While wrestling arguably remains the premier foundation for athletes entering the world of mixed martial arts, it appears that fewer and fewer of the sport`s top-tier competitors are choosing to make that transition in recent years.
Logan Storley, a highly accomplished wrestler who earned four All-American honors at the University of Minnesota, suggests that several factors are influencing wrestlers` decisions regarding a potential move to MMA. In the past, it was a fairly common progression for wrestlers who didn`t pursue international competition to step into the MMA cage. However, Storley believes that the significant financial opportunities now available through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights deals are fundamentally changing the dynamic.
“Right now we’re in a weird time with MMA with NIL money coming in and we’re not seeing as many wrestlers come over,” Storley shared. “NIL has changed a lot. Guys are getting paid a lot of money. So we haven’t seen a ton of wrestlers come over.”
Although wrestling programs might not attract the colossal sums of NIL money seen in major sports like football or basketball, there is still considerable income being distributed, especially to the most successful athletes.
Notably, fellow Minnesota wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson became the first athlete signed to an NIL contract by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) back in 2021. While the specific financial terms were not publicized, it is widely assumed that Steveson secured a substantial deal with WWE.
Storley is aware that elite wrestlers are earning significant sums through NIL deals, and achieving comparable income early in an MMA career, where fighter pay is often minimal at the start, is challenging.
“Some of these guys are making a million, $1.5 million—with your top recruits, do you come fight after that?” Storley questioned. “Put it away, be smart about it.”
“That’s the hard part about it. Is the hunger different? Your teams are different because guys are leaving, the transfer portal, the team looks different, everything is different now.”
Beyond the financial incentives now available to athletes, Storley also points out that there are currently fewer prominent opportunities at the highest levels of MMA.
The UFC stands as a massive financial entity, and the PFL is where Storley currently competes, but he notes that the majority of professional MMA events these days are taking place on a regional scale.
“I think the landscape of MMA has changed,” Storley commented. “With Contender Series and less guys on the roster with PFL, Bellator’s gone, it’s changed a little bit. Wrestling has some money and there’s no security in your early career in MMA. That’s just the truth of it. The first few years are very, very tough and I think with guys making money over there and going into coaching and coaching roles, you have a little more security.”
“More guys just getting regular jobs and just don’t want to do [MMA],” he added. “I think it will be interesting the next five years what it looks like with wrestlers coming over. It’s definitely changing. Will it continue to change? I don’t know.”
Storley also understands that burnout is a real issue for wrestlers, as most athletes in the sport commence intensive training and competition from a very young age. By the time many wrestlers graduate from college, they have maintained a demanding schedule for well over a decade, which takes a considerable physical and mental toll.
“Some guys just want to do something else,” Storley stated. “I don’t fault them, especially guys in the Big 10, you’ve got a Big 10 degree so I think we’re just seeing guys that have wrestled and competed their whole lives and it’s changing.”
“They’ve been doing two-a-days since they’re 8 years old. Some guys don’t want to do it anymore. It’s an interesting run we’ve had with MMA and wrestling.”
For Storley personally, MMA was always his intended path, and he remains pleased with the choice he made as he prepares for his upcoming bout in the semifinals of the current PFL welterweight tournament.
While he cannot definitively predict if more wrestlers will follow his lead in the future, he acknowledges that the sheer volume of athletes transitioning from wrestling into MMA has unquestionably decreased.
“I wanted to fight,” Storley shared. “I was super excited to fight. I had a great career and I’m super proud of what I’ve done over here. Does that change it if you’re getting paid like that? Is your MMA career the same? Would it have been nice? Yeah, an 18- or 19-year-old kid getting paid that kind of money, but I’m happy where MMA has brought me and what it’s done for my life.”
Marcus Blakely