Examining the Pipeline Between Mizzou Wrestling and MMA

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has continued to grow in popularity since its emergence in the early ‘90s. The UFC has consistently drawn multi-million viewer audiences across digital platforms.

Tiger Style has contributed several fighters to many mixed martial arts leagues across the United States, although the UFC has become the most popular under this umbrella. Mizzou has had former wrestlers involved in UFC fights since the first event aired on US cable television in 2002, through its most recent event, UFC Freedom 250.

While professional wrestling hasn’t been able to sustain enough popularity, although Real American Freestyle (RAF) is growing, the world of MMA has offered collegiate wrestlers a path to continue fighting in an adjacent style. Many former wrestlers who donned the black and gold singlet have taken the opportunities that the sport offers. Here are the three most prolific ones:

Michael Chandler

Although sometimes considered the champion’s challenger of the UFC, Michael “Iron” Chandler is one of Mizzou’s best to make the transition from wrestling to MMA.

He’s a Missouri native and graduated from Northwest High School in Cedar Hill. Chandler was a late bloomer as a wrestler, never claiming a state title and beginning his career with Tiger Style as a walk-on. In his redshirt season with the team, he shared the mat with other future MMA fighters in Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.

Chandler was the first redshirt freshman from Missouri to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Askren in 2004. After going 1-2 against three of the top six wrestlers in the country, he fell short of All-American honors. He qualified for nationals in the following three seasons at 157lbs, compiling over 100 wins and finally reaching All-American honors as a senior.

His MMA career began shortly after his college wrestling career ended. Chandler made his initial mark in the industry through Bellator, an MMA promotion that went from 2008-2025.

He won the Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament, winning in the final against Patricky Pitbull, where he heavily utilized his background in wrestling to earn the unanimous decision. Chandler finished his time with Bellator as a three-time Lightweight Champion and boasted an 18-5 record, 11 by KO or TKO.

He began a UFC career that is still ongoing in 2021 against Dan Hooker at UFC 257. Chandler won the fight by TKO and earned the Performance of the Night award. He then got a shot at the vacant Lightweight Championship four months later against Charles Oliveira. Despite nearly finishing him in the first round, Chandler lost by TKO in the second. That would be the only title fight of his UFC career to this point, but at 40 years old, he’s well past his chances at another.

Chandler’s second win in the UFC to this point came against Tony Ferguson at UFC 274. He knocked him out in the second round with a front kick and earned his second Performance of the Night award. His last four bouts have ended in defeat, bringing his UFC record to 2-6. Chandler most recently lost against Maurício Ruffy this past Sunday by TKO at UFC Freedom 250.

Ben Askren

Ben “Funky” Askren got into wrestling from a young age, but it wasn’t until Askren hit middle school that he found a passion for it. At Arrowhead High School in Wisconsin, he became a two-time state champion before taking his talents to Mizzou. Askren redshirted in his first season with Tiger Style before taking the Big 12 by storm in his first starting season.

He won the Big 12 Championship at 174lbs and took second at NCAAs. After a similar sophomore season, he made another leap in his final two years of eligibility. Askren became the third athlete ever to win multiple Dan Hodge awards after compiling an 87-0 record, two more Big 12 Championships and two national championships. He still holds the third-most pins all-time in NCAA Division I history. Askren became one of six new entrants into the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame on January 9, 2012.

After graduation, he made the switch to freestyle wrestling and found success. Askren became a US National Champion in the sport and then earned a spot on the Olympic team in 2008, where he did not medal. He sparsely competed in other wrestling events following his run at the Olympics.

Askren made his start with the UFC in 2019 after an 18-0 stretch through Bellator and ONE Championship. Askren was signed by the UFC in the “trade UFC and One Championship agreement” in return for Demetrious Johnson, the former flyweight champion. His first fight came against former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. Although there was a controversial stoppage by referee Herb Dean, Askren won the fight in the first round via a bulldog choke.

His undefeated streak came to a screaming halt at UFC 239 against Jorge Masvidal. He was on the wrong side of the fastest knockout in UFC history, taking a flying knee five seconds into the first round, literally being shut up after plenty of trash talk leading up to the fight. Askren’s UFC career came to an end the same year it started, with a loss via technical submission in the third round against Demian Maia. That fight was labeled the Fight of the Night for that card.

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He stayed relevant through the 2020s after his MMA retirement with a boxing match against Jake Paul, which he lost by TKO in the first round. Later on, Askren suffered a health scare in 2025 after he was hospitalized with “severe pneumonia.” Askren remained on a ventilator and an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system for nearly a month before he received a successful double lung transplant.

Despite flatlining four times and losing 50 pounds through the process, Askren still plans to return to the mat through RAF. He’s an ambassador, matchmaker and commentator for the organization, but is set to have a bout against Belal Muhammad in the co-main event of RAF 11 on July 18, 2026.

Tyron Woodley

The most accomplished Mizzou wrestler to make the transition to MMA thus far is Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley. He’s another Missouri native, out of Ferguson, and the oldest of 13 siblings. Woodley went on to have a successful high school wrestling career, winning a state title at 160lbs at McCluer High School.

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He then committed to the Tigers, where he was an All-American in 2003 and 2005 at 165lbs. It wasn’t until 2009 that Woodley got his start in the world of MMA. He joined StrikeForce for a fight against Sal Woods in St. Louis, which he won by submission in the first round. StrikeForce signed him to a six-fight deal after the win. Woodley’s final StrikeForce fight was for the vacant welterweight championship against Nate Marquardt. He lost by knockout in the fourth round, bringing his StrikeForce record to 10-1.

Woodley made his UFC debut at UFC 156 against Jay Hieron. He won the fight via knockout in just 36 seconds. His next fight would go the distance at UFC 161 against Jake Shields, ending in a split decision loss. Woodley went back to his winning ways in his next two fights, winning by KO and TKO, respectively.

He got his shot at the Welterweight Championship in 2016 against Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 for the main event. Woodley knocked out Lawler halfway through the first round, also earning him the Performance of the Night award.

He had five title defenses, finally losing against Kamara Usman at UFC 235 by unanimous decision. His final three fights in the UFC ended in defeat. Woodley’s UFC record ended at 9-6-1 and his MMA record at 19-7-1.

After a brief boxing stint where he lost two fights against Jake Paul and one against Anderson Silva, Woodley is set to face  Joaquin Buckley at RAF 12 on Aug. 22, 2026.