There are hundreds of sports in the world, but at the heart of it, all athletes have something in common. They are dedicated to their craft and open to learning new things that may benefit their sporting potential. One such way to achieve this is through cross-sport meets which are sometimes undertaken by professional teams during their preseason or off-season. Last year, Spanish soccer club F.C. Barcelona did something similar when they trained and participated in a few drills with players from the NFL team, Miami Dolphins. More recently, two unlikely sports have brought some of their athletes together for a second year running. After collaborating last year, the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team and UFC have come together again this year to get to know each other’s sport a little better.

Skiing and UFC may not look like two sports that complement each other, but both sets of athletes definitely proved that wrong. As the skiers hoped to trade punches with the UFC fighters, they also ended up teaching them a lot of fancy tricks. Videos from both teams’ social media revealed the kind of fun and drills that were undertaken by the two sets of athletes.

When UFC met Skiing

It is always fun when world-class athletes from different sports come together on a common stage. This is exactly what happened a couple of weeks ago at Woodward Park City when the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and UFC fighters joined forces for an electrifying workout session. Both sets of athletes got together in Utah as skiing’s finest shared tricks and tactics with their professional UFC counterparts. The range of skiers included moguls, aerials, and freeski athletes as they taught a few tricks to their seasoned UFC peers. A video shared on Instagram by both the UFC and the Stifel U.S. Ski Team gave fans an insight into the countless fun that took place between the athletes. Foam pits and trampolines were their joint playground where they exchanged each other’s sports learning.

The skiers took the fighters under their wing, teaching them the art of flipping and soaring into foam pits, while the fighters reciprocated with lessons in punching, jabbing, and kicking. Expert coaches from Woodward guided both squads through exciting challenges that ranged from a dynamic parkour course to thrilling skateboarding sessions.

Trending

Martin Truex Jr’s Crew Chief Makes Heartbreaking 4-Word Racing Admission

May 04, 2024 04:11 PM EDT

Fresh Controversy Brews After Sha’Carri Richardson and Team USA ‘Outfit’ Fallout As Athlete Robbed of Paris Olympics Dream Over Sponsorship

May 01, 2024 04:27 PM EDT

Shaquille O’Neal and TNT Co-Hosts to Part Ways After 13 Years? Analyzing “Inside the NBA” Hurdles That Might End an Era

May 04, 2024 02:30 PM EDT

‘I Was Already Salty’- Serena Williams Pokes Husband Alexis Ohanian Over His $180 Million Master-Stroke for Their Daughter Olympia

May 03, 2024 08:01 PM EDT

Billionaire Michael Jordan’s Drink With Derek Jeter Was Enough for Yankees Legend to Invest in $11.69 Billion Worth Industry

May 03, 2024 01:00 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest Olympics stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

However, this wasn’t the first time UFC and U.S. Ski & Snowboard came together. Last year, they combined forces at the Utah Olympic Park’s water ramps. More recently, Justin Gaethje, the world’s second-ranked fighter, also visited the USANA Center of Excellence and immersed himself in ski simulation with the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team. This time around, different athletes were part of the collaboration training as compared to last year, and the U.S. Ski Team athletes will also support their new friends outside the foam pits.

Who all participated in the cross-sport training?

This fun collaboration training was undertaken by not only high-ranking mixed martial artists but also Olympic champions. Representing the UFC was number 8th in the flyweight rankings, Maycee Barber. Accompanying her was former UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, Kelvin Gastelum, Dan Ige, Brendan Allen and Belal Muhammad. Joining them from the U.S. Ski Team were Olympic gold medalists Alex Hall and Chris Lillis. Their fellow skiers comprised Quinn Dehlinger, Hunter Hess, Kai Owens, Nick Page, Winter Vinecki, and Tom Wallisch.

“We Are Witnessing GREATNESS!!”: Skiing World Goes Gaga As Mikaela Shiffrin Breaks Lindsey Vonn’s Incredible Record

As the day unfolded, the two sets of athletes exchanged gear and autographs as a new friendship and camaraderie marked the end of the event. The Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes also agreed to stand behind the UFC fighters in their latest bouts that occurred over a week ago. This successful collaboration showcases mutual respect in sports and the spirit of learning among athletes.

Watch this story: Paralyzed Skiing Enthusiast Defies Odds: Returns to Sports with Adaptive Water Skiing