Greatest Olympic Gold Medalists in Combat Sports History

Let's face it - Olympic Gold Medalists are a dime a dozen and the cream of the crop in every athletic competition. Every four years the Olympics come to town and award the greatest athletes this planet will ever see. After the Olympic journey is complete and these modern day superheroes are awarded the richest prize in their respected sport - some ride off into the sunset, while others decide to kick even more ass and finally get paid for it.

Here is the list (in no particular order) of some of the greatest Olympic gold medalists in combat sports history.

Honorable Mentions/Gold Medalists who competed that didn't make the list/Only competed once so god knows the potential

Mark Schultz - Olympic Gold Medalist in wrestling at the 1984 Olympics who beat Gary Goodridge at UFC 9

Rulon Gardner - Olympic Gold Medalist in wrestling at the 2000 Olympics who beat Hideko Yoshida in PRIDE in 2004

Alexander Karelin - Multiple Time Olympic Gold Medalist in wrestling who competed in RINGS in 1999 defeating Akira Maeda

8. Clarissa Shields

This two time Olympic Gold Medalist has not only won multiple world titles in boxing, but decided to start her career in Mixed Martial Arts training under Jackson-Winks MMA & fighting for the PFL. Currently holding a 1-1 record in one of the biggest mma promotions in the world is impressive in its own right.

.. 7. Wladimir Klitschko

He took a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and later racked up four world titles in professional boxing. 6. Henry Cejudo

He accomplished a task that no other Olympic gold medalist has ever done in modern day MMA history by winning first place in freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Olympics and winning a UFC World Title.

5. Joe Frazier 

Smokin Joe is a legend of his own time, by winning Olympic gold in 1964 and winning the WBC Heavyweight title with later unifying the belts with a win against Muhammad Ali in Madison Square Garden in quite possibly the biggest fight in history.

4. George Foreman

Before you were grilling, George Foreman was killing the competition. Armed with dynamite in both hands, he would win Olympic gold in 1968 and win 3 world titles with 2 of those reigns coming way past his expiration date. 3. Kurt Angle

After winning Olympic gold in 1996 with a broken freakin' neck, he would join the WWE to become a multiple time World Champion and later inducted in the Hall Of Fame. 2. Lennox Lewis

After winning Olympic Gold in 1988, Leonnox Lewis would amass an impressive 44-2 record and multiple world championships from 1992 all the way up to 2004. 1. Muhammad Ali

There is no words to describe the greatest combat sports athlete in history, from a competition stand-point or what he meant to so many people. But Muhammad Ali not only won Gold in 1960, 5 world title reigns, but the hearts and minds of the entire world assuring he will never be forgotten.