UFC Live's Rick Story and Some of the Best Wrestlers in MMA

How many times have we heard the phrase “wrestling is the best base to have before entering MMA?”

While the grinding style of some wrestlers is not always entertaining (cough, Jon Fitch, cough), it is hard to argue that it is effective.

Welterweight prospect Rick Story is one of many strong wrestlers looking to stake their claim as an upper echelon talent at 170 pounds. 

After his upset win over Thiago Alves at UFC 130, “The Horror” Story is well on his way to that point.

Let’s take a look at a dozen of the most successful wrestlers in MMA right now; this list is in no particular order. 

Demetrious Johnson

A state place winner in wrestling his junior and senior year of high school, Johnson did not attend college as he entered the world of professional MMA at just 20 years old.

Even as a bantamweight, many have noted that Johnson is a bit undersized. 

However, his skill set and heart have earned him the nickname “Mighty Mouse,” so opponents should not take Johnson lightly despite his small frame. 

Many consider Johnson a top five bantamweight with his 10-1 record and four fight win streak.

Should the UFC follow through with implementing a flyweight division, Mighty Mouse would certainly be atop the list of possible fighters to contend for the title at 125 pounds.

Frankie Edgar

Every now and again people complain about “The Answer’s” inability to finish fights, but his four “Fight of the Night” honors in 14 fights suggests that the UFC’s lightweight champion knows how to put on a show.

Edgar was a four-time national qualifying wrestler at the Clarion University of Pennsylvania and is now an assistant wrestling coach for Rutgers University.

Word has it that Edgar took his first MMA fight just a few weeks after working on his striking and jiu-jitsu skills.

He must’ve made the right call, as he started his career off at 8-0 and eventually won the lightweight title from BJ Penn at UFC 112.

His sole loss has come at the hands of fellow standout wrestler Gray Maynard in 2008, and the two battled to a draw at the New Year’s Day rematch this year.    

Fans are heavily anticipating Edgar vs. Maynard III, but win, lose, or draw, Edgar will always get a ton of respect for his unbelievable heart and determination.

Gray Maynard

The former roommate of Rashad Evans at Michigan State University, Maynard was the far better collegiate wrestler of the two.

Maynard placed in the NCAA Division I nationals three times between 2001 and 2003 (eighth once, and seventh twice) and became a training partner of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture around a year later.

“The Bully” never looked back after that, amassing a 10-0-1(1) record in his five year MMA career. 

Allegedly walking around at about 190 pounds, Maynard is able to dominate his opponents with his strength, takedowns, and excellent top control.

Despite not holding a title, websites such as Yahoo Sports rank Maynard as a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter due to wins over the likes of Frankie Edgar, Kenny Florian, Jim Miller, and Roger Huerta.

Maynard is patiently waiting for his third shot at Frank Edgar, where he hopes to prove that his 2008 victory was not a fluke.

Jake Ellenberger

“The Juggernaut” was a standout wrestler at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he is currently an assistant coach.

Ellenberger is not really a grinding wrestler given his tremendous knockout power; 16 of his 25 wins have been a knockout variety.

As a matter of fact, only four of his wins have gone to the judge’s scorecards thus far. 

Still, Ellenberger has shown excellent takedowns and ground control when the situation has called for it. 

A Brazilian-Jiu Jitsu blue belt, Ellenberger is a versatile fighter that is constantly improving at just 26 years old. 

Rick Story

Story is enjoying a six fight win streak in the UFC and could put himself in line for a title shot with a victory over Nate Marquardt at UFC Live. 

“The Horror” Story was a respected prospect coming into UFC 130, but is making his claim to be a household name after upsetting Thiago Alves on the card.

Story was an All-American wrestler during his senior year at Southern Oregon University, and his relentless takedowns and top pressure remain a big part of his game. 

The Tacoma, Washington native also has developed a pretty sound boxing game, and his fight with Alves really let the fans know what an iron chin this fighter possesses.

Story also holds a quality win over fellow accomplished wrestler Jake Ellenberger, whom he defeated in the very small Sport Fight promotion back in 2008.

Josh Koscheck

Koscheck has one of the best wrestling backgrounds in anyone currently competing in MMA. 

A four-time NCAA Division I All-American, winning the national title in 2001, Koscheck has been a perennial contender in the welterweight division.

Two of his five losses have come to reigning champion Georges St-Pierre, and while the fights were not close, Kos did manage to take GSP down each time, which is no easy feat.

Koscheck has defeated notable opponents like Paul Daley, Diego Sanchez, and Anthony Johnson in the past. 

Koscheck may be out of chances to be a true contender at 170 pounds, especially since rumors are that his next fight could be at middleweight to take on Stephan Bonnar.

Jon Fitch

Is Jon Fitch fun to watch? No.  Does he find ways to win? Yes.  Is he arguably a top ten pound-for-pound fighter with a career record of 23-3-1(1)?

It's only fair to give credit where credit is due.  Regardless how this guy achieved the "W," he still holds quality wins over the likes of Thiago Alves (twice), Diego Sanchez, and Paulo Thiago. 

The former Purdue wrestling captain finished his collegiate career with a record of 97-12, so it is not all that shocking Fitch relies heavily on his wrestling to wear his opponents down. 

While he is no submission specialist, Fitch does have a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Greg Camarillo.

His submission defense is undeniably top notch, coming off a draw against BJ Penn where he gave the BJJ prodigy all he could handle at UFC 127.  

Georges St-Pierre

In a division overflowing with strong wrestlers, GSP has proven to be a cut above the rest. 

The Kyokushin karate black belt did not start training wrestling until he was 18 years old, but the 30 year old St-Pierre obviously picked up the fundamentals very quickly and easily.

St-Pierre has embarrassed opponents with weak wrestling like Dan Hardy and Thiago Alves, easily putting on a takedown clinic against both men. 

Georges “Rush” St-Pierre has looked equally impressive though against accredited wrestlers such as Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields.

With a 22-2 record, GSP is a stylistic nightmare for challengers with a strong Muay Thai game and has a black belt in BJJ to go along with his fantastic wrestling.

While the key to beating GSP is still unclear, the one thing that seems certain is that outwrestling the welterweight champion does not seem to be an option.  

Chael Sonnen

The legally troubled middleweight contender may not be every fan's cup of tea, but it is hard to deny that Sonnen has some of the best wrestling skills out of anyone involved in MMA. 

Sonnen was a stand out wrestler at the University of Oregon, where he received the illustrious All-American honor twice.

His takedowns and top pressure are world class, which has allowed him to defeat the likes of Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Nate Marquardt, and current number one contender Yushin Okami. 

Sonnen used his top pressure and ground and pound to give 185-pound king Anderson Silva all he could handle last summer before he pulled off a triangle armbar in the fifth round of their epic battle at UFC 117. 

“Uncle Chael” has been inactive since that fight, mainly due to issues with the California State Athletic Commission. 

Chael’s days as a staple of the UFC’s middleweight division may not be over yet though, as he is able to reapply for his fighter’s license on June 29.

Phil Davis

The former Nittany Lion had an excellent college wrestling career.  His career record at Penn State was a very solid 116-17.  

Culminating with a National title in 2008, Davis was a four time NCAA Division I All-American, certainly no easy accolade to achieve.

Similar to Frankie Edgar, "Mr. Wonderful" took his first MMA fight with only a few weeks of working on his jiu jitsu and striking.  

Davis' commitment to training, and freakish athleticism, have led him to a perfect 9-0 record within the sport.

Mr. Wonderful put on a wrestling clinic against current middleweight contender Brian Stann when they faced off in 2010, and is coming off another quality win over Pride veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.  

Davis is by many already considered a top 10 fighter at 205 pounds, but he can bring his name into title contention with a win over former champion and perennial contender Rashad Evans.    

Jon Jones

While Rashad Evans is no slouch of a wrestler as 205 pounds, his former Jackson’s MMA teammate Jon “Bones” Jones has astonished fans and fighters alike with his wrestling acumen. 

A division II national wrestling champion at Iowa Central Community College, Jones’ unorthodox striking and equally impressive Greco-Roman wrestling have allowed the UFC light heavyweight champion to bust out some impressive takedowns.

Jones has landed beautiful German suplexes, lateral drops, and hip throws throughout his MMA career, with each opponent looking as unsuspecting as the last one. 

Bones is gearing up for a fight with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135, where Jones takedown and striking ability will need to be on full display.

Brock Lesnar

MMA’s highest paid athlete in 2010, the former “Next Big Thing” got his MMA base from an impressive wrestling career at the University of Minnesota.

Lesnar was a two-time NCAA All-American and a two-time Big Ten Conference Champion and NCAA heavyweight champion in 2000 during his college career.

For those not familiar, Lesnar’s college wrestling record was an astonishing 106-5. 

Lesnar became the UFC heavyweight champion just four fights into his MMA career with excellent wrestling, ground and pound, and impressive power.

Unfortunately, Brock is currently recovering from his second bout with diverticulitis, where he had to have 12-inches of his colon removed this time around.

Lesnar anticipates being 100 percent and ready to contend for the heavyweight title again in 2012.

Cain Velasquez

Like Jon Jones, Velasquez won a Division II National Championship at Iowa Central Community College. 

Velasquez then transferred to Arizona State University and placed in the Nationals twice, finishing fifth in 2005 and fourth in 2006).

Cain ended his college wrestling career with a very solid 86-17 record. 

Velasquez rarely needs to put his wrestling on display, and his kickboxing game is exceptional in its own right.

The current UFC heavyweight champion has won eight of his nine professional fights by knockout. 

In his one victory that went the distance, Velasquez’s wrestling ability was on full display when he soundly defeated kickboxing specialist Cheick Kongo.

With back to back knockouts over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Brock Lesnar, easily overcoming the formers' takedowns and top control, the sky seems to be the limit for Velasquez.