LeBron James, Serena Williams and 20 Athletes Who Could Cross over to MMA Today
Sadly for sports fans, the two-sport athlete seems to have gone the way of the municipal high dive.
Sports, and the training needed to succeed these days at the highest levels, are too intense and too specialized. There’s too much money on the line. Schedules are too packed. The risk of injury is too great for even the most gifted performer to double dip.
Meanwhile, however, the popularity of mixed martial arts is growing in the athletics community as well as the general public. And though MMA, like any sport, requires its best and brightest to undergo extensive training before the big stage is an option, several professional athletes looking for second careers have found their previous lives left them in a good position to compete inside the cage.
For instance, seven former NFL ballers (by my count) have made the leap to MMA. Given the aggression and physicality these two games have in common, that shouldn’t be surprising.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other sports whose athletes could cross over. Just look at ex-baseball slugger Jose Canseco. Wait, that's a bad example. But trust me…there are others.
What follows is a list of 20 pro athletes I think would stand a good chance of holding their own in the cage. But first, a few ground rules:
-- Under the Shooting Fish in a Barrel rule, anyone working professionally or amateurly (oh, it's a word) in one or more combat sports as a primary avocation need not apply. This includes professional wrestling. Sorry, Batista.
-- This is not a list of the most MMA-ready athletes within their own sports. You have to be ready in an absolute context. That’s why you won’t see every sport *coughgolfsoccercough* represented.
-- This is a list of players who could do this tomorrow, not an all-time list.
-- Factors for inclusion were size, strength, quickness, general athleticism, versatility, toughness and temperament. Previous experience or interest in combat sports helpful but not required.
-- Weight classes were considered, but not as a mitigating factor. In other words, there’s no way I’m leaving Shaq off this list because he couldn’t realistically drop to 265. They’d find somebody for him to fight anyway.
And finally, this list is clearly a subjective exercise, and there are certainly more than 20 pro athletes who could cross over to MMA. So if you have an idea of your own, make it known in the comments.
So without further ado...please enjoy.
20. Adrian Wilson, Safety, Arizona Cardinals
1 of 20
One of the NFL's heaviest hitters, and hardest workers, could make his presence felt in a cage.
A 66" vertical doesn't hurt much, either.
19. Elvis Andrus, Shortstop, Texas Rangers
2 of 20
I've always felt like a good shortstop would be well suited for MMA. The quickness and footwork necessary to make fielding plays in that hole seem like natural conversion points for cage fighting.
Elvis is one of the best shortstops in the game today. Seeing as he is tied for third in MLB for stolen bases and stands a rock-solid and light-heavyweight-ready 6'0" and 200 pounds, he seems to have the physical toolkit for an MMA crossover.
18. Shawn Thornton, Left Wing, Boston Bruins
3 of 20
Thornton just recently helped get the Bruins back into the Stanley Cup Finals without firing a single shot. All the enforcer needed to do was just to do what he do.
When you're a specialist at the professional level, and your specialty is fighting and trash talk, I'd say you'd have a shot in MMA.
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17. Matt Kemp, Center Field, Los Angeles Dodgers
4 of 20
Kemp seems like one of those athletes who is good at everything he tries. Before committing to baseball, his basketball skills drew interest from several D-1 programs, including Oklahoma.
16. Monta Ellis, Guard, Golden State Warriors
5 of 20
At 6'3" and 185 pounds of fast-twitch, Ellis would make a terrific middleweight. He also has the temperament to, shall we say, go it alone as an athlete.
The tattoos are a pretty good selling point, too.
15. Carlos Zambrano, Pitcher, Chicago Cubs
6 of 20
I imagine his being 6'5" and 270 has something to do with why he's called Big Z.
The man who has won 121 games for the Cubbies (while batting .240 with 22 home runs, both sky-high numbers for a pitcher) always seems one sidelong glance away from unbridled rage. Bad for the average nursery school employee. Good for an MMA fighter.
And since Big Z doesn't seem to mind mixing it up with his own teammates, it stands to reason he wouldn't mind taking a swipe or two at someone he barely knows.
14. Richie McCaw, Openside Flanker, All Blacks
7 of 20
The captain of perhaps the world's most famous rugby team may be the best rugby player in the world.
In addition, McCaw is known as a tough, almost dirty player. Sounds like fighter material to me.
13. Shaquille O’Neal, Center, Boston Celtics (Retired)
8 of 20
Even though he is no longer technically eligible for this list, Shaq still gets the nod because (a) he's an avid MMA fan, and (b) I would love to see it happen.
Even if it's against Hong Man Choi--heck, K.J. Choi--I'd still shell out to watch. After all, you don't need an Achilles tendon to punch through the engine block of a Mack truck. And who needs to learn takedown defense when it's already built into your body?
12. Michael Vick, Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles
9 of 20
Feel free to insert your own pet care joke here, but the truth is Vick can do a lot of special things in a professional sports competition. In fact, he might be the best pure athlete in one of the most athletics-centric sports leagues in the world.
When you stand 6'0" and 215, run a 4.25 40-yard-dash, cut at full speed like a rabbit dodging a bulldozer and have the strength to flip a football 50 yards the way a normal person flips a paper cup into the wastebasket, you can come fight for me any day.
11. Chris Cooley, Tight End, Washington Redskins
10 of 20
The 6'3", 255-pound bruiser went undefeated as a wrestler his senior year of high school, posting a 54-0 record on his way to state title and All-America honors.
Think Rulon Gardner with hands.
10. Brian Wilson, Relief Pitcher, San Francisco Giants
11 of 20
I don't know about you, but I fear the beard. I fear it.
I also fear the kind of punching power that could be packed into a right arm that can occasionally get a baseball to move at 100 mph.
Underneath all that personality--and by "personality," I mean "beard"--there is a workout fiend with just the right blend of attitude and athleticism to succeed in the cage.
9. Roddy White, Wide Receiver, Atlanta Falcons
12 of 20
During his NFL career, White has slowly blossomed into a premier wide receiver. But back in high school, he was a gifted wrestler right out of the box, winning two state championships and even inventing his own move in the process.
8. Serena Williams, Tennis
13 of 20
Look at that picture and tell me she wouldn't have a chance against Gina Carano right this second. I don't think you can do it.
7. Zenon Konopka, Center, New York Islanders
14 of 20
Now here's a man who loves his work.
One of the NHL's best and most enthusiastic enforcers, Zenon was second in fighting major penalties and first in total penalty minutes this regular season.
From the looks of things, Konopka should be putting gloves on, not throwing them off.
6. Derrick Rose, Point Guard, Chicago Bulls
15 of 20
In a bygone sports era, D-Rose would have probably been the cruiserweight champion. These days, I suppose we'll have to settle for watching him as the best point guard on planet Earth and the 2010-2011 NBA MVP.
Still, the 6'2", 190-pound rose has all the tools for MMA. He has incredible speed and quickness, but not at the expense of strength. The guy is solid rock. He also has a solid 6'8" wingspan.
5. Shalck Burger, Flanker, Stormers
16 of 20
Being the world's toughest rugby player probably makes you the world's toughest man. That would be Shalck Burger.
The South African (who was once suspended two months for eye gouging) is so tough, in fact, that he has spawned his own brand of Chuck Norris-style humor. Because, as you know, Shalck Burger doesn't do push-ups. He pushes the Earth down.
I'll let this Web site take it from here.
4. James Harrison, Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers
17 of 20
Not just one of the best players on one of the best defensive units in the NFL. Not just the 15th-leading sack man in the league last season. Not just a 6'0", 242-pound sphere of granite-chiseled fury.
This dude is mean. And I'm talking like Charles Oakley mean.
It's hard to get NFL players to fear you. But Harrison does it. Expressing defiance over new anti-concussion rules will do that. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. He is so nasty, in fact, that his teammates wonder if he likes himself.
I wouldn't fight this guy for all the gold in Goldistan.
3. LeBron James, Forward, Miami Heat
18 of 20
Built like a Hummer, drives like a Ferrari, 6'8", 250 pounds, never once been injured.
I don't know that I need to explain this any further.
2. Ray Lewis, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens
19 of 20
Even at age 36, he was still sixth in the NFL last season in tackles. And if they can ever figure out this lockout, the ultra-intense, uber-focused Lewis will lead the Ravens toward yet another postseason run in 2011.
What can you say? The guy’s a straight-up killer. Of quarterbacks. On the field…ON the field.
1. Patrick Willis, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
20 of 20
Willis is a monster on the gridiron, having finished 10th in the NFL last season in tackles.
But it's more than aggression and his comic-book-hero physique. He is one of several NFLers who trains with MMA legend and champion Randy Couture (and Jay Glazer?) in the offseason. Talk about hitting the ground running. Or, perhaps in this case, hitting the ground hitting.
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