Randall Duane “The Natural” Couture was one of the first high-level wrestlers to dive into mixed martial arts (MMA), and his grappling skills quickly propelled him to the top of the food chain. Couture was a three-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and a three-time Olympic team alternate before transitioning into mixed martial arts.
Randy Couture is one of those MMA legends you can learn much from watching his fight tapes, especially if you favor grappling techniques over striking. This article will explore the fascinating career of Randy Couture and how he helped push mixed martial arts to mainstream status.
The Early Days Of Randy Couture
Born in 1963, wrestling was a way of life for Couture from an early age. He wrestled at his high school and won a state championship in his senior year. The Natural signed up with the U.S. Army in 1982 and served with the 101st Airborne Division, where he wrestled some more and started dabbling in boxing.
Randy attempted to try out for the U.S. Army freestyle wrestling team there, but a clerical error sent his application to the Greco-Roman wrestling team instead. Couture decided to go with the flow and try out for Greco-Roman wrestling despite not having any experience in that style. Waiting another year to try and get on the freestyle wrestling team wasn’t an option for the natural.
After serving in the army, Couture went to Oklahoma State University, where he was a three-time All-American and a two-time Division I championship runner-up. He lost to Mark Kerr, who was also one of the pioneers of MMA, both times. He did all this while rocking a mullet. It was the 80s, after all. Couture went on to become a three-time Olympic wrestling team alternate in 1988, 1992, and 1996.
Transition Into Mixed Martial Arts
Unlike most athletes, who started their careers in their 20s, Couture spent most of his 20s serving in the military and attending college as an older student. He was already 33 when he made his professional MMA debut with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
When many men his age were battling a mid-life crisis, Couture started his journey to become a mixed martial arts legend. Knowing most of his opponents would be significantly younger than him didn’t deter Randy.
Couture won his UFC debut against Tony Halme at UFC 13 and the heavyweight championship a year later. Just like that, a new star was born. Given that the talent pool wasn’t particularly deep during the early days of MMA, Couture bounced between the heavyweight and light-heavyweight divisions, racking up victories and becoming the first two-division champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Couture’s fighting style was a mix of wrestling, boxing, and insane willpower. He was known for his effective “dirty boxing,” which involved using his insane wrestling strength to keep opponents clinched up with him while he bombarded them with punches.
Some would also argue that Couture is one of the originators of fighting against the cage. That was often his favorite spot since his Greco-Roman wrestling allowed him to pin opponents against the cage while he chipped away at them with punches and scored points for Octagon control.
As impressive as Couture’s accomplishments in mixed martial arts are, his ability to remain a force to be reckoned with well into his 40s propelled him to legendary status. Couture won the heavyweight title for the third time at 43.
The Ultimate Underdog
Randy Couture was a lot more than a champion in his prime. He was the ultimate underdog heading into many of his fights because he was often older and smaller than his opponents.
For example, Couture was a huge underdog going into his fight with Tim Sylvia for various reasons. Sylvia was a 6’8″ giant with a significant reach advantage and much younger. Most people, oddsmakers included, didn’t think Couture had much of a chance, but the old man had plans of his own.
Randy went on to dominate Sylvia from the opening moments of the fight and became the oldest fighter to win a championship. It was a classic David vs. Goliath moment and one of the most memorable moments of his MMA career.
Randy set another record during his next outing, becoming the oldest fighter in the UFC to successfully defend a championship by defeating Gabriel Gonzaga.
Couture’s championship run finally ended when he squared off against Brock Lesnar at UFC 91. Brock proved too big and strong and won the fight via TKO.
Rivalry With Chuck Liddell
There’s no way we can discuss the legacy of Randy Couture without going over his rivalry with Liddell. Chuck was a rising star in the UFC when the two first fought, and Couture denied his championship dreams by finishing him with ground strikes during the third round of their UFC 43 title showdown.
That was the first and last time Couture ever defeated Liddell. Chuck’s takedown defense was noticeably improved during their second and third fights, and Couture was on the wrong side of knockouts on both occasions. The three fights between the two were some of the greatest events in the early days of MMA, with the rubber match bringing in over 400,000 pay-per-view buys.
Life Outside The Cage: Hollywood And Beyond
Couture started dabbling in Hollywood movies while he was still an active fighter, and he has been in several blockbusters like “The Expendables,” where he costarred with some of the biggest names in Hollywood like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jason Statham.
Movies aren’t the only things Couture has gotten into outside the cage. He also founded Xtreme Couture, one of the most respected MMA gyms in the U.S. Some MMA champions affiliated with Couture’s gym include Francis Ngannou, Sean Strickland, and Aljamain Sterling.
Legacy: A Natural Phenomenon
Randy Couture has left an undeniable legacy in the mixed martial arts world. He was the first of nine fighters to hold belts in multiple divisions, and he’s a member of the UFC Hall of Fame.
The most important lesson we can all learn from this is that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. It doesn’t matter if you’re 33 or 43; it’s never too late to dive into martial arts.
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