UFC Fighters Who Started MMA in Their Late 20s
“Most UFC champions seem like they’ve been training since childhood, right? Well, think again! Today, we’ll explore the stories of five UFC fighters who started their martial arts journeys late—some in their late 20s—and still reached the pinnacle of the sport.”
Photo | Sporting News
1. Alex Pereira
First on the list is Alex Pereira. Pereira grew up in extreme poverty in Brazil and struggled with alcoholism at a young age. At 20, he decided to turn his life around by training in kickboxing.
He became one of the best kickboxers in the world, winning multiple championships and famously defeating Israel Adesanya twice in Glory Kickboxing. But his MMA journey didn’t start until he was 28. His first fight ended in a loss, mainly due to weak grappling skills.
It wasn’t until he fully committed to MMA at 34 that things changed. Pereira joined the UFC and, in just a few fights, knocked out Adesanya to win the middleweight title. Starting late didn’t stop Pereira from achieving greatness.
Francis Ngannou | Jake Noecker
2. Francis Ngannou
Next, we have Francis Ngannou, whose story is one of perseverance and survival. Born in Cameroon, Ngannou’s family couldn’t afford to buy him pen and paper for school, and he often went hungry because he’d have to skip lunch. At age 9, Ngannou took a job digging sand mines for $1 per day.
Francis once saw Mike Tyson fight highlights on his neighbor’s TV and that installed an idea in his head to become a boxing champion.
When he was old enough to leave the village in which he grew up, Ngannou was ready to execute on the plan that had percolated in his head for over a decade: become a professional boxer. Even though he was a dreamer, Ngannou says he was realistic about the fact that he couldn’t become a world champion by training in Cameroon. So at age 25, he sold all of his belongings and set off for Morocco, the first leg of a winding and treacherous journey to America. Ngannou traveled a whopping 3,000 miles across the Sahara Desert—from Cameroon to Nigeria, from Nigeria to Niger, from Niger to Algeria, from Algeria to Morocco. It took him 14 months to make it from Morocco to Spain, an endeavor Ngannou describes as “a hell of a journey.”
Eventually Francis ended up homeless on the streets of Paris.
He was picked up by his first coach Fernando Lopes who convinced him that it’s better to start training MMA and not boxing, because then he can start making money earlier. And to be honest, boxing required more skills than just raw power.
By 2015, Ngannou was in the UFC, and within two years, he earned a heavyweight title shot. Although he faced setbacks, Ngannou evolved as a fighter, improving his grappling and clinch work. In 2021, he defeated Stipe Miocic to become the heavyweight champion and one of the hardest-hitting fighters in MMA history.
Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
3. Israel Adesanya
Although not in his 20s, but also late. Israel Adesanya is another fighter who began his martial arts journey later than most. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Adesanya moved to New Zealand at a young age. He wasn’t particularly athletic and was bullied in high school, which later inspired him to pursue martial arts.
At 19, Adesanya started training in kickboxing after watching the movie Ong-Bak. His talent was evident as he amassed an impressive amateur record of 32 wins and 1 loss before turning professional.
Although he made his pro MMA debut at 24, he continued focusing on kickboxing and fought in both sports. It wasn’t until he turned 27 that he fully committed to MMA. Adesanya quickly became a force in the UFC, known for his precision striking and unique style. He won the middleweight title in 2019, proving that starting later didn’t slow him down.
Photo | ESPN
4. Roman Dolidze
Roman Dolidze took a very different route to MMA. He began his athletic career as a professional soccer player, playing as a goalkeeper in Turkey. In his 20s, after moving to Ukraine to study shipbuilding engineering, he started training in sambo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and grappling.
Dolidze became a world-class grappler, winning multiple titles, including the ADCC Asia & Oceania championship. Despite his success in grappling, he didn’t begin training for MMA until he was 28.
Once in the UFC, Dolidze used his grappling expertise and surprising knockout power to climb the ranks. His story shows that a late start doesn’t mean you can’t make an impact in MMA.
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
5. Jared Cannonier
Finally, we have Jared Cannonier. Unlike many fighters, Cannonier didn’t begin training seriously until his late 20s. Before that, he served in the U.S. Army and worked as an air traffic control mechanic in Alaska.
Cannonier started MMA as a way to stay in shape. At 27 or 28, he made his professional debut and quickly showed his potential. He began his career as a heavyweight, later cutting down to light heavyweight and then to middleweight, where he became a top contender.
His journey across multiple weight classes and his rise through the UFC rankings is a testament to hard work and adaptability, proving that starting late doesn’t mean you’re out of the game.
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