With Anderson Silva's dream, find out who in MMA has competed in the Olympics

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Anderson Silva, one of the biggest names in the history of MMA, also wants to leave his mark on the most prestigious sporting competition in the world. The former UFC middleweight champion, who is experiencing a moment of uncertainty in his career due to the anti-doping test controversies in which he was involved, hopes to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, in taekwondo.

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At 40 years old, “Spider” is also expected to participate in the Olympic trials at the beginning of next year with an eye on one of the places in the heavyweight division (over 80 kg). If he is indeed successful, Anderson will become one of the few athletes to participate in the Olympic Games after a successful career in MMA.

However, many other fighters have already taken the opposite path to “Spider”, competing in Olympics before even starting a career in MMA. Some of them were successful, even winning medals. Therefore, the SUPER FIGHTS remembers some fighters who played in the Olympics before venturing into mixed martial arts fighting.

Ronda was an attack in judo in China

R. Rousey (photo) is one of the MMA athletes who also participated in the Olympics. Photo: Reproduction

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Current UFC women's bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey is the best-known example of an MMA fighter who participated in the Olympic Games. Daughter of world judo champion AnnMaria de Mars, the American followed in her mother's footsteps and also had a successful career in the sport, where she competed from the age of 11 to 21.

Ronda's first participation in the Olympics was in 2004, at the Athens games. At 17 years old, the blonde was the youngest judoka in the competition and was eliminated in the early stages. Four years later, at the Beijing Games, the story was different: Rousey went far and won the bronze medal, becoming the first North American to achieve this feat in history.

Today, Rousey is the most famous MMA fighter today, having won all 11 of her fights in overwhelming fashion.

S. McMann came close to Olympic gold in Greece

S.McMann (photo) competed for the UFC belt. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

One of Rousey's victims in the UFC, Sara McMann was another athlete who was successful in her time at the Olympic Games. The American, who started wrestling in college facing male athletes, had a successful career in the sport, which began in the late 1990s.

His potential in wrestling became more evident with the silver medal at the World Championships in New York, in 2003, in addition to winning gold at the Pan-American Games in Santo Domingo, in the same year. In 2004, expectations were even more exciting, as the women's sport would be part of the Olympics program for the first time.

After successfully qualifying for the competition, McMann managed to advance to the finals, immediately securing a medal. In the decision, against the Japanese Kaori Icho, the same one who had defeated her in the previous year's World Cup, the North American took the lead, opening 2-0, but ended up suffering a comeback in the final moments, finishing with silver.

Even so, McMann continued competing in wrestling, winning two bronze medals at world championships (2005 and 2007) and gold at the Pan American Games in Rio in 2007. However, she was unable to advance in the trials and was left out of the Olympic Games of Beijing in 2008.

D. Cormier came close to a medal in Athens

D. Cormier (photo) recently challenged for the UFC belt. Photo: Disclosure

Prominent in North American college wrestling in the 1990s, Daniel Cormier, currently a prominent light heavyweight in the UFC, was part of the United States delegation at the Olympic Games on two occasions.

A year after winning gold at the Pan-American Games in Santo Domingo, Cormier participated in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004, competing in the under-96 kg category. After winning the first two fights, the North American came very close to winning a medal, but ended up losing in the semifinals and also in the bronze medal, finishing in fourth place.

At the Beijing Games, four years later, Cormier was again part of the United States team, including being named captain. However, “DC” had difficulties cutting weight and, with kidney problems, ended up not competing.

Currently, Cormier occupies a prominent position in the UFC's light heavyweight category and is a wrestling coach at the American Kickboxing Academy, where names such as Cain Velazquez e Luke Rockhold.

H. Cejudo made history and won gold at age 21

Olympic champion, H. Cejudo (left) kicks C. Cariaso. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

Of all the North American wrestlers who competed in the Olympics before switching to MMA, Henry Cejudo is the most successful case. Current UFC flyweight, where he occupies ninth position in the official rankings, the prodigy athlete was the only one to win a gold medal in the prestigious competition, and he did so only at the age of 21, the youngest to achieve this feat until the time.

Cejudo participated in the Olympics for the first time in 2008, at the Beijing Games, and did not have an easy life. He lost and had to look for a comeback in his first three fights, but managed to reach the final. Facing the Japanese Tomohiro Matsunaga, Cejudo had an easier time and achieved another victory, winning gold.

However, the success did not continue in the attempt to win new gold at the London Games in 2012. Cejudo did not even make it through the trials in the United States and, after that, he retired from wrestling competitions.

D. Henderson attended two games, but had a discreet performance

Veteran Henderson fired against weak anti-doping supervision in MMA. Photo: Disclosure/UFC

One of the most legendary names in MMA history also went through the Olympics before making his mixed martial arts debut. With a long track record in university wrestling, being North American champion on three occasions, Dan Henderson He participated in two editions of the Olympic Games, including one in his home country.

Henderson went to the Barcelona games in 1992 and ended up not going very far, finishing in tenth place. Four years later, in Atlanta (USA), “Hendo” was again one of the North American representatives, but came in 12th.

The North American attempted an unprecedented feat by participating in the qualifiers for the Sydney games in 2000, when he had already started his MMA career. After failing to get a spot, “Hendo” decided to turn his focus entirely to mixed martial arts, where he still competes today.

H. Lombard took advantage of the Olympics to change his life

Lombard (pictured) competed at the Sydney Olympics. Photo: Disclosure/UFC

the experience of Hector Lombard at the Olympic Games transcends the sporting sphere and has become a landmark story socially speaking. The Cuban was part of his country's judo team at the Sydney Games in 2000, where he competed in the under-73 kg division.

Eliminated in the early stages of the competition, Lombard did not return to his home country with his teammates. The athlete deserted the delegation and remained in Australia, even becoming a naturalized citizen of the country years later. There, he began his career in MMA, moving to the United States shortly afterwards, joining the American Top Team gym.

Lombard's time at the Olympic Games truly changed the course of the athlete's life, who today practically considers himself more Australian than Cuban. Caught in a recent anti-doping test, Lombard is expected to be away from MMA for some time due to a suspension that is yet to be defined.

Y. Romero hit the beam and ended up with silver in Australia

Lombard's compatriot and UFC middleweight division standout, Yoel romero participated in two editions of the Olympic Games in the past decade. A representative of wrestling, the “Soldier of God”, as he is currently known, went to Sydney, in 2000, and Athens, in 2004, and came close to winning the gold medal.

In Australia, Romero won his first four fights without even conceding a point, and faced Russian Adam Saitiev in the final. However, he ended up defeated and won silver. Four years later, in Greece, he got past his first three opponents but fell to the legendary Cael Sanderson in the semi-final. A new defeat in the bronze medal left him in fourth place.