Randy CoutureThe Hall of Outstanding Americans demonstrates wrestling's pride in those who have used the disciplines of the sport to launch notable careers in other walks of life, such as science and technology, business and industry, government and the military, and the arts and humanities. New classes are inducted annually.
"Randy Couture epitomizes our Outstanding American award, which recognizes those who used wrestling to launch notable careers after concluding their wrestling careers," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Randy served in the military and then was an All-American at Oklahoma State. He competed internationally in Greco-Roman and then was one of the original mixed martial arts champions. He then stepped onto another stage, literally, as an actor and continues to evolve as an entrepreneur."
A Lynnwood, Wash., product, Couture wrestled at Oklahoma State from 1989 to 1992 and racked up a 113-42 overall record. He was a three-time All-American, including a pair of second-place finishes, and helped the Cowboys to the team title in 1990. Couture was a National Wrestling Coaches Association First-Team Academic All-American in 1991 and 1992, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in foreign language and literature.
Couture was a four-time World Team member in Greco-Roman and placed ninth in 1997. He was a six-time UFC world champion and was the only competitor to hold titles in both the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Couture became the fourth fighter inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2006, and was inducted into the Oklahoma State College of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 2016.
Couture has his own chain of gyms, Xtreme Couture MMA, and a clothing line, Xtreme Couture MMA Clothing. He also founded and runs the Xtreme Couture GI Foundation, which raises awareness and financially supports wounded veterans. Couture teamed with Jay Glazer of Fox Sports and Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer to create Merging Vets and Players (MVP), which is a program designed to address challenges that many combat veterans and professional athletes face when transitioning their service/professional life towards a new mission in their civilian life. He and Glazer also created MMAthletics, which trains professional athletes from various sports in the ways of mixed martial arts and how that training can be applied to their respective sports.
The Class of 2018 will be inducted at the 42nd Annual Honors Weekend on June 1-2, 2018 in Stillwater. Tickets can be purchased here.
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