Mixed martial arts or MMA has gained popularity as a sport these past years mainly because of the skills possessed by its fighters. What many do not know about these fighters is that some of them come with bachelors and masters degrees. This fact may seem pretty amazing to many, knowing that the sport do not require any educational background – just the right skills to win a match.
There are 10 fighters who are considered as the most educated in the world of mixed martial arts. One of these fighters is Shane Carwin. He does not only have one bachelor’s degree to boast of but two. The fighter comes with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, which he got from the Colorado School of Mines as well as a degree in Environmental Technology. His Environment Technology Degree was obtained from Western State College.
Ninth and eight on the list is Takeya Mizugaki and Jeff Monson. Mizugaki is a Japanese fighter competing in the bantamweight division. He was a former champion in his division under World Extreme Cagefighting. Mizugaki does not only hold a bachelor’s degree but also a master’s degree in electrical engineering, which he got from Kanto Gakuin University. Jeff Monson on the other hand is a famous mixed martial artist known as, “the Snowman”. He has been a professional fighter since 1997 and had won a number of heavyweight championship titles. What makes his mixed martial arts career more interesting is the fact that he is not only a skillful fighter, but one that holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology. In fact, he had been a family and child counselor as well as mental health professional before becoming a full-time fighter.
Rich Franklin, Terry Martin and Sam Hoger also belong to the list of the most educated fighter in mixed martial arts. Rich Franklin is a former middleweight champion under the UFC as well as a former International Fighting Championship champion. He boasts of a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in education from the University of Cincinnati. Terry Martin on the other hand is a talented fighter who began his professional career in mixed martial in 2002. He comes with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology. Sam Hoger is fifth on the list. He is known as the “Alaskan Assassin”, and has been one of the fighters during the first series of The Ultimate Fighter. Hoger boasts a bachelor’s degree in political science from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in business administration from St. Ambrose College.
Top four and three on the list are Nick Denis and Rosi Saxton. Nick Denis is now a retired Canadian fighter. He was once a bantamweight champion under the King of Cage Canada and a semi-finalist in the Sengoku featherweight tournament. He boasts a degree in biochemistry, which he got from the University of Ottawa. Rosi Saxton on the other hand is a female mixed martial arts fighter who boasts of a record of 15 fights with 13 wins. She is ranked third female fighter in her division by the Unified Women’s MMA Rankings. Aside from being a pro in mixed martial arts, Sexton also holds a degree in Mathematics from Trinity College in Cambridge and a PhD in theoretical computer science from the University of Manchester.
Rhadi Ferguson and Seth Kleinback top the list of most educated mixed martial arts fighters. Ferguson has made his professional debut in 2010 and has been judo national champion. He also comes with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In terms of academic background, the talented fighter comes with a degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in teaching and a PhD in education. He got his PhD from Capella University. Kleinback on the other hand is famed for his skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a mixed martial artist. He is a professional medical doctor. He earned his medical degree from the College of Medicine of the University of Arkansas.