The Monster reigns.
Kevin Randleman, a former Ohio State wrestling legend, has earned a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame, the organization announced Saturday night during Fight Night 176. He'll be in the Pioneer wing of the Hall of Fame, which honors the original innovators of MMA.
A true pioneer of the sport (B2YB @ToyoTires) pic.twitter.com/1eLUWamX2A
— UFC (@ufc) May 17, 2020
As mixed martial arts evolved and the UFC began to gain a foothold in the sport, Randleman ascended. Between March 5, 1999 and Jan. 11, 2002, he went 4-3 in the UFC, capturing the heavyweight title by beating Pete Williams in a unanimous decision at UFC 23 then defending it with another unanimous decision victory against Pedro Rizzo at UFC 26. Randleman, nicknamed "The Monster," then dropped the title in a TKO loss to Randy Couture at UFC 28.
Randleman, who died in 2016, also fought 11 times in PRIDE, which included an upset knockout of Mirko Cro Cop in 2004.
Prior to his MMA career beginning in 1996, Randleman grew up in Sandusky, Ohio, graduated from Sandusky High School then wrestled as a Buckeye. At Ohio State, he was a three-time All-American, three-time Big Ten champion and won individual national championships at 177 pounds in 1992 and 1993 to become the first two-time national champ in school history.
He was enshrined in the Ohio State Hall of Fame in 2004.
Photo via Twitter/@UFC
