Matt Grice was a four-time Oklahoma state wrestling champion at Harrah High School and was named Outstanding Wrestler three times, a feat that has never been accomplished by any other competitor. He had a career record of 143-3 and was named Oklahoma Wrestler of the Year in 2000. Grice was the most highly recruited wrestler in the nation at his weight and chose to attend the University of Oklahoma, but injuries from an automobile accident the summer after his first year kept him from furthering his impressive wrestling career. The injuries did not keep him from graduating, and he began to build careers as both an Oklahoma City police officer and as an MMA fighter. He was training to fight at UFC 166 in 2013 when his vehicle was hit from behind by a vehicle traveling more than 60 miles per hour. Following surgery for a traumatic brain injury, Grice was in a coma for a month and in the hospital for three months. When he first woke up, he did not remember that he had a wife and two daughters. When he was allowed to return home, he couldn't stay alone, couldn't drive and couldn't work because doctors did not want his brain to be overstimulated. His will and drive to fight helped him defy odds and exceed doctor's expectations when he returned to work at the Oklahoma City Police Department. He also returned to MMA as a coach, learning that he can still be involved in the sport he loves by encouraging and teaching others. For providing inspiration to wrestlers and non-wrestlers alike, Matt Grice is awarded the 2016 Medal of Courage by the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.