
How fighters make cash before making it to the big leagues
Becoming an MMA fighter takes a life of sacrifice and hard work.
To make it to the big show requires a lot of dedication and training. If you’ve ever wondered what aspiring fighters do to make cash before they can fully support themselves through fighting payouts and sponsorships, here is a list of MMA fighters and their current or previous second occupations.
Trevin “The Problem” Giles (11-2-0)
The 27-year-old middleweight from San Antonio, Texas is a patrol officer for the Houston Police Department.
Roy “Big Country” Nelson (23-17-0)
Heavyweight Roy Nelson’s last UFC bout was in 2017. He now fights for Bellator, however Nelson previously worked as a substitute teacher and as an after-school program volunteer with Clark County.
Frankie “The Answer” Edgar (23-7-1)
The featherweight from Toms River, New Jersey previously worked as a plumber for his Dad’s company.
Weili “Magnum” Zhang (20-1-0)
The strawweight from China has a list of previous jobs on her resume. Zhang worked as a receptionist, kindergarten teache, and a bodyguard for a female oil boss.
Elias “The Spartan” Theodorou (16-3-0)
The middleweight from Mississauga, ON. Canada has a B.A Degree in Creative Advertising from Humber College. He used to model, act, and do stunt work before starting his career as a fighter.
Now you can catch him as a Ring Boy for Invicta FC.
Stipe Miocic (19-3-0)
The 37-year-old heavyweight defeated Daniel Cormier at UFC 241 in August. Miocic still works part-time at the Valley View Fire Department in Cleveland, Ohio.
His main responsibility is as a paramedic working on medical calls.
____
Make sure to follow The Scrap News (@thescrapnews) on Twitter.
The Scrap’s Caroline Romero is a journalism graduate and has 3 children involved in combat sport. Make sure to follow her son Simon Romero on his Behind The Grind podcast on YouTube.
About Post Author
The Scrap
About Post Author
The Scrap
The Scrap is a combat sports news hub dedicated to bringing you creative MMA, Pro Wrestling, Bare Knuckle, and Boxing content. We choose highlight the indie and regional scenes as passionately as the big leagues. Aside from exclusives on our Patreon account, we also provide video content on our YouTube channel ranging from interviews to highlighting current events.
Related Posts:
Additional Content
No More Double Champs? Why The UFC May Be Moving On
Following Ilia Topuria’s shocking decision to vacate the UFC featherweight championship, new reports have shed light on the possible reason...
Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker: The Most Violent Fight in UFC History?
In a sport as physically demanding as MMA, countless matchups could deliver sheer violence. Yet, at UFC 313, we may...
BREAKING: TUF 33 Flyweight Teams Revealed
Filming for the new season of The Ultimate Fighter is officially underway. TUF 33 is set to feature Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen as...
This Week in Combat Sports: Week of February 17, 2025
After UFC Vegas 102 wrapped up, the combat sports world erupted. Jared Cannonier, the betting underdog, delivered a stunning fourth-round...
Mir-Werdum, Hall-Lima Announced for Inaugural GFL Season
The Global Fight League (GFL) has begun to shed light on how its first event will shape up. So far,...
WWE LFG: Season Premiere Recap
The world of professional wrestling is about to welcome a new era of talent with WWE's newest show, WWE LFG, premiering...
Average Rating