UFC fighter Sam Alvey is usually the one bringing the pain on the mat ... but he had the tables turned on him when he got choked out by a U.S. soldier in Iraq.
Alvey – along with UFC vets Diego Sanchez, Joe Lauzon and Jake Ellenberger – put on a grappling seminar during their weeklong trip to visit our troops ... and it was smooth sailing until one yoked-out serviceman got a hold of his neck.
Smile’n Sam was a good sport about it, of course – the slugger's always had mad respect for what they do, and even told us not serving is his biggest life regret.