament to that. Born in California but of Mexican descent, Suarez began wrestling at age four because her older brother wrestled, and she wanted to be like him.

Suarez is a two-time bronze medal winner in the World Championships of freestyle wrestling and was once ranked as the number one freestyle wrestler in the United States at 55kg. However, Suarez suffered a neck injury while training for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Scans revealed damage to a disc in her neck but also a cancerous growth on her thyroid, completely derailing her wrestling aspirations.

Thankfully, Suarez fully recovered but opted to leave wrestling behind and focus on Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which ultimately led to her discovering mixed martial arts. In July 2014, Suarez made her professional MMA debut in the Gladiator promotion. She fought three fights and won all three before joining the UFC in July 2016. Suarez has fought seven times in the UFC and won all seven bouts. Four of those victories came via submission, with Suarez using her wrestling base to dominate her opponents with relentless takedowns and suffocating top control. She is a future UFC champion in the making.

Conclusion

Sara McMann, Cat Zingano, and Tatiana Suarez are just three former wrestlers who have used their skills to shine in the UFC and other MMA promotions. Other superstars include Jessica Andrade, Miesha Tate, and Julianna Pena, illustrating the profound impact of wrestling in shaping the landscape of women’s MMA.

Their transition from wrestling mats to the Octagon shows the effectiveness and versatility of wrestling as a martial art. Wrestling provides a strong base for athletes to develop other skills necessary to compete at the highest level in the UFC and other promotions. Perhaps more importantly, wrestling instills a mindset that is essential for success in MMA: adaptability to face various fighting styles, mental toughness, and the determination to persevere.

The journey of these remarkable women, from wrestlers to MMA stars, is not only about winning fights but also about breaking down barriers, setting new standards, and inspiring the next generation of fighters. As more female wrestlers transition into MMA, we should see a continued evolution of fighting styles and strategies, and that is great for the sport and even better for the spectators.