Sherdog’s Top 10: European Mixed Martial Artists
Mike SloanSep 08, 2016
Born in Iran, Mousasi and his family relocated when he was a child and he became part of a long line of great fighters to rise out of the Netherlands. His formal training started with judo and progressed to boxing before he turned to MMA; and once Mousasi came into his own, he developed into a dominant force in multiple weight classes.
Mousasi started his career 12-1-1 before signing with Pride, where he won two of his three bouts. After he left the Japanese promotion, he emerged as one of the best fighters in the sport. Mousasi snatched up the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship middleweight title and then moved on to Dream, where he captured the organization’s middleweight and light heavyweight belts. By the time the Ultimate Fighting Championship signed him, he had also wrapped his hands around the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship.
The 31-year-old Mousasi still ranks among the top 10 middleweights in the sport, and it would surprise no one to see him someday challenge for UFC gold at 185 pounds.
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