5 MMA fighters with a degree
In the sport of mixed martial arts, shrewd awareness and educated movement will help almost any fighter navigate a cage or Octagon for certain, however, outside of active combat sports competition, tying in real-world education degrees and skills can most definitely be pointed as a helping hand in determined the success for combatants the world over.
Some of the biggest names in the sport of mixed martial arts carried into their professional combat sports career, countless degrees in both the sport and political, as well as social aspects of educations, ranging from multiple-division champions, to commentators and former Naval Service members. Below, find a list of five mixed martial arts fighters who brought with them degrees into combat.
Georges St-Pierre
Revered as one of the most complete mixed martial arts fighters to ever step foot inside the Octagon, as well as considered arguably the greatest mixed martial arts combatant of all-time, former two-weight UFC championship holder, Georges St-Pierre can likely correlate his intelligence inside the cage, to his illustrious accolades outside the Octagon.
A former undisputed middleweight and welterweight champion – who managed to avenge his two sole career losses to both Matt Serra, and Matt Hughes, Canadian favorite and UFC Hall of Fame inductee, St-Pierre brought a kinesiology degree from the Université of Montreal in Quebec into the Octagon and a slew of training camps and locals over the course of his gold laden professional mixed martial arts career.
Frankie Edgar
A former lightweight titleholder and multiple-time featherweight title challenger to boot, retired UFC icon, Frankie Edgar is a sure-fire candidate for the UFC Hall of Fame in the future to boot, bringing with him a degree in political science from the Clarion University of Philadelphia into his combat sports career – which spanned the course of 17 years.
Carla Esparza
Another former Octagon gold holder finds their way onto this list, in the former of The Ultimate Fighter winner and two-time undisputed strawweight champion, Carla Esparza.
Sidelined since November of last year, Californian fan-favorite, Esparza, who also struck gold under the banner of the Shannon Knapp-led Invicta, entered her mixed martial arts career sporting a psychology degree from the Calfornia State University. Certainly not a bad option if you require help as part of a paper writing service.
Ben Askren
Striking gold in both the ONE Championship and Bellator MMA mixed martial arts promotion, UFC veteran, Ben Askren has been lauded as one of the most dominant wrestling opponents in mixed martial art’s recent history, as well as one of it’s many standout characters.
The Iowa native called time on his career in combat sports following a brief boxing venture in 2021, graduating from the University of Missouri with a degree in sociology.
Lyoto Machida
Finally we come to former undisputed UFC light heavyweight championship winner and Bellator MMA veteran, Brazilian favorite, Lyoto Machida. Nicknamed ‘The Dragon’ due to his karate exploits and innovative style, Machida, who holds a degree in physical education from the Mackenzie Presbyterian University in his native Brazil – landed Octagon gold with a stunning second round knockout win over Rashad Evans back in 2009.
