UFC great Couture ‘doing better’ after heart attack

Ariel Helwani is an MMA reporter at ESPN. Follow him on Twitter at @arielhelwani.

UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, who suffered a heart attack Wednesday, told ESPN that he is doing better and hopes to be discharged from a Los Angeles hospital Thursday night or Friday.

Couture, 56, felt ill after working out Wednesday night, sources said. He then walked himself to a local hospital, where he found out he had suffered a heart attack. He was in intensive care for a while, but is expected to make a full recovery, sources told ESPN.

Couture, considered one of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all time, retired in 2011 with a pro career record of 19-11. A former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, he defeated Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort and Pedro Rizzo, among many others, during his legendary career.

Couture currently works as a color analyst for the Professional Fighters League on ESPN. He also has pursued an acting career, most notably appearing in “The Expendables” franchise.

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