UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier believes the steady flow of elite American wrestlers into mixed martial arts is slowing down, and he says money is the biggest reason why.
For years, wrestling served as one of the most reliable talent pipelines into MMA. Many of the sport’s biggest stars transitioned from successful amateur wrestling careers into the cage. However, according to Daniel Cormier, today’s top wrestlers have more financial opportunities available to them without ever having to take a punch.
Speaking during an interview with Ya’ll Street TV, Cormier explained that coaching positions and Regional Training Centers (RTCs) now provide wrestlers with stable incomes that make a move into MMA less appealing.
“We don’t have a male American champion right now,” Cormier said. “I think we might have done so much that the American wrestler isn’t as available right now. There are RTCs in wrestling where guys make a little more money.”
Cormier went on to explain how lucrative coaching roles have become in the wrestling community.
“Remember, I told you, I used to sit back going, ‘How many times did I go right when I should have went left?’ Now, right is $200,000 a year to coach.”
“Most wrestlers think that $200,000 is a lot of money, especially when you’re living in those small towns like Stillwater, Happy Valley, Raleigh, North Carolina. In those places, that’s a lot of money. The American wrestler isn’t as open to fighting as we need him to be.”
For decades, many wrestlers viewed MMA as one of the few ways to build a financially rewarding career after college. Outside of winning Olympic medals or world championships, earning a living solely through wrestling was difficult. That reality pushed many elite athletes toward combat sports promotions where bigger paydays were available.
Today, the landscape looks different. Coaching opportunities, RTC programs, and emerging wrestling promotions have created alternative career paths that allow athletes to remain involved in the sport while earning a comfortable living. As a result, fewer top wrestlers are taking the risk of transitioning into MMA.
Daniel Cormier knows that journey better than most. The former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion built a Hall of Fame career after competing at the highest levels of amateur wrestling. Because of that background, he understands the value wrestlers have brought to mixed martial arts over the years.
There are still exceptions. Olympic gold medalist and multiple-time NCAA champion Gable Steveson is set to make his UFC debut in July, generating significant interest from fans. However, Cormier believes athletes like Steveson are becoming increasingly rare.
Among the 16 American wrestlers who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, only silver medalist Kennedy Blades has publicly expressed serious interest in pursuing a future in MMA.
While Daniel Cormier would like to see more elite wrestlers make the jump to fighting, he acknowledges that the sport is competing against opportunities that simply didn’t exist years ago. For many wrestlers, a six-figure coaching salary and a stable career now outweigh the uncertainty that comes with stepping into the cage.
