UFC stars agree Kyle Snyder could be the best prospect to ever enter the sport
At just 20 years of age, Kyle Snyder is already the youngest American wrestler to capture gold at the Olympic games but he caught the attention of the mixed martial arts world when he declared just recently that he was interested in pursuing a career in fighting as well.
Snyder told FOX Sports in September after attending UFC 203 in Cleveland that he wanted to continue wrestling while still pursuing a second career in MMA.
"I want to pursue my wrestling career, wrestle in World Championships and the Olympic games, but if the scheduling could work out and I can become an elite fighter, then I want to fight in the UFC as well," Snyder said.
There have been numerous Olympic wrestlers to transition into MMA — most notably fellow gold medalist Henry Cejudo as well as two-time Olympian Daniel Cormier as well as silver medalist Yoel Romero, who all fight in the UFC currently.
Gold medalists such as Kevin Jackson and Mark Schultz have also fought inside the Octagon, but Snyder would arguably be the most accomplished wrestler to pursue a career in the modern era of the UFC even if he stopped wrestling tomorrow.
Snyder is already an NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion as well as a 2015 World Champion and now the 2016 Olympic gold medalist. That resume would be virtually unmatched by anyone competing in MMA today.
"This is a blue chip prospect. This is as blue as a blue chip prospect gets in any sport," UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier told FOX Sports about Snyder.
Even if Snyder sticks around in college for another two years and goes after a second gold medal in 2020, he would still only be 25-years old when he officially transitioned to MMA.
Cormier knows Snyder has the talent to do all of that, but it won't be an easy road and that's why he advised the wrestling prodigy to take his time because MMA will be there tomorrow the same way it will be there four years from now.
"It's damn near impossible because you saw Jordan Burroughs, a guy that was just so dominant around the world and he wasn't able to complete six (championships) in a row. It gives you more respect for what John (Smith) did, but if Kyle can do that and win six in a row and still only be 25 years old starting his MMA career, that's legendary. He's got all the time in the world," Cormier said.
"With an even better pedigree than I had and age is on his side. I was 30 when I started. Even if he waits four years, he'll only be 25 years old."
Cejudo, who is currently competing in the UFC's flyweight division, had nothing but good things to say about Snyder as well despite the fact that the Maryland native broke his record to become the youngest American wrestler to win gold at the Olympic games.
Cejudo believes Snyder is not only an outstanding wrestler, but maybe an even better person and that's why he was so happy to see someone like that break his record.
"My respect to that young man," Cejudo said when speaking to FOX Sports about Snyder. "He did something that was extremely impressive and I was happy to kind of pave the way for these young guys. I can honestly say Henry Cejudo paved the way for a lot of these young guys, allowing them to do it at a young age like the Russians, like the Iranians, like the Cubans. Kyle Snyder is living proof.
"Kyle Snyder's the perfect person to represent our sport. Good man, very respectful and gives our sport the right persona of what a wrestler is. Better man than me, I'll tell you that much!"
Former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman had the chance to meet Snyder for the first time while attending the event in Cleveland in September and he agreed with the assessment from both Cormier and Cejudo.
Coleman transitioned from wrestling at Ohio State and on the international scene before becoming UFC heavyweight champion and a Hall of Famer and he believes Snyder has the credentials to do the exact same thing and maybe more.
"It is difficult for me to speak to Kyle's goals but I will say that it has to be incredibly tempting for him to start pursuing another world title as a professional athlete. From what I see him do on a wrestling mat, I think he can be a world champion," Coleman said.
"He should start implementing Brazilian jiu-jitsu immediately into his workouts because it will make him a better wrestler. If possible, he should also start working on basic standup skills. I think he will enjoy stand up workouts and this will not take anything away from his training for international wrestling."
Cormier came to MMA with a very similar background to Snyder after he went to two Olympic games and then immediately shifted his focus to fighting.
He looks at Snyder as the perfect prospect to dominate MMA if he can just pick up a few more tools and then the sky is the limit for the Olympic gold medalist.
"He's such a grinder, he's so tough, he's so mentally tough, he's so skilled," Cormier said. "He doesn't need much in terms of the striking aspect. He needs to learn to grapple, learn to defend submissions and just learn to strike enough to where his hands become dangerous.
"If he has any power in his hands, with his takedown threat, he'll be knocking guys out left and right because they'll be so worried about the takedown that they'll forget a little bit about their striking defense."
