From mats to Octagon: Why Tyrell Fortune believes his strongest weapon never changed
UFC heavyweight fighter Tyrell Fortune credits his background in collegiate wrestling as his primary advantage heading into his upcoming bout against Rizvan Kuniev. Fortune transitioned from a successful amateur wrestling career to professional MMA to seek better financial opportunities.
Why it matters
It highlights the career trajectory of professional athletes and the economic motivations behind moving from traditional sports to high-stakes combat sports.
Long before Tyrell Fortune found himself climbing the UFC heavyweight rankings, he had already built a reputation on the wrestling mat. A two-time NCAA champion at junior college level, NCAA Division II national champion, Wrestler of the Year, Team USA representative and later a student assistant wrestling coach at Grand Canyon University, Fortune spent years pursuing excellence in a sport that offered prestige but little financial security.Mixed martial arts came later. So did Bellator, the PFL and eventually the UFC.Ahead of his second UFC outing against Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, Fortune believes the foundation laid during those years still gives him an edge over anyone standing across the cage."I think I'm always able to exploit everybody with my wrestling," Fortune told TimesofIndia.com ahead of his UFC Fight Night bout. "Wrestling is where I started and it's my dominant martial art.
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