Mark Schultz is an American former freestyle wrestler, mixed martial artist, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. One of the most dominant wrestlers of the 1980s, he won Olympic gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, two World Championships, and three NCAA titles for the University of Oklahoma.Originally a gymnast, Schultz switched to wrestling as a high school junior and, after just 16 months in the sport, became the 1978 California State Wrestling Champion—the only wrestler ever to do so without winning a prior tournament.At Oklahoma, he won three consecutive NCAA Championships (1981–1983), defeating top opponents such as Ed Banach and being named NCAA Outstanding Wrestler. Schultz also helped the U.S. beat the USSR in the 1982 World Cup and went undefeated in his senior year.On the international stage, Schultz captured Olympic gold (1984) and World titles in 1985 and 1987, becoming the first American to win both the Olympics and two Worlds. He also claimed four U.S. Open titles, three National Sports Festivals, and the 1987 Pan Am Games.After retiring in 1988, Schultz made history again by winning UFC 9 in 1996 with only one day’s notice—becoming the first Olympic champion to compete in the octagon. He later earned a 4th-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Pedro Sauer.A member of multiple halls of fame, including the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Schultz holds a B.S. from Oklahoma and an M.S. in Exercise Science from BYU, where he coached wrestling and was named 1997 WAC Coach of the Year.His bestselling autobiography Foxcatcher inspired the Oscar-nominated 2014 film starring Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, and Mark Ruffalo. Schultz served as associate producer and appeared in the movie. His story was revisited in the 2022 Emmy-nominated film “Wrestling Demons: Mark Schultz’s Ultimate Victory,” produced by UFC President Dana White.Today, Schultz continues to teach grappling seminars and deliver motivational speeches worldwide.

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