As mixed martial arts continues to grow in popularity, so too does the level of talent entering it. Bellator MMA has its highly regarded “Fab Five,” with Aaron Pico, Ed Ruth, Tyrell Fortune, Jarod Trice and Joey Davis; the Ultimate Fighting Championship inks many top regional stars through “The Ultimate Fighter” and Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series; and the Professional Fighters League has a blue-chip prospect of its own: two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison.
A number of Olympic medalists have crossed over to women’s MMA in the last few years, most notably Ronda Rousey and Sara McMann.