MMA’s Greats of the States | Michigan: Dan Severn
Mixed martial artists come from every corner of the globe, bearing a variety of styles. Sometimes, fighters are products of their environment, favoring disciplines prevalent in the country or state from which they hail. Various regions of the United States are considered factories for great fighters, though that certainly is not the case with each state. In this weekly Sherdog.com series, the spotlight will shine on the best mixed martial artist of all-time from each of the 50 states. Fighters do not necessarily need to be born in a given state to represent it; they simply need to be associated with it.
Dan Severn may have looked like an overblown Freddie Mercury, but he was no joke inside the cage.
Advertisement
Upon leaving the UFC in 1997, Severn embarked on a remarkable journey that saw him fight 127 times and compile a record of 101-19-7. He recorded 77 finishes among his 101 wins, 60 of them via submission. The Coldwater, Michigan, native remained active into his 50s, retiring in 2013. Severn was and accomplished amateur wrestler -- he wrestled collegiately at Arizona State University -- prior to his entry into MMA, becoming a three-time alternate for the United States Olympic Team.
Severn was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on April 16, 2005.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Joe Warren, Daron Cruickshank, Myles Jury, Jason Fischer, Kevin Lee
Related Articles