When Triton College wrestling alumnus Sean King III stepped into the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) octagon for his debut fight on Sept. 12, it marked the culmination of years of hard work and the realization of a boyhood dream.

King, who wrestled at Triton during the 2023-24 season, made his UFC debut at Noche UFC at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz., delivering a slam to opponent Jessie Rosas in the opening moments and winning the fight by knockout in just 36 seconds.

"It's been a great week," King said. "I just feel gratitude and pure joy. This is something that I've wanted for a while, and now to be living it, it's just amazing."

For King, the road to the UFC included a return to college wrestling, where he said Triton's wrestling program played an important role in his development as both an athlete and a person.

"Being in Triton's wrestling program definitely helped me grow, not only as a wrestler but as a person and a human being," King said. "It helped me take authority of my life, and at the end of the day, it made me a better wrestler in the cage."

His recent victory earned King a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus and quickly drew attention across social media and MMA media. While resting up a few days after his fight, King said the experience has been emotional and surreal.

"Once it was done, I couldn't really believe it was over," he added. "And then I just kind of sat there enjoying the moment, taking it in and knowing that I finally achieved what I've wanted for so long."

Originally from Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans, King's path to MMA began with football, which he started playing at age 5. A few years later, King started wrestling and developed a passion for the sport and its one-on-one nature. By around seventh or eighth grade, King started training in MMA, and his UFC aspirations took shape.

After graduating from high school in 2022, King went 4-0 as an amateur MMA fighter but decided he wanted to return to wrestling. Through a connection he had in the wrestling community, he learned about Triton College's program and ultimately joined the wrestling team for the 2023-24 season.

King viewed college wrestling as a way to continue developing as a wrestler while also becoming a better MMA fighter. He emphasized that Triton's demanding wrestling training helped him forge the discipline and mentality he now relies on as an MMA fighter.

"If you want to be a top-tier MMA fighter, then you definitely should go to college and wrestle and learn what real hard work is," he said. "Triton taught me that, and I'm very grateful they gave me the opportunity."

King also credited former Triton wrestling coach Tim Duggan and AJ Blahut, Triton athletic director, for supporting him during his time at the college.

"Tim was nothing but great to me," King said. "He always looked out for me, always took care of me, always made sure I was OK."

"Same with AJ," he added. "Any problems with school, he was always helping me out."

As a professional fighter, now riding a 7-0 winning streak, King earned the moniker "The King of New Orleans," which he said was given to him when an announcer introduced him before a fight earlier this year. Looking ahead, King hopes to one day earn another: champion.

"The ultimate dream is to win a world title," he said. "I think that's everybody's dream, but I think with the people I have in my corner and the work ethic I've developed, it's going to happen."

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