One of the early shifts in mixed martial arts came when dominant American wrestlers entered the game, nullifying strikers and often being able to smother jiu jitsu specialists with their size, strength and dominant top games. Former interim Bellator welterweight champion and current PFL contender Logan Storley believes MMA’s future will see far fewer wrestlers make the transition to the sport thanks to name, image and likeness (NIL) deals at the collegiate level.
The ability of college athletes to make significant money through NIL deals has caused a massive shift in how sports operate at the university level. While splashy deals around “revenue sports” such as basketball and football, oft-overlooked sports have seen an influx of cash for athletes.
Take, for example, NiJaree Canady, the softball player who transferred to Texas Tech and signed a $1 million NIL deal (she just signed a second such deal for next season). Texas Tech made the investment into their program and it paid off with a run to the finals of the Women’s College World Series.
With programs expanding their push for championships to “non-revenue sports” through NILs for elite athletes, Storley — himself a four-time NCAA Division I…
