At the time of writing this article, it had been approximately 2 weeks since Randy “The Natural” Couture beat Hall of Fame and Pride 2000 Grand Prix Champion Mark Coleman. At 46, Couture handled his Hall of Fame counterpart with ease, finishing the fight in second by TKO. In recognition of “The Natural’s” achievements that defy logic, here are 15 things about Randy Couture that you may not know:
1.) His first professional opponent was Tony Halme at UFC 13 (submission win)
2.) His first professional loss was to Enson Inoue at Vale Tudo Japan by armbar in 1998
3.) Has 3 wins by submission and 7 by KO
4.) Born Randy Duane Couture on June 22, 1963
5.) Fought in a record 15 UFC title fights
6.) Former Olympic wrestling substitute
7.) Won the state wrestling championship at Lynwood High School
8.) Served in the US military from 1982 to 1988
9.) He was stripped of the UFC heavyweight belt after signing with Vale Tudo Japan in 1998
10.) In 1992, Couture finished second behind Mark Kerr in the Div I wrestling championships
11.) He has currently starred in 7 movies.
12.) First wrestler to hold belts in two different weight classes, later performed by BJ Penn
13.) Was he the fourth fighter inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame?
14.) Fight of the night at UFC 74 and UFC 102
15.) He has never lost 3 fights in a row
Hopefully we can see “Captain America” for at least one more shot at the title. It’s good for the sport and it’s good for the fans. Either way, his legacy is grounded in history along with many, many featured videos.
