Randy Couture "The Natural"

Background - Randy Couture was born in Lynnwood, Washington. Like many present day MMA competitors, Couture wrestled throughout junior high school as well as high school in addition to participating in football. After completing high school, Couture joined the US Army where he would obtain some basic boxing skills.

After serving in the Army, Couture then attended Oklahoma State University where he would amass the collegiate honors of three-time wrestling All American for Oklahoma State University and four-time Greco Roman in the Nationals. After completing college and earning a degree in German, Couture still dreamed of participating in the Olympics.

In February of 1996, Couture had seen a former college friend participating in a UFC competition. This friend was none other than Don Frye. After watching Don Frye compete in UFC 8, Couture's interest in the UFC had been sparked and he wondered if he too could be successful in such a competition. Couture submitted an application to the UFC but at the time the UFC had quota's established regarding the number of fighters that would participate from a particular style of fighting. Unfortunately, SEG had already filled the quota for wrestlers for their next event. Discarding the lost opportunity to compete for the UFC, Couture then signed on with an organization that sought to bring national attention to amateur wrestling. The organization was named "RAW" which stood for "Real American Wrestling".

Two months after signing with RAW, Couture began training for the PAN American Games which was to be held in Puerto Rico. While training for the upcoming PAN American Games, Couture was notified by RAW cofounder Ricco Chapirelli that an opening had become available for a wrestler in SEG's UFC 13 event. With only two weeks notice, Couture jumped at the opportunity and began training for his UFC debut. With only a grappling background and some prior experience boxing while in the Army, Couture would become one of the most well known and highly respected wrestlers to enter the sport of MMA competition.

Striking - Randy Couture has continued to evolve into a top notch striker. He had obtained some basic boxing skills while in the Army, but it is his recent training that has proven he can stand with the best strikers in the sport. Couture realizes that striking is not his primary weapon, but it is a weapon available at his disposal if needed. Like many wrestlers, he uses the "ground and pound" technique to perfection. He uses punches, elbows, and knees to dismantle his opponents once mounted.

Grappling - Being an Olympic level wrestler, Couture has a lot of power and is great at both takedowns and ground work. He can move most opponents around at will, which allows him to takedown even the biggest men with ease, keep them down, and have his way with them. Even when he has a momentary lapse in control, Couture can quickly and masterfully regain the upper hand.

Submission - Being a Greco-Roman wrestler, Couture has a powerful upper body that he will use to sink in a basic hold, but nothing to fancy. His submissions are strength over science.

Strengths - Randy Couture has one of the greatest natural qualities, patience! He has displayed his patience time and time again. It is this tool that he used to gas out Vitor Belfort in their first fight and go the distance with (and defeat) the likes of Maurice Smith and Pedro Rizzo. Being a Greco-Roman wrestler, Couture is familiar with the importance of maintaining the point advantage in case the fight comes down to a decision. Couture will often make every effort to maintain control while taking few risks. Although Couture consistently displays extreme patience, he is one of the more aggressive competitors in the sport.
While competing in the heavyweight division there were times when Couture's cardio appeared suspect, but this is no longer the case as Couture is presently in better shape than most twenty-year-olds.

Weaknesses - Couture has become extremely confident with his striking abilities and he may occasionally choose to go toe-to-toe even when it is not necessary.

Conclusion - Although Randy Couture may be upwards of tens years older than the competitors he will face, he is by no means the old man in the Octagon. Since his debut in the UFC, Couture has continued to be nothing less than amazing. After vacating his Heavyweight title and leaving for a period of time, Couture returned just as strong.

Couture is not the typical "ground and pound" wrestler as he is three dimensional and has fewer weaknesses than any other wrestler turned mixed martial artist. Randy Couture is the only fighter (at the time of this posting) to have held a title in two separate weight divisions within the UFC (two time UFC Heavyweight Champion and two time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion). "The Natural" will definitely be a force for the remainder of his career.

Prepared by Jim Cryan