Historically, the 155-pound, 70.3-kilogram weight class in the UFC has been one of the most entertaining in the sport. Iconic names have paraded through it and held the title of World Champion, Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, among others. And on the horizon appears a fighter who could make it even bigger: Mark Madsen.
The Danish joined the UFC in 2019, but his mixed martial arts record has previous history. Counting the 4 submissions, all with victory in the biggest company in MMA, he already totals 12 appearances and no defeats so far (3 knockouts, 3 submissions and 6 decisions).
However, beyond his perfect passing in the UFC and MMA, Mark Madsen has a background that makes him a very interesting contender for the World Lightweight title. As shown in episode 1 of his VegasInsider-produced docuseries, he may well become the terror of the division.
The Olympian Madsen, a golden past that motivates his present and future in the UFC
Mark Madsen's nickname is not rhetoric or mere supposition: it is a powerful reality, since the Dane represented his country in the Greco-Roman wrestling discipline in 3 editions of the Olympic Games (Beijing, London and Rio). He was silver medalist in the 2016 edition.
Likewise, Madsen is a world multi-medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling with 5 medals won, 4 silver and 1 bronze, which makes him a dangerous enemy in the short grappling field in the UFC. He is the most accomplished wrestler in the history of his country.
Having left behind his comfortable life in Denmark to move to Arizona to train with UFC experts like former world champion Henry Cejudo, Mark Olympian Madsen is a serious contender to go after the legacy of icons like Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
"I'm capable of beating everyone in the world... I am going to win the next fight, and the fight after the next fight, and I will keep winning until the UFC Lightweight belt is mine. That's why I'm here. There is no plan B. There is no chance of me not succeeding", stated Madsen in the Now or Never Episode 1 of VegasInsider.
Right off the bat, The Olympian has already left memorable moments in the UFC, such as when he defeated Danilo Belluardo by TKO in round 1 in his debut, or when he overcame a broken jaw in his second fight to end up beating Austin Hubbard by decision.
