It seems like we travelled much the same paths, Hudson!
I was a competitive BJJ athlete from the age of 17-20. After that, I decided to dabble in MMA, and discovered that I liked it.
It wasn't until I dislocated my shoulder in my fifth fight that I started writing. I now like writing way more than I ever liked fighting. As a writer, I get all the immortality with none of the brain damage, hahah.