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| Article: |
Author |
| OLYMPIANS IN WRESTLING & MMA |
James Denton |
The most comprehensive breakdown of pro wrestling and MMA Olympians in the last 100 years!
Further to our article in issue 31, following is the full breakdown of the Olympic athletes who subsequently attempted professional wrestling and/or mixed martial arts. Since the publication of the article, we have been able to complete further research that was not possible in time for print. Thus, we hope that what follows is the most complete and thorough documentation of pro wrestling and MMA Olympians available.
Click the following to jump directly to each section:
• Breakdown by Olympic year: athletes entering pro wrestling / MMA
• Breakdown by discipline: medal production & wrestler / fighter output
• Complete details by Olympic year: all pro wrestling / MMA athletes, medals, bios
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BREAKDOWN BY OLYMPIC YEAR:
ATHLETES ENTERING PRO WRESTLING / MMA
1906 - 1 athlete; 1 pro wrestler (100%)
1908 - 1 athlete; 1 pro wrestler (100%)
1912 - 3 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (100%)
1920 - 3 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (100%)
1924 - 6 athletes; 6 pro wrestlers (100%)
1928 - 3 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (100%)
1932 - 5 athletes; 5 pro wrestlers (100%)
1936 - 3 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (100%)
1948 - 4 athletes; 4 pro wrestlers (100%)
1952 - 1 athlete; 1 pro wrestler (100%)
1956 - 4 athletes; 4 pro wrestlers (100%)
1960 - 3 athletes; 2 pro wrestlers (67%), 1 MMA fighter (33%)
1964 - 5 athletes; 5 pro wrestlers (100%)
1968 - 3 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (100%)
1972 - 7 athletes; 6 pro wrestlers (86%), 1 wrestling & MMA (14%)
1976 - 8 athletes; 7 pro wrestlers (88.5%), 1 wrestler & MMA fighter (12.5%)
1980 - 2 athletes; 2 pro wrestlers (100%)
1984 - 5 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (60%), 2 MMA fighters (40%)
1988 - 10 athletes; 6 pro wrestlers (67%), 3 MMA fighters (33%), 1 wrestling & MMA (10%)
1992 - 20 athletes; 9 pro wrestlers (45%), 9 MMA fighters (45%), 2 wrestling & MMA (10%)
1996 - 15 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (20%), 9 MMA fighters (60%), 3 wrestling & MMA (20%)
2000 - 13 athletes; 11 MMA fighters (85%), 2 wrestling & MMA (15%)
2004 - 6 athletes; 6 MMA fighters (100%)
Clearly, the majority of Olympians in the last 102 years have chosen professional wrestling over MMA. However, mixed martial arts has only existed as an organised, professional entity for some 15 years.
No athlete who competed prior to the 1960 Olympics transitioned to MMA; all 34 who crossed over did so to pro wrestling. The first Games that featured an athlete who would participate in an organised, legitimate mixed martial arts match was 1960, with Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali.
While the 1972 Olympics featured an athlete, Willem Ruska, who partook in an MMA match, that was a worked fight. It was not until 1976 that the Games featured an athlete who would have a legitimate MMA career – Yoshiaki Yatsu, who fought in Pride after wrestling professionally everywhere from All Japan to WWE.
The shift began in 1984, when 2 of the 5 athletes embarked on MMA rather than pro wrestling careers. The turning point came in 1992 when, of 19 athletes, 9 (47%) went into MMA and 8 (42%) went into pro wrestling, with 2 (11%) competed at both. However, the trend has now completely shifted towards MMA.
In 1996, three times as many Olympians choose MMA over wrestling; in 2000 there were no pure pro wrestlers at all, with 11 of the 13 athletes choosing exclusively MMA careers and 2 attempting both; by 2004, not a single Olympian even stepped into a pro wrestling ring, as all 6 athletes chose MMA careers.
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BREAKDOWN BY DISCIPLINE:
MEDAL PRODUCTION & WRESTLER / FIGHTER OUTPUT
Greco-Roman Wrestling
22 medals (8 Gold, 10 Silver, 4 Bronze); 25 athletes; 17 pro wrestlers (68%), 8 MMA fighters (32%)
Freestyle Wrestling
21 medals (10 Gold, 6 Silver, 5 Bronze); 37 athletes; 26 pro wrestlers (70%), 7 MMA fighters (19%), 4 wrestling & MMA (11%)
Judo
16 medals (9 Gold, 3 Silver, 4 Bronze); 17 athletes; 7 pro wrestlers (41%), 8 MMA fighters (47%), 2 wrestling & MMA (12%)
Boxing
5 medals (4 Gold, 1 Bronze); 5 athletes; 3 pro wrestlers (60%); 2 MMA fighters (40%)
Gymnastics
4 medals (1 Silver, 3 Bronze); 1 athlete; 1 pro wrestler (100%)
Weightlifting
3 medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver); 5 athletes; 5 pro wrestlers (100%)
Basketball
2 medals (2 Gold); 2 athletes; 1 pro wrestler (50%), 1 wrestling & MMA (50%)
Rowing
0 medals; 1 athlete; 1 pro wrestler (100%)
While Freestyle Wrestling has entered 32% more athletes, Greco-Roman Wrestling has produced more medals (including more Golds and Silvers). Freestyle has produced 35% more pro wrestlers than Greco (almost the same proportion of additional athletes it entered into the Games), the two disciplines are about even in terms of MMA fighter production.
Judo and Boxing have each produced a fairly even split of pro wrestlers to MMA fighters, though there are contentious figures such as Muhammad Ali and Willem Ruska to be considered. Weightlifting, while not a martial art, has traditionally provided a bridge to pro wrestling, and it is no shock that the brute force sport has not produced any MMA fighters.
Away from the combative disciplines, surprising is the fact that Olympic basketball has produced both a pro wrestler and a wrestler who also fought in MMA. Again, some will find Karl Malone’s inclusion to be contentious, yet there are many other wrestlers on this list who never main-evented a pay-per-view – let alone drew substantial money in doing so – as Malone did.
Gymnastics and rowing are two completely left-field events in the pack, producing a professional wrestler each. These would seem to be exceptions to the rule; while weightlifting and basketball may not typically be thought of as factories for future fighters or pro wrestlers, the size and physical traits associated with each discipline will give certain athletes an advantage in the freak show aspects of sports entertainment.
However, while gymnasts may not necessarily possess characteristics useful to MMA competition, pro wrestling’s recent overcoming of its size prejudice may in future see more gymnastic athletes – being smaller and capable of impressive acrobatics – pursue careers in the squared circle.
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COMPLETE DETAILS BY OLYMPIC YEAR:
ALL PRO WRESTLING / MMA ATHLETES, MEDALS, BIOS
NOTE: Entries in italic did not compete (due to boycott, alternate status, misnomer etc). Entries in red italic have no direct link to pro wrestling or MMA, but do posses some relevant connection.
1906
1 athlete (1 Weightlifting); 1 medal (1 Gold); 100% medal success; 1 pro wrestler
· Dimitrios Tofalos (Gold, HW Weightlifting) – One of greatest weightlifters of C20th; later managed Jim Londos.
1908
1 athlete (1 Greco); 1 medal (1 Silver); 100% medal success; 1 pro wrestler
· Yrjo Saarela1 (Silver, LHW Greco) – Short European wrestling career.
1912
3 athletes (3 Greco); 3 medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver); 100% medal success; 3 pro wrestlers
· Johan Olin (Silver, HW Greco) – Beat Joe Stecher for World Title in 1960 after 160 mins.
· Ivar Böhling/Böling (Silver, MW Greco) – Historic Gold medal match VS Anders Algren, which went 9 hours without a pin and was declared a draw for joint Silver.
· Yrjo Saarela2 (Gold, HW Greco) – Short European wrestling career.
1920
3 athletes (2 Greco, 2 Freestyle); 2 medals (1 Silver, 1 Bronze); 67% medal success; 3 pro wrestlers
· George Tragos1 (MW Greco) – Known shooter and enforcer in the St Louis and Northeast areas.
· Nat Pendleton (Silver, HW Freestyle; didn’t place HW Greco) – Went on to successful Hollywood career, famously portraying Eugen Sandow.
· Fred Meyer (Bronze, HW Freestyle) – Wrestled mainly in California.
1924
6 athletes (2 Greco, 4 Freestyle); 4 medals (4 Gold); 67% medal success; 6 pro wrestlers
· George Tragos2 (MW Greco) – Known shooter and enforcer in the St Louis and Northeast areas.
· Johan Richthoff1 (4th, HW Freestyle) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.
· Henri DeGlane (Gold, HW Greco) – Major European wrestling star.
· Robin Reed (Gold, FW Freestyle) – Greatest amateur wrestler of all time, never beaten in his entire career. Weighed 135, but won all four weight classes (including 192) at Olympic trials. Pinned the entire US Olympic team in 1924, including the LHW and HW gold medallists. Beat everyone (except legendary shooter John Pesek) in private challenge matches.
· Russel Vis (Gold, LW Freestyle) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.
· John Spellman (Gold, LHW Freestyle) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.
1928
3 athletes (3 Freestyle); 1 medal (1 Gold); 33% medal success; 3 pro wrestlers
· Earl McCready (HW Freestyle) – Big British Commonwealth star; held British Empire Championship for 7 years.
· Ed Don George (4th, HW Freestyle) – Held NWA Championship and went on to promote his own shows.
· Johan Richthoff2 (Gold1, HW Freestyle) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.
1932
5 athletes (4 Freestyle, 4 Greco); 5 medals (4 Gold, 1 Bronze); 100% medal success; 5 pro wrestlers
· Jack Van Bebber (Gold, WW Freestyle) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.
· Peter Mehringer (Gold, LW Freestyle) – Was a successful star in New Zealand. Also played in the NFL and had a successful movie stuntman career.
· Axel Cadier1 (Bronze, MW Greco) – Wrestled mainly in Washington area, held European Title.
· Johan Richthoff3 (Gold2, HW Freestyle) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.
· Robert Pearce (Gold, BW Freestyle) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.
1936
3 athletes (1 Freestyle, 1 Greco, 1 Rowing); 1 medal (4 Gold, 1 Bronze); 33% medal success; 3 pro wrestlers
· Roy Dunn (11th, HW Freestyle) – Wrestled mainly in the Kansas area. Won a sketchy version of the NWA Championship.
· Axel Cadier2 (Gold, LHW Greco) – Wrestled mainly in Washington area, held European Title.
· Ben Sharpe (7th, Rowing, Coxed 8s) – Legendary tag team with brother Mike in the 50s; uncle of “Iron” Mike Sharpe.
1948
4 athletes (+2 alternates) (3 Freestyle (+2 alternates), 1 Greco (+2 team pulled), 1 Weightlifting); 1 medal (1 Silver); 25% medal success; 4 pro wrestlers (+2 did not compete)
· Dick Hutton (7th, HW Freestyle) – Became NWA Champion
· Charles “Karl Gotch” Istaz (7th, Freestyle; 8th, Greco) – Held championships in New Japan, AWA, WWWF. Known as “The God Of Pro Wrestling” and revolutionised Japanese wrestling, inspiring Antonio Inoki’s ‘strong style’ and paving the way for the entire MMA movement.
· Harold “Tosh Togo” Sakata (Silver, Weightlifting) – Successful career in Hawaii and the West Coast. Best known as “Oddjob” in Bond film Goldfinger.
· Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon (7th, Freestyle) – Major star and wrestling patriarch. Held endless AWA and NWA gold, including AWA Title 5 times.
· [Verne Gagne (Greco team pulled; became Freestyle alt, did not compete) – Booked himself to win 10 World Titles in the AWA. Trained wrestlers like Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat.]
· [Joe Scarpello (Greco team pulled; became Freestyle alt, did not compete) – Enjoyed fairly unremarkable pro career.]
· [Henry Wittenberg1 (Gold, LHW Freestyle) – Coached Larry “Boris Malenko” Simon.]
1952
1 athlete (1 Freestyle); 1 medal (1 Silver); 100% medal success; 1 pro wrestler
· Danny Hodge1 (5th, MW Freestyle) – One of the greatest amateur and professional wrestlers of all time, holding multiple NWA Titles. Also a Golden Gloves and professional boxer.
· [Henry Wittenberg2 (Silver, LHW Freestyle) – Coached Larry “Boris Malenko” Simon.]
1956
4 athletes (1 Freestyle, 2 Greco, 1 Weightlifting); 3 medals (1 Gold, 2 Silvers); 75% medal success; 4 pro wrestlers
· Dale Lewis1 (10th, HW Greco) – Largely a washout as a pro, but held the AWA Tag Titles and was the Pacific Northwest Champion (“Beat The Champ”, based on his amateur credentials).
· Danny Hodge2 (Silver, MW Freestyle) – One of the greatest amateur and professional wrestlers of all time, holding multiple NWA Titles. Also a Golden Gloves and professional boxer.
· Wilfried Dietrich1 (Silver1, HW Greco) – With five Olympic medals in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, plus five Games appearances, the most successful Olympic wrestler ever. Infamous for hitting a belly-to-belly on 400+ lbs Chris Taylor in 1972. Was also going to compete in Judo in 1964, but ultimately didn’t. Wasn’t successful on the Austro-German circuit.
· Paul Anderson (Gold, HW Weightlifting) – Unremarkable pro career.
1960
3 athletes (1 Freestyle, 2 Greco, 1 Boxing); 3 medals (2 Gold, 1 Silver); 67% medal success (1 double-medallist); 2 pro wrestlers, 1 “MMA” fighter
· Dale Lewis2 (11th, HW Greco) – Largely a washout as a pro, but held the AWA Tag Titles and was the Pacific Northwest Champion (“Beat The Champ”, based on his amateur credentials).
· Cassius Clay (Gold, LHW Boxing) – As Muhammad Ali took part in a pioneering mixed arts fight (boxing VS strong style pro wrestling) against Antonio Inoki, which paved the way for future mixed martial arts contents and continues to influence both Japanese wrestling and MMA to this day. Also lit the Olympic torch in 1996 at the Atlanta Games.
· Wilfried Dietrich2 (Gold, HW Freestyle; Silver2, HW Greco) – With five Olympic medals in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, plus five Games appearances, the most successful Olympic wrestler ever. Infamous for hitting a belly-to-belly on 400+ lbs Chris Taylor in 1972. Was also going to compete in Judo in 1964, but ultimately didn’t. Wasn’t successful on the Austro-German circuit.
1964
5 athletes (+1 alternate) (2 Freestyle, 2 Greco (+1 alternate), 1 Judo, 1 Boxing); 3 medals (2 Gold, 1 Bronze); 60% medal success; 5 pro wrestlers
· Masa “Mr” Saito (7th SHW Freestyle) – Big star in Japan and internationally. Won championships in New Japan, WWF, AWA and NWA.
· Tsuneharu “Thunder” Sugiyama (8th, HW Greco) – Became a sometime-headline star in Japan.
· [Bob Roop (HW Greco alt, did not compete) – Was a successful wrestler in Florida and on the regional circuits, picking up secondary NWA titles.]
· Wilfried Dietrich3 (Bronze1, HW Greco; 7th, HW Freestyle) – With five Olympic medals in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, plus five Games appearances, the most successful Olympic wrestler ever. Infamous for hitting a belly-to-belly on 400+ lbs Chris Taylor in 1972. Was also going to compete in Judo in 1964, but ultimately didn’t. Wasn’t successful on the Austro-German circuit.
· Antonius Geesink (Gold, OW Judo) – Recruited by Giant Baba and sent to Amarillo to train with the Funks. Worked in All Japan.
· Joe Frazier (Gold, HW Boxing) – Did one-off gimmick matches.
· [Jim “Baron Von” Raschke (HW Greco; injured before Trials, did not compete) – Famous AWA star who held numerous titles in NWA territories and had two brief stints in WWE.]
1968
3 athletes (1 Freestyle, 2 Greco); 1 medal (1 Bronze); 33% medal success; 3 pro wrestlers
· Bob Roop (10th, HW Greco) – Was a successful wrestler in Florida and on the regional circuits, picking up secondary NWA titles.
· Roland Bock (11th, HW Greco) – Renowned shooter during the 70s and 80s in Europe.
· Wilfried Dietrich4 (Bronze2, HW Freestyle) – With five Olympic medals in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, plus five Games appearances, the most successful Olympic wrestler ever. Infamous for hitting a belly-to-belly on 400+ lbs Chris Taylor in 1972. Was also going to compete in Judo in 1964, but ultimately didn’t. Wasn’t successful on the Austro-German circuit.
· [Khosrow “Iron Sheik” Vaziri (Greco; did not qualify or compete) – Enjoyed big success in WWE as World and Tag Team Champion before becoming a YouTube legend and Howard Stern sidekick.]
1972
7 athletes (3 Freestyle, 2 Greco, 1 Weightlifting, 2 Judo); 4 medals (3 Gold, 1 Bronze); 43% medal success (1 double-medallist); 6 pro wrestlers, 1 wrestling & MMA
· Willem Ruska (Gold1, HW Judo; Gold2, OW Judo) – Ruska is something of a contentious entry. One of Antonio Inoki’s opponents in the famous “Martial Arts Challenge Matches”, which included the 1976 shoot fight with Muhammad Ali. However, prior to that legitimate fight were several worked fights that purported to be legit – one of which was against Ruska. While later matches (such as Inoki VS Leon Spinks) were clearly exposed and positioned as pro wrestling matches, the fight with Ruska was promoted as a shoot. Since Mark Coleman and Nobuhiko Takada’s worked fight at Pride 5 is not considered “a pro wrestling match” but rather “a worked MMA match”, we therefore consider the supposed shoot between Inoki and Ruska “a worked MMA match”. Ruska later appeared sporadically for New Japan in worked wrestling contests.
· Chris Taylor (Bronze, SHW Freestyle; 7th, SHW Greco) – At 412 lbs, the biggest super heavyweight in Olympic wrestling. Signed a $100,000 annual contract with the AWA, as Verne Gagne saw him having more potential than Ric Flair. Sadly he wasn’t cut out for wrestling and died at just 29.
· Jumbo Tsuruta (8th, SHW Greco) – All-time professional legend, being the first to capture both the All Japan Triple Crown (which he held 3 times) and Tag Team Championships (7 times), as well as major titles in the AWA, NWA and PWF.
· Ken Patera (12th SHW Weightlifting) – A huge star in the AWA and regional territories before joining WWE, where he claimed the IC Title.
· Gwang-Ung “Riki Choshu” Kwak (15th, LHW Freestyle) – The innovator of the Sharpshooter/Scorpion Deathlock, Choshu was a big star and huge influence in Japan, working for both AJPW and NJPW and winning the IWGP Title 3 times. He also booked the New Japan VS UWFi invasion angle, which was the direct inspiration for Eric Bischoff’s nWo invasion of WCW.
· Wilfried Dietrich5 (4th, SHW Greco; 5th, SHW Freestyle) – With five Olympic medals in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, plus five Games appearances, the most successful Olympic wrestler ever. Infamous for hitting a belly-to-belly on 400+ lbs Chris Taylor in 1972. Was also going to compete in Judo in 1964, but ultimately didn’t. Wasn’t successful on the Austro-German circuit.
· Shota Chochishvili1 (Gold, HHW Judo) – Main evented with Antonio Inoki at the first wrestling event to be held at the Tokyo Dome in 1988.
· [Dan Gable (Gold, LW Freestyle) – With a Freestyle record of 97-5-3, and using cutting-edge techniques that only became popular in the modern day, he was one of the most accomplished amateur wrestlers of all time. Today he is applying his techniques to dedicated MMA training seminars.]
1976
8 athletes (3 Freestyle, 2 Greco, 3 Judo, 1 Boxing); 3 medals (1 Gold, 2 Bronze); 38% medal success; 7 pro wrestlers, 1 wrestler & MMA fighter
· "Bad News" Allen Coage (Bronze, HW Judo) – Successful international star with WWE, Stampede, New Japan, UWFi and others. Captured numerous secondary titles.
· Jimmy Jackson (9th, HW Freestyle) – Worked predominantly in Mid-South Wrestling.
· Yoshiaki Yatsu (10th, LHW Freestyle) – A huge Japanese star in the 80s, playing off his Olympic appearance and tagging with Riki Choshu and Jumbo Tsuruta. After the 1976 Games his Olympic aspirations were cursed: Japan boycotted the 1980 competition in Moscow; as a professional, he was deemed ineligible for the 1988 games; and he was an unrealistic age to try for the 1992 Olympics, when the IOC altered its policy regarding professional wrestling. He wrestled for All and New Japan, WWE, WCCW and WAR, and fought for Pride in 2000 and 2001, losing both his fights to Gary Goodridge.
· Brad Rheingans (4th, HW Greco) – Enjoyed a midcard career with the AWA and New Japan, despite being mediocre as a pro.
· Klaus Wallas (9th, OW Judo; 10th, HW Judo) – Had a very short career in Otto Wanz’s Austro-German territory, as he didn’t take to the professional game.
· Shota Chochishvili2 (Bronze, OW Judo) – Main evented with Antonio Inoki at the first wrestling event to be held at the Tokyo Dome in 1988.
· Frank Andersson1 (5th, LHW Greco; 7th, LHW Freestyle) – Wrestled for both WCW and New Japan in the mid-90s.
· Leon Spinks (Gold, LHW Boxing) – Wrestled Antonio Inoki in worked bpxer VS wrestler matches. Later wrestled in FMW, winning the Brass Knuckles Title.
1980
NOTE: Held in Moscow, many nations joined the US-led boycott of the 1980 Games due to Soviet military activity in Afghanistan.
2 athletes (1 Freestyle, 1 Greco, 1 Judo); 1 medal (1 Bronze); 50% medal success; 2 pro wrestlers
· Hendrik Numan (Bronze, HHW Judo) – Had a fairly uneventful pro career.
· Frank Andersson2 (4th, LHW Greco; 15th, HW Freestyle) – Wrestled for both WCW and New Japan in the mid-90s.
· [Jimmy Jackson (HW Freestyle; part of boycott, did not compete) – Worked predominantly in Mid-South Wrestling.]
· [Yoshiaki Yatsu (LHW Freestyle; part of boycott, did not compete) – A huge Japanese star in the 80s, playing off his Olympic appearance and tagging with Riki Choshu and Jumbo Tsuruta. After the 1976 Games his Olympic aspirations were cursed: Japan boycotted the 1980 competition in Moscow; as a professional, he was deemed ineligible for the 1988 games; and he was an unrealistic age to try for the 1992 Olympics, when the IOC altered its policy regarding professional wrestling. He wrestled for All and New Japan, WWE, WCCW and WAR, and fought for Pride in 2000 and 2001, losing both his fights to Gary Goodridge.]
· [Brad Rheingans (HW Greco; part of boycott, did not compete) – Enjoyed a midcard career with the AWA and New Japan, despite being mediocre as a pro.]
· [Greg Wojciechowski (SHW Freestyle; part of boycott, did not compete) – A regional attraction who became a 3-time World Champion in Indiana’s WWA, where he held “The $10,000 Challenge” to crowds playing off his amateur credentials. He lost his second WWA Title to a young Scott Steiner.]
1984
5 athletes (3 Freestyle, 2 Greco, 1 Judo); 2 medals (1 Gold, 1 Bronze); 40% medal success; 3 pro wrestlers, 2 MMA fighters
· Hiroshi Hase (13th, LHW Greco) – Major star in All and New Japan, capturing the IWGP Title. Also wrestled in Stampede and later became a politician, joining the Japanese Diet.
· Mark Schultz (Gold, HW Freestyle) – All-time great amateur along with brother Dave, together the most decorated brothers in amateur history. Compiled a 1-1 record in MMA, including a victory over Gary Goodridge at UFC 9. Lost a private challenge match o Rickson Gracie.
· [David Schultz (Gold, WW Freestyle) – Legendary amateur wrestler and the wrestling coach of Kurt Angle, prior to his tragic murder. (Not to be confused with pro wrestler “Dr D” David Schultz.]
· Tamon Honda1 (5th, HW Freestyle) – Wrestled for All Japan and currently for Pro Wrestling Noah, finding greatest success as a tag wrestler.
· Frank Andersson3 (Bronze, LHW Greco; 9th LHW Freestyle) – Wrestled for both WCW and New Japan in the mid-90s.
· Bernhard Spijkers1 (10th, MW Judo) MMA – 0-2 in MMA, having fought in 1995 for the WWC and Shooto.
· [Jeff Blatnick (Gold, SHW Greco) – Commentator from UFC 4 to UFC 32 (when it was run by Zuffa), and named Jack Tunny-esque commissioner at UFC 17.]
1988
10 athletes (+1 alternate) (3 Freestyle, 2 Greco (+1 alternate), 2 Boxing, 1 Judo, 1 Basketball, 1 Gymnastics); 7 medals (3 Gold, 4 Bronze); 60% medal success (1 double-medallist); 6 pro wrestlers, 3 MMA fighters, 1 wrestling & MMA (10%)
· [Jorge Giant Gonzalez (Basketball; Argentina did not qualify, did not compete) – Failed NBA prospect and the prototype of The Great Khali. Stunk up rings in WCW, WWE and New Japan.]
· Ray Mercer (Gold, HW Boxing) MMA – Lost a K-1 fight to Musashi and an MMA exhibition to Kimbo Slice.
· Yukio “Ginga” Iketani1 (Bronze1 Floor; Bronze2 Team All-Around; 7th Horse Vault; 8th Individual All-Around; 9th Horizontal Bar; 21st Rings; 22nd Pommel Horse; 29th Parallel Bars) – Joined wacky Japanese promotion Hustle and wowed audiences with his acrobatics, though he is the very definition of “spot monkey”.
· Tamon Honda2 (13th, HW Freestyle) – Wrestled for All Japan and currently for Pro Wrestling Noah, finding greatest success as a tag wrestler.
· Paulo Cesar de “Giant” Silva (5th, Basketball) – Wrestled (badly) for WWE, CMLL and New Japan (tagging with The Great Khali in a team of epic awfulness). Joined Pride and then K-1 where he had a 2-5 MMA career, fighting the likes of Heath Herring, James Thompson and Akebono. A major attraction on New Year’s Eve, his match with 1996 Olympian Naoya Ogawa was once the most watched fight in Pride history.
· [Randy Couture (HW Greco alt; did not compete) – UFC Hall Of Famer; won UFC 13 heavyweight tournament; 3-time HW Champ; 2-time LHW Champ, 1-time Interim LHW Champ, first UFC fighter to hold titles in two divisions.]
· Dennis Koslowski1 (Bronze, HW Greco) – Appeared on local AWA programming and was being groomed as a gaijin star in the shoot-style UWFi, but the relationship fell apart. Later wrestled for Fujiwara Gumi.
· Duane Koslowski (8th, SHW Greco) – Appeared on local AWA programming and was being groomed as a gaijin star in the shoot-style UWFi, but the relationship fell apart. Later wrestled for Fujiwara Gumi.
· Svilen Rusinov1 (9th, SHW Boxing) – Wrestled one-off gimmick matches.
· David Gobezhishvili (Gold, SHW Freestyle) – Wrestled one-off gimmick matches. Running along a theme, also had a one-fight pro boxing career.
· Kenny Monday1 (Gold, WW Freestyle) – Lost his lone MMA fight against journeyman John Lewis in 1997. (Trivia note: went to Booker T High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.)
· Bernhard Spijkers2 (Bronze, MW Judo) – 0-2 in MMA, having fought in 1995 for the WWC and Shooto.
1992
20 athletes (+1 alternate) (7 Freestyle, 4 Greco (+1 alternate), 1 Boxing, 5 Judo, 1 Basketball, 1 Weightlifting, 1 Gymnastics); 11 medals (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 3 Bronze); 50% medal success (1 double-medallist); 9 pro wrestlers, 9 MMA fighters, 2 wrestling & MMA
· Yukio “Ginga” Iketani2 (Silver Floor; Bronze3 Team All-Around; 7th Rings; 12th Pommel Horse; 12th Parallel Bars; 23rd Individual All-Around; 23rd Horse Vault; 67th Horizontal Bar) – Joined wacky Japanese promotion Hustle and wowed audiences with his acrobatics, though he is the very definition of “spot monkey”.
· Mark Coleman (7th, HW Freestyle) – The inaugural UFC Heavyweight Champion, inaugural Pride Grand Prix Champion and the inventor of ground & pound. Also wrestled professionally for Hustle in Japan.
· Kevin Jackson (Gold, MW Freestyle) – Won middleweight tournament at UFC 14 to earn a shot at champion Frank Shamrock, which he lost.
· Manabu Nakanishi (13th, HW Freestyle) – Worked for New Japan and WCW. Found success as a tag wrestler and singles wrestler, winning the G1 Climax and Young Lions Cup.
· Naoya Ogawa1 (Silver, HW Judo) – A star in New Japan, Hustle, Zero-ONE and the IGF, he was also a veteran of Pride, where he faced fellow Olympian and Judo nemesis, Hidehiko Yoshida.
· Siamak “Matt” Ghaffari1 (16th, SHW Greco) – Had one, sad MMA fight against Naoya Ogawa that lasted barely a minute.
· Mark Henry (10th, SHW Weightlifting) – Midcard lifer in WWE, most famous for his relationships with Mae Young and a transsexual.
· [Randy Couture (HW Greco alt; did not compete) – UFC Hall Of Famer; won UFC 13 heavyweight tournament; 3-time HW Champ; 2-time LHW Champ, 1-time Interim LHW Champ, first UFC fighter to hold titles in two divisions.]
· Hidehiko Yoshida1 (Gold, HMW Judo) – Former Pride headliner whose best days are behind him, having lost to James Thompson before joining World Victory Road this year.
· Tamon Honda3 (11th, SHW Freestyle) – Wrestled for All Japan and currently for Pro Wrestling Noah, finding greatest success as a tag wrestler.
· Dan Henderson1 (10th, MW Greco) – Won Rings’ King Of Kings tournament, the UFC 17 middleweight tourney and the Pride Weltwerweight GP, later becoming the first ever (major league) simultaneous double-division champion.
· Dennis Koslowski2 (Silver, HW Greco) – Appeared on local AWA programming and was being groomed as a gaijin star in the shoot-style UWFi, but the relationship fell apart. Later wrestled for Fujiwara Gumi.
· Davit Khakhaleishvili (Gold, HW Judo) – Before turning pro he infamously went to the wrong venue for the 1996 weigh-ins, and thus was not eligible for that year’s Olympics.
· Svilen Rusinov2 (Bronze, SHW Boxing) – Wrestled one-off gimmick matches.
· Karl Malone1 (Gold1, Basketball) – Appeared and wrestled in WCW as DDP’s ally against the nWo and Dennis Rodman (which crossed over into Malone and Rodman’s NBA Finals rivalry).
· David Gobezhishvili2 (Bronze, SHW Freestyle) Wrestled one-off gimmick matches. Running along a theme, also had a one-fight pro boxing career.
· Kenny Monday2 (Silver, WW Freestyle) – Lost his lone MMA fight against journeyman John Lewis in 1997. (Trivia note: went to Booker T High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.)
· Bernhard Spijkers3 (9th MW Judo) – 0-2 in MMA, having fought in 1995 for the WWC and Shooto.
· Townsend Saunders1 (7th, LW Freestyle) – 0-2 in MMA in the late-90s, losing to Pat Miletich at UFC 16 and Mikey Burnett at UFC 18.
· Dennis Hall1 (8th, BW Greco) MMA – Another 0-2 MMA Olympian, losing in Shooto in 1998 and the CFF in 2003.
· Pawel Nastula1 (5th, HHW Judo) – Put together a 1-4 record in Pride against mostly top-tier talent, losing to Minotauro Nogueira in his debut before falling to Aleks Emelianenko and Josh Barnett (where he tested positive for an array of steroids and substances). Has now joined fellow former Pride Judokas Hidehiko Yoshida and Makoto Takimoto in World Victory Road. Dubbed “The Real Rickson” by Pride, due to his 312 consecutive Judo wins (a reference to Rickson Gracie’s alleged 400 wins in unverifiable competition).
1996
15 athletes (+1 alternate) (6 Freestyle, 3 Greco (+1 alternate), 4 Judo, 1 Basketball, 1 Weightlifting); 9 medals (3 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze); 60% medal success; 3 pro wrestlers, 9 MMA fighters, 3 wrestling & MMA
· Kurt Angle (Gold, HW Freestyle) – An all-time great as both an amateur and professional. One of the greatest workers of his generation, he is a WWE Grand Slam Champion and TNA Everything Champion™.
· Pawel Nastula2 (Gold, HHW Judo) MMA – Put together a 1-4 record in Pride against mostly top-tier talent, losing to Minotauro Nogueira in his debut before falling to Aleks Emelianenko and Josh Barnett (where he tested positive for an array of steroids and substances). Has now joined fellow former Pride Judokas Hidehiko Yoshida and Makoto Takimoto in World Victory Road. Dubbed “The Real Rickson” by Pride, due to his 312 consecutive Judo wins (a reference to Rickson Gracie’s alleged 400 wins in unverifiable competition).
· Min-Soo Kim (Silver, HHW Judo) – The Tito Santana of MMA, Kim is a gatekeeper who has been pounded out by everyone from Bob Sapp to Brock Lesnar.
· Naoya Ogawa2 (5th, HW Judo) – A star in New Japan, Hustle, Zero-ONE and the IGF, he was also a veteran of Pride, where he faced fellow Olympian and Judo nemesis, Hidehiko Yoshida.
· Siamak “Matt” Ghaffari2 (Silver, SHW Greco) – Had one, sad MMA fight against Naoya Ogawa that lasted barely a minute.
· Mark Henry2 (14th, SHW Weightlifting) – Midcard lifer in WWE, most famous for his relationships with Mae Young and a transsexual.
· [Randy Couture (HW Greco alt; did not compete) – UFC Hall Of Famer; won UFC 13 heavyweight tournament; 3-time HW Champ; 2-time LHW Champ, 1-time Interim LHW Champ, first UFC fighter to hold titles in two divisions.]
· [Dolph Lundgren (Modern Pentathlon, US Team Leader; did not compete) – An international Karate champion who almost became a professional boxer, Lundgren was selected as an official member of the Olympic team (see our upcoming interview in issue 32 for all the details!)]
· Hidehiko Yoshida2 (5th, MW Judo) – Former Pride headliner whose best days are behind him, having lost to James Thompson before joining World Victory Road this year.
· Eldari Kurtanidze1 (Bronze, LHW Freestyle) – Now signed with World Victory Road. He joins Kazuyuki Fujita, the former pro wrestler who smashed him to pieces in his lone MMA fight in Pride.
· Dan Henderson2 (12th, MW Greco) MMA – Won Rings’ King Of Kings tournament, the UFC 17 middleweight tourney and the Pride Weltwerweight GP, later becoming the first ever (major league) simultaneous double-division champion.
· Aleksey Medvedev1 (Silver, SHW Freestyle) – Wrestled a handful of professional matches and lost a Dutch MMA match to K-1 legend Semmy Schilt. Was at one time set to fight in the UFC, but it never materialised.
· Karl Malone2 (Gold2, Basketball) – Appeared and wrestled in WCW as DDP’s ally against the nWo and Dennis Rodman (which crossed over into Malone and Rodman’s NBA Finals rivalry).
· Kenny Monday3 (6th, WW Freestyle) – Lost his lone MMA fight against journeyman John Lewis in 1997. (Trivia note: went to Booker T High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.)
· Townsend Saunders2 (Silver, LW Freestyle) – 0-2 in MMA in the late-90s, losing to Pat Miletich at UFC 16 and Mikey Burnett at UFC 18.
· Dennis Hall2 (Silver, BW Greco) – Another 0-2 MMA Olympian, losing in Shooto in 1998 and the CFF in 2003.
· Dolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar1 (10th, HW Freestyle) – Brother of pro wrestler Dolgorsürengiin “Blue Wolf” Serjbüdee, he wrestled for a time in New Japan. He is 1-2 in MMA, including a loss to Bob Sapp.
· [Muhammad Ali (Official Torch lighter, did not compete) – Took part in a pioneering mixed arts fight (boxing VS strong style pro wrestling) against Antonio Inoki, which paved the way for future mixed martial arts contents and continues to influence both Japanese wrestling and MMA to this day. Also lit the Olympic torch in 1996 at the Atlanta Games.]
2000
13 athletes (+1 alternate) (4 Freestyle, 4 Greco (+1 alternate), 5 Judo); 6 medals (2 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze); 50% medal success; 11 MMA fighters, 2 wrestling & MMA
· Jung Bu-Kyung/Jeong Seok-Gyeong (Silver, ELW Judo) – A fighter in Dream, Jung has been a bust in his 3 MMA fights, highlighted by a KO loss in just 2 minutes during his last match at Dream 3.
· Héctor Lombard (27th, LW Judo) – A 16-2-1 journeyman with losses in his two Pride appearances, the Cuban was scheduled to fight in the UFC before visa issues torpedoed his opportunity. He has since signed with EliteXC.
· Makoto Takimoto (Gold, HMW Judo) – A 4-4 Pride veteran, he scored an upset over Murilo Bustamante at Yarennoka! and lost his last fight against Cyborg Santos at World Victory Road’s Sengoku 1.
· Katsuhiko Nagata (Silver, WW Greco) – Signed by New Japan Pro Wrestling, home to his pro wrestler brother, Yuji (who holds an 0-2 MMA record, having been slaughtered by Cro Cop and Fedor in Pride). He has participated in exhibition matches with his brother on NJPW cards, but has not worked a professional match. Instead, he has ground out a 4-3 record in Hero’s and Dream, most notable for his mounted gogoplata loss to grappling wizard Shinya Aoki.
· Matt Lindland (Silver, MW Greco) – A 21-5 veteran of the UFC, BodogFight, Cage Rage, the WFA and the IFL, his only major MMA title came as a coach for the IFL’s Wolfpack, which won two GPs in 2007. He has since turned his hand to politics.
· [Siamak "Matt" Ghaffari (SHW Greco alternate, did not compete) – Had one, sad MMA fight against Naoya Ogawa that lasted barely a minute.]
· Rulon Gardner1 (Gold, SHW Greco) – A blubbery super heavyweight, he was heavily recruited by WWE (at the behest of Kurt Angle) and Pride. Despite a Raw appearance, he signed with Pride and won a mind-numbing 25-minute decision over fellow Olympic gold medallist, Hidehiko Yoshida.
· István Majoros1 (18th, FW Greco) – Lost his sole MMA fight at K-1 Dynamite 2006!! where he was fed to Kid Yamamoto, who completely overwhelmed him.
· Eldari Kurtanidze2 (Bronze, HW Freestyle) – Now signed with World Victory Road. He joins Kazuyuki Fujita, the former pro wrestler who smashed him to pieces in his lone MMA fight in Pride.
· Aleksey Medvedev2 (6th, SHW Freestyle) – Wrestled a handful of professional matches and lost a Dutch MMA match to K-1 legend Semmy Schilt. Was at one time set to fight in the UFC, but it never materialised.
· Dolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar2 (13th, SHW Freestyle) – Brother of pro wrestler Dolgorsürengiin “Blue Wolf” Serjbüdee, he wrestled for a time in New Japan. He is 1-2 in MMA, including a loss to Bob Sapp.
· Hidehiko Yoshida3 (9th MW Judo) – Former Pride headliner whose best days are behind him, having lost to James Thompson before joining World Victory Road this year.
· Pawel Nastula3 (26th, HHW Judo) – Put together a 1-4 record in Pride against mostly top-tier talent, losing to Minotauro Nogueira in his debut before falling to Aleks Emelianenko and Josh Barnett (where he tested positive for an array of steroids and substances). Has now joined fellow former Pride Judokas Hidehiko Yoshida and Makoto Takimoto in World Victory Road. Dubbed “The Real Rickson” by Pride, due to his 312 consecutive Judo wins (a reference to Rickson Gracie’s alleged 400 wins in unverifiable competition).
· Kazuyuki Miyata (13th, LW Freestyle) – Hero’s and Dream fighter with a 5-7-0 record, losing to top-tier fighters like Genki Sudo, Kid Yamamoto, and Hellboy Hansen.
· [Teague Moore (3rd FW Freestyle, Olympic Trials; did not compete) – Joined the Real Pro Wrestling League (where he came 2nd in 2004), which is not “professional wrestling” but amateur wrestling in a professional format.]
2004
6 athletes (5 Greco, 1 Judo); 5 medals (3 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze); 83% medal success; 6 MMA fighters
· Zurab Zviadauri (Gold, MW Judo) – Signed with World Victory Road and is set to debut at a Sengoku event later this year.
· Ramaz Nozadze (Silver, HW Greco) – Signed with World Victory Road and is set to debut at a Sengoku event later this year.
· Karam Ibrahim1 (Gold, HW Greco) – Found himself in the middle of a bidding war, pursued by WWE (with Kurt Angle pushing for an Olympic dream match) and K-1. “Olympian Hunter” Kaz Fujita smashed him to smithereens at Dynamite!! 2004 in little over a minute.
· Rulon Gardner2 (Bronze, SHW Greco) – A blubbery super heavyweight, he was heavily recruited by WWE (at the behest of Kurt Angle) and Pride. Despite a Raw appearance, he signed with Pride and won a mind-numbing 25-minute decision over fellow Olympic gold medallist, Hidehiko Yoshida.
· István Majoros2 (Gold, FW Greco) – Lost his sole MMA fight at K-1 Dynamite 2006!! where he was fed to Kid Yamamoto, who completely overwhelmed him.
· Dennis Hall3 (14th, FW Greco) – Another 0-2 MMA Olympian, losing in Shooto in 1998 and the CFF in 2003.
· [Heigo “Animal” Hamaguchi (Team Coach, Japanese Women’s Freestyle Wrestling; did not compete) – A star in Stampede who wrestled in All and New Japan, where he trained the likes of Satoshi Kojima. Upon retiring in 1990 he became an amateur coach, grooming his Olympian daughter Kyoko for a professional career that may never materialise.]
· [Kyoko Hamaguchi1 (Bronze, HW Freestyle) – Daughter of pro wrestler Animal Hamaguchi, her amateur career was to springboard into a professional one. However, the women’s wrestling in Japan crumbled, and with it her hopes of having a successful run as a pro. She wrestled an exhibition “Amateur Shoot” match in 1994 against 3-time amateur World Champion, Doris Blind, at All Japan Women’s Big Egg Wrestling Universe, one of the greatest women’s cards of all time. Is expected to have an MMA fight on one of the New Year’s Eve supershows.]
· [Ronda Rousey1 (18th, HMW Judo) – Has expressed interest in MMA after the 2008 Olympics.]
· [Teague Moore (3rd FW Freestyle, Olympic Trials; did not compete) – Joined the Real Pro Wrestling League (where he came 2nd in 2004), which is not “professional wrestling” but amateur wrestling in a professional format.]
· [Daniel Cormier1 (4th, HW Freestyle) – Has been recruited for MMA, and expressed interest in pursuing it after the 2008 Olympics. Appeared on TNA Impact! in 2004 and had previously spoken of a possible pro wrestling career.]
· [Mo Lawal (Did not qualify at HW Freestyle Trials; did not compete) – A member of Team Quest, training with the camp leading up to the 2008 Olympic Trials. Is expected to make his MMA debut later this year.]
2008
NOTE: The Beijing Olympics is not included in our final stats or medal tallies. It is presented here solely as an outline of existing, interesting and potential pro wrestling and MMA connections.
· Karam Ibrahim2 (HW Greco) – Found himself in the middle of a bidding war, pursued by WWE (with Kurt Angle pushing for an Olympic dream match) and K-1. “Olympian Hunter” Kaz Fujita smashed him to smithereens at Dynamite!! 2004 in little over a minute.
· Ronda Rousey2 (HMW Judo) – Has expressed interest in MMA after the 2008 Olympics.
· Kyoko Hamaguchi2 (HW Freestyle) – Daughter of pro wrestler Animal Hamaguchi, her amateur career was to springboard into a professional one. However, the women’s wrestling in Japan crumbled, and with it her hopes of having a successful run as a pro. She wrestled an exhibition “Amateur Shoot” match in 1994 against 3-time amateur World Champion, Doris Blind, at All Japan Women’s Big Egg Wrestling Universe, one of the greatest women’s cards of all time. Is expected to have an MMA fight on one of the New Year’s Eve supershows.]
· Clarissa Chun (FLW Freestyle) – Trains MMA at The Colorado Fight Factory, to which she credits her place on the Olympic team. Has expressed an interest in the sport after the 2008 Olympics.
· Steve Mocco (SHW Freestyle) – Has expressed interest in MMA after the 2008 Olympics.
· Ben Askren (MW Freestyle) – Despite pro wrestling-level charisma, has expressed intent to pursue an MMA career after the 2008 Olympics.
· Jake Deitchler (WW Greco) – Has expressed interest in MMA after the 2008 Olympics.
· Henry Cejudo (FW Freestyle) – Has expressed interest in MMA after the 2008 Olympics.
· Daniel Cormier2 (HW Freestyle) – Has been recruited for MMA, and expressed interest in pursuing it after the 2008 Olympics. Appeared on TNA Impact! in 2004 and had previously spoken of a possible pro wrestling career.
· [Mo Lawal (Did not qualify at HW Freestyle Trials; did not compete) – A member of Team Quest, training with the camp leading up to the 2008 Olympic Trials. Terrifying athleticism, with a 42” vertical leap. Is expected to make his MMA debut later this year.]
· [Kid Yamamoto (Injured before Olympic Trials; did not compete) – Son of Ikuei Yamamoto, who placed 7th in BW Greco at 1972 Games. Took a sabbatical from MMA in early 2007 to follow his father’s footsteps in Freestyle, but his Olympic campaign was cut short by a shoulder injury.]
· [Georges St-Pierre (Chose not to participate in Olympic Trials; did not compete) – Trained with Canadian wrestling team in 2007, and would have taken part the Olympic Trials had the opportunity to fight Matt Hughes at UFC 79 not come up.]
· [Michael Schiavello (Olympic TV broadcaster; did not compete) – The famous FEG announcer, who has called matches for K-1 and Hero’s, was hired as Australia’s commentator for Olympic Boxing. His famous calls include: “The Big Kabosh!” “He’s taking more shots than an alcoholic!” “He’s taken more hits than Google!” “That’s more rights than Amnesty International!”]
· [Rulon Gardner (Olympic TV broadcaster; did not compete) – The 2000 and 2004 medallist was hired as NBC’s analyst for Olympic Wrestling, beating Kurt Angle for the position.]
· [Yoshihiro Akiyama (Olympic TV broadcaster; did not compete) – A headline star for Hero’s and Dream, despite repeated instances of foul play, Akiyama was Hired as Korean broadcaster MBC’s announcer for Olympic Judo.]
· [Mistico (Olympic TV broadcaster; did not compete) – CMLL’s high flying megastar was hired as Mexico’s analyst for Olympic Gymnastics and Synchronised Swimming.]
· [Fedor Emelianenko (Official Torch carrier; did not compete) – Legendary Pride Champion and arguably the greatest fighter in history. Served as an official Olympic Torch carrier during the Russian leg of the Torch’s journey to Beijing.]
· [Hidehiko Yoshida, Makoto Takimoto, Takanori Gomi, Satoru Kitaoka and Ryo Kawamura (Trained with Japanese Wrestling Team; did not compete) – In July, five of World Victory Road’s Japanese stars trained with the Japanese Olympic Wrestling team.]
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