Lance Palmer’s Transition to MMA
Lance Palmer, a four-time All-American wrestler at The Ohio State University, transitioned to mixed martial arts (MMA) after deciding to leave his wrestling career behind.
Return to Old Grounds
Now, almost 15 years later, the 38-year-old athlete returns to his roots after signing with Real American Freestyle, where he also leads talent development. In his comeback match, he faced off against recent Olympian Austin Gomez but came up short. However, Palmer is gearing up for an even bigger challenge against No. 1 UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 5 this Saturday.
Opportunity to Face Tsarukyan
Palmer embraced the chance to compete against Tsarukyan when one of RAF’s co-founders mentioned him. “I was talking to Chad [Bronstein], and he said, ‘We’re trying to sign this Arman guy.’ I know him; we have common training connections,” Palmer shared with MMA Fighting.
Training Background
Familiar with Tsarukyan’s UFC achievements, Palmer considered training together at some point and still hopes that may happen in the future. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that Tsarukyan is stepping into a different arena when it comes to wrestling, despite his MMA experience.
Transition Challenges
“His grappling in the cage is fantastic, but wrestling is a different game. I felt out of place in my first match against Gomez since I’ve focused on MMA for 15 years,” Palmer explained. “Getting back to wrestling over the past six months has been a fun transition, helping me find my technical roots again.”
Understanding Each Other’s Strengths
Despite Palmer’s two PFL championships and a title in the World Series of Fighting, he knows his wrestling pedigree surpasses Tsarukyan’s. Yet, he respects the challenge Tsarukyan poses, recognizing that both fighters come from competitive sports backgrounds.
Looking Forward to the Match
Palmer feels the matchup is advantageous for him technically, though he acknowledges Tsarukyan’s size advantage. “It’s going to be an intriguing contest,” he said, noting that no punches will be thrown but excitement will still be in the air. “I’m eager to see Tsarukyan’s wrestling skills in action.”
