Daniel DeWayne Severn (born June 9, 1958), nicknamed "the Beast", is an American retired professional wrestler, retired mixed martial artist and amateur wrestler. A UFC Hall of Fame member, Severn is considered one of the leading pioneers of mixed martial arts and the first true world-class wrestler to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is best known for his success in the early years of the UFC where he became the first UFC Triple Crown champion in history by winning the UFC 5 tournament, Ultimate Ultimate 1995, and UFC Superfight Championship. Severn has also competed in King of the Cage, PRIDE FC, Cage Rage, WEC, RINGS and MFC, and holds a professional MMA Record of 101–19–7.

In professional wrestling, Severn is a two-time world champion by winning the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship twice, with his first reign lasting for over four years, and an NWA Hall of Fame member. During his almost year-long tenure with the World Wrestling Federation, he was managed by Jim Cornette. He is the first man to compete in UFC and WWF at the same time and held the NWA and UFC championships at the same time. Severn is a world record holder for holding 13 championships. He is also the only person to be honored by the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame three times.

In amateur wrestling, Severn was a two time All-American at Arizona State University and a U.S. Olympic Team alternate.

Severn was born and raised in central Michigan, living in both Montrose and Coldwater, and grew up farming. He learned a lot on the farm and "got his hands dirty".

Severn was a basketball player during junior high school. He was influenced in sports from a young age. During his teen years, he took part in combat sports as he competed in amateur wrestling. He says that the coach approached him to fill in for a weight class in amateur wrestling after a sickness had gone around his school and led to a shortage of competitors, Severn signed to compete for the high school amateur wrestling team and received training.

Severn has a long history in Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling. His amateur wrestling career started in high school and according to many was an "absolute machine" at 191.5 pounds. He won both sports' national championships in 1976 and was named the "Outstanding High School wrestler in the nation". Before his 18th birthday, he placed in the Olympic trials. Severn was inducted into Arizona State University's wrestling hall of fame at the end of his collegiate career.

Severn was a two time All-American at Arizona State University, the original Sunkist Kid of the Sunkist Kids, and a wrestling coach at both his alma mater Arizona State and Michigan State. In addition to his home country, he has wrestled in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, England, and several other countries. Severn won a gold medal at the 1985 National Sports Festival, and a berth on the U.S. World team.

Severn failed to win in Olympic trials in 1984 and 1988, and was a finalist in the trials. During the 1984 Olympic trials, he lost the final qualifying match in controversial fashion to eventual gold medal winner Lou Banach, a match that Severn credits with launching his career. "I would have retired in 1984 from competition had everything gone the way it should have gone...I should have been on the Olympic freestyle wrestling team and I should have won the gold medal. Instead, I went to Los Angeles as the alternate, and saw the guy I thought I beat win the gold medal. It was really tough for me to swallow that. That's what kept me going on." In his long career, he has held many national and international titles. He was often introduced to the UFC Octagon as holding more than 100 in total. Severn also held the US national record for victories by pin from 1976 to 1992.