Sherdog’s Top 10: MMA Wrestlers

Cain Velasquez is known for his pace and brutality. | Photo: D. Mandel/Sherdog.com

4. Cain Velasquez

The current UFC heavyweight champion starred on the mats before he ever stepped into the cage. He was a junior freestyle national champion in high school, a junior college national champion at Iowa Central Community College and a two-time NCAA All-American at Arizona State University, which is an exceptional list of credentials by any standard, especially considering the caliber of competition he faced.

Those wrestling skills have translated well to MMA. A cardio freak, Velasquez rarely has to worry about running out of gas mid-fight, and that translates into an absurd volume of takedowns for someone of his size and physical gifts. He took down Junior dos Santos 11 times in their second meeting -- he made 33 attempts -- and hit seven on Cheick Kongo many years ago. Ben Rothwell went to the mat five times in less than six minutes, as Velasquez put on display the many different takedown options available to him. He is also exceptionally strong in the clinch and in wrestling positions on the mat, namely the top ride, where he does his most destructive ground striking.

Given how long Velasquez has been out, it is easy to forget what an exceptional wrestler he is, but make no mistake, from a technical perspective, he is one of the very best in the sport.

Continue Reading: Number 3 » While MMA has included Russians at its highest levels for many years, the Russian invasion has only just begun. He is the face of the new wave of Russian fighters making their way to the UFC and other major promotions.