5 UFC fighters who did other sports while growing up

Have you ever wondered what some MMA athletes would be doing if they never got into UFC? Well, we have been thinking the same thing as of late.

There are several fighters in the UFC who were good at other sports but later on, decided to make a switch to the blood-and-bone sport of MMA.

Here is a list of five such UFC fighters:

#5 Greg Hardy

Before entering the world of MMA, Greg Hardy earned his money by playing American football. Hardy played football when he was at the University of Mississippi and later, in the 2010 edition of the NFL Draft, the 'Prince of War' was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round.

The 32-year-old also played for the Dallas Cowboys for a brief period of time.

Greg Hardy currently competes in the heavyweight division of the UFC and has an overall MMA record of 7-3. Hardy's next fight in the octagon is scheduled to take place at UFC 264. He will be sharing the octagon with fellow heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa.

Also read: Greg Hardy: 5 interesting things you need to know about the UFC Heavyweight

#4 Eryk Anders

The next fighter on this list is middleweight contender Eryk Anders, who also used to play American football before coming into the UFC. Anders was a linebacker for the Crimson Tide team for 3 years lasting from 2006 to 2009. At one point, 'Ya Boi' had also signed a contract with the NFL team Cleveland Browns.

Anders currently holds a record of 13-5. His last fight ended in a no contest when he landed an illegal knee on a downed Darren Stewart. The two fighters have been re-scheduled for a bout at UFC 263.

#3 Dominick Reyes

Dominick Reyes, who used to play American football, was shown a lot of interest by multiple NFL teams but was eventually unselected in the 2013 edition of the NFL Draft.

A loss for American football turned into a gain for MMA as 'The Dominator' shifted his focus towards fighting. He went on an impressive 12-fight winning streak in the light heavyweight division which culminated in a title fight with Jon Jones.

Reyes gave 'Bones' arguably the toughest fight of his career and despite the official decision, was declared the winner by numerous MMA fans around the world.

#2 Conor McGregor

While growing up, soccer captured the imagination of UFC star Conor McGregor. 'The Notorious' used to play for Lourdes Celtic, a football team in McGregor's hometown of Crumlin, Ireland.

But videos of the grown-up McGregor playing soccer show that the Irishman still possesses a love for the sport.

After finding success in the UFC, 'Mystic Mac' went back to his roots to promote and support his childhood football club Lourdes Celtic.

The Irishman is now scheduled for a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier that will take place at UFC 264 on July 10.

#1 Alexander Volkanovski

It is hard to believe that the current 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanoski used to be a rugby player and weighed more than 220 pounds. His transformation has been nothing short of amazing.

Volkanovski was part of a rugby team called Warilla Gorillas that used to compete in the South Coast Rugby League. In 2010, 'The Great' was declared the best player in the league. At the age of 23, Volkanovski decided to quit rugby and start his professional career in MMA where he went on to become the UFC featherweight champion.

Volkanovski is currently coaching the 29th season of UFC's The Ultimate Fighter along with Brian Ortega.

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