Ex-NFL star who squatted 700lbs lands devastating 11-second KO to turn into an MMA champion

The UFC could come knocking after seeing what ex-NFL star Jon Cunningham can do contained in the cage.

A variety of former American football players have transitioned to mixed martial arts and made it to the UFC.

Amongst probably the most successful are Brock Lesnar, Matt Mitrione, and Brendan Schaub. A couple of notable names have swapped the sector for the cage in newer times, including Cunningham.

The ex-Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle is generally known as ‘Big Bad’, and his return on Friday night proved exactly why.

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Ex-NFL player Jon Cunningham becomes CFFC light heavyweight champion after 11-second knockout

Having impressed for the Kent State Golden Flashes and becoming a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection, Cunningham signed a free agent contract with the Falcons in 2018.

After not having the type of NFL profession that he had hoped for, the 30-year-old looked to search out success in one other sport.

Following a victorious amateur debut in 2020, Cunningham quickly turned pro in MMA. He suffered his first loss two fights in, failing to secure a PFL contract on the promotion’s Challenger Series.

But he’s bounced back with three straight stoppage wins since then, the most recent of which earned him championship glory.

Cunningham headlined Friday’s Cage Fury FC event in Philadelphia, a city that can soon host Islam Makhachev vs Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.

The previous NFL player needed just 11 seconds to defeat the previously unbeaten Ian Russell. A superbly timed right hand did the damage before an onslaught of strikes against the cage forced the referee to intervene.

The result saw Cunningham crowned the CFFC light heavyweight champion.

Cunningham is undoubtedly a robust commodity contained in the cage.

During his college football days, ‘Big Bad’ is claimed to have squatted 700 kilos and led the group in bench press at Kent State’s 2018 Pro Day, where he put up 225 kilos 25 times.

That strength could make him a dangerous prospect within the 205-pound division moving forward.