Rosholt signs with UFC

SANDPOINT — Former Sandpoint state champion wrestler Jared Rosholt signed with UFC recently, following his older brother Jake into Mixed Martial Arts highest governing body.

Rosholt (8-1), a member of Team Takedown Fighters based out of Arlington, Texas, will face Walter Harris (4-1) at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale, which takes place Nov. 30 in Las Vegas.

Rosholt, who moved from Sandpoint to Oklahoma to follow Jake as a wrestler at Oklahoma State, is one of the rising stars in the heavyweight ranks, combining a solid standup game with high-end wrestling and submission skills. Not only that, but the younger Rosholt also welcomed a new addition to his family.

“What a day,” he wrote on Twitter recently. “Had a healthy, perfect second child today and the call for my UFC debut.”

Along with current UFC title challenger Johny Hendricks and the recently retired Shane Roller, the Rosholts are members of Team Takedown, a group of collegiate wrestlers turned fighters that receive financial support as they pursue world titles.

Like his older brother, Jared Rosholt transitioned into MMA after a successful run in collegiate wrestling at Oklahoma State University, where his record of 125-27 was the best in the school’s heavyweight division.

“When I got done with college wrestling, I had been (wrestling) for 18 years,” Rosholt told MMADiehards.com.  “After going through that grind of Division I wrestling seasons I was ready for change, but I wasn’t ready to be done competing.”

As conventional wrestling wasn’t a path Rosholt envisioned himself following anymore, the three-time NCAA All-American wrestler entertained other competitive outlets.

Fresh out of college Rosholt was recruited by the Independent Pro Wrestling Training Center in Tampa Bay, Fla.  He had the opportunity to work out with fellow WWE hopefuls and learn a small bit about pro-wrestling. The idea of Rosholt showcasing his skills in the WWE was not that farfetched, but things didn’t come to fruition, so the former OSU wrestler was forced to investigate other options.