Can Judo Players Find Success Across the Spectrum in MMA?

By Beau Dure, USA TODAY
The next mixed martial arts star could be competing in Beijing this summer.
The frenetic competition in the cage has enticed several accomplished college and international wrestlers — such as Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar and Urijah Faber — to sign up with MMA promoters. But MMA also has plenty in common with one of the Olympic martial arts — judo.
Judo resembles MMA's grappling aspects, particularly when both fighters are on the ground. MMA fans would easily recognize judo's submissions — a fighter might "tap out," or concede the fight, when caught in a chokehold or an armbar.
It's little wonder Ronda Rousey, known for winning many of her bouts by armbar, has heard people suggesting she could switch sports.
"I have quite a few people who have been trying to get me to do MMA," Rousey says. "A coach has been talking to me about teaching me striking (punches, kicks) after the Olympics."
For now, she's focused on Beijing. Then she might focus on education and, perhaps, twisting her mother's arm.
"My mom's generally not a big fan of the idea, so we'll see if I can convince her," Rousey says.
Ryan Reser hopes that curious MMA fans will check out his sport.
"I just try to promote our sport as much as possible and say, 'Look, we've been doing this for years.' " Reser says. "Obviously we're not into striking and all that stuff, but the same competitive takedowns, arm locks, chokes … we've been doing that forever."
Wrestler Mo Lawal trains in both sports to keep his workouts varied and interesting. He says his work in MMA helps him in his more traditional sport.
"I keep moving, because when I'm training MMA, as soon as I stay still, I get hit a couple of times and kicked," Lawal says. "When I'm wrestling, if I'm staying still, I get taken down. So I'm trying to relate those two."
But Lawal takes pride in his competitive sport.
"The wrestlers that go to MMA real soon are the ones that have no chance of making the Olympic team," Lawal says. "All the top fighters that are wrestlers jump into the MMA game in their late 20s. Good wrestlers stick in the wrestling game for a while."