Olympic Gold Medalist Helen Maroulis ‘Open’ to a Future MMA Career

Helen Maroulis is open to transitioning from wrestling to MMA, but only after she fulfills the rest of her Olympic dreams.

The gold medalist recently told TMZ Sports that she is “open” to a career in MMA but, “right now my focus is on wrestling.”

Maroulis shocked the world last week at 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when she edged legendary wrestler Saori Yoshida 4-1 to capture gold for the U.S. team. Yoshida is the most decorated freestyle wrestler of all time, having won gold medals in the 2004, ’08 and ’12 Olympics. Maroulis’ triumph was historic in that it was the first time in history that an American woman captured gold in wrestling at the Games.

The 24-year-old Maryland native said that she is going to compete for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo but maintained that switching over and fighting in the MMA cage is a possibility down the road.