Drexel grad makes it big as UFC fighter

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (WPVI) -- Do you know the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover?"

Well, at 5'4" tall and 125 pounds, Zach Mokovsky doesn't look very tough - that is until you get him into the octagon.

Despite his stature and the nickname "Fun-Size" - the Bethlehem native is an ultimate fighter, ranked in the top 10 of the UFC's Fly Weight division.

"I've been taking short jokes my whole life. I wasn't really affected by short jokes but I got bullied a little bit because I'm so small," said Mokovsky.

Well nobody is picking on Mokovsky now.

So how did he get into UFC?

It actually all started in Drexel's wrestling room where he led the university to the most wins in school history in 2006.

"If you're done competing in college wrestling and you're not an Olympic caliber wrestler, there's not much of an outlet to compete and mixed martial arts kinda gives you that," said Mokovsky.

The former Drexel walk-on, who was a biology major, believes wrestling there decades ago prepared him for the biggest stage in mixed martial arts.

"Wrestling is very similar really. It's a combat sport and, in my opinion, the most effective combat sport to lead you to martial arts," said Mokovsky.

Mokovsky found an outlet and he's set to fight No. 1 ranked John Dodson on Saturday in Las Vegas.