From the NFL to MMA

Season 10 of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter premieres Sept. 16, and unlike previous series of the MMA reality show, this season is comprised of four NFL players competing against 12 other heavyweights for a spot in the UFC.

Football and combat sports have been linked for years as NFL players often employ fighting for training purposes and as second careers. But only recently have football players turned to MMA, and not boxing. Here are just some gridiron standouts who have hit the cage.

The 1996 first-round pick by the Buccaneers spent seven years in the NFL as a defensive end before compiling a 4-1 pro MMA record. Now, seven years removed from the NFL, Jones looks join the UFC by competing on T.U.F. 10.