Many wrestlers have followed Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and other pioneers in making the transition to mixed martial arts. But it’s rare to see a world champion make the leap.
And since Kevin Jackson won a tournament in the early days of the UFC, no U.S. wrestler with a world title has contended for a major MMA belt.
Joe Warren, the 2006 Greco-Roman world champion at 132 pounds, is out to end that drought Tuesday at Dream 11 in Saitama, Japan (5 a.m. ET, HDNet). He hasn’t finished pursuing wrestling gold, saying he plans to train through most of 2012 to finish that career with a win in the London Olympics.
Q&A: Joe Warren
Warren, who missed the Beijing Olympics while serving a two-year suspension after a positive marijuana test, is confident in his plans after starting his MMA career with wins against former WEC champion Chase Beebe and Japanese legend Kid Yamamoto. After two pro fights, Warren is 10th in USA TODAY/SB Nation’s consensus 145-pound rankings.
Like wrestling contemporary Mo Lawal, Warren has found receptive crowds in Japan. “World championships, Pan American championships, World Cup championships, they like that,” Warren says.
Warren sees similarities in his wrestling and MMA careers, though only the latter has seen him share fight cards with the high-energy dance entrances of Lawal and Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
“I love their acts,” Warren says. “I don’t have one. I’m more worried about winning than dancing.”
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