Daniel Allen Hodge died in his sleep at the age of 88, a legend. And he was a mixed martial artist long before MMA was a thing. 

The single best base for MMA is folkstyle wrestling. Each year the very best collegiate wrestler in the USA is chosen, and awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy. 

Hodge won states for wrestling in Oklahoma in 1951. Then he wrestled for the University of Oklahoma, going 46-0 with 36 pins, and reportedly was never taken down. Hodge won the Div I NCAAs three times, all via pin. The only other person to equal that feat was Oklahoma A&M’s Earl McCready in 1928–1930.

He also competed in freestyle, winning three national freestyle championships. And he won a silver medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. In 1957, Hodge appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, to this day the only amateur wrestler to ever do so as an amateur.

Hidge was also a striker – he won the Chicago Golden Gloves at heavyweight in 158, finishing his amateur career 17-0, with 12 KOs. Rather than try to wrestle again at the 1956 Olympics, he turned pro as a boxer, retiring in 1959 with a reported record of 8-2. 

Pro wrestling is under-appreciated for its contributions to MMA; Hodge was a professional wrestler for 18 years beginning in 1959.

In a direct tie to mixed martial arts, Hodge served as chairman of the Oklahoma Professional Boxing Commission, regulating professional boxing, wrestling, and MMA in the Sooner State.

In 2005 was honored by Oklahoma state lawmakers as an Oklahoma Sports Hero, and was invited to the House of Representatives floor. There he crushed an apple with his bare hand. Here he is at the age of 80, still crushing.

Danny Hodge’s multisport success will never be equaled, and serves as an internal inspiration for everyone in combat sports.