I know Ronda was elite, but she proved the effectiveness of the throws and submissions. I am surprised there have not been more elite judo players (men and women) make their way into the sport. Throughout the history of mma, it has been a copycat league so to speak. Once someone has success, either style or camp, others usually follow in that direction. Anyone know if there are some up and coming judo players who are making their way into the sport. I know there have been a few....I remember Remco Pardoel ( early ufc) and the guy that got beat by Renzo in MARS.
I imagine Elite Judoka are more focused on the Olympics, so those interested in mma are past their prime. 
I think most people who get into judo want to do so because of overall wellness and self defense. I don't think most people associate judo with fighting, unlike jiu Jitsu, which obviously many link with MMA or fighting due to the UFC inception. Also ...MOST judo academies are only judo academies. So the students don't walk in and have the option to take judo and then boxing and then see Mma fighters training in the class after theirs.
It's a wonderful martial art that has a large amount of international participation. I just think the people that get involved in judo , know they want to do judo.
I also get the vibe from personal experience that those in USA judo look down upon Mma and Jiu jitsu similarly to how USA wrestling does. 
I can't imagine that the new judo rules micromanaging where you can grip and banning touching the legs would help with the transition...
well, speaking as someone who is good friends with several Olympic Judo players from Europe (few going to the Olympics in Rio now), I would say most just don't see the connection Judo and MMA. The Judo training is so gruesome and tiresome, if you see their calendars, its ridiculous, training camps, competitions, physio, doctors, etc, etc. They are very focused on their Judo career. They stop Judo cause they have too many injuries or get old, so there is no space to go to UFC now.
Most are tremendous athletes though, specially selected since they are small children. I've also seen some of them train BJJ with top BJJ coaches to improve their ground games (for fun) and they pick up stuff so fast, its ridiculous. They are very very gifted athletes, and they adapt to new setting super fast (think Yoel Romero when he was young, that type). But to see top Judo athletes in the UFC, you'd need to basically go and interrupt their Judo careers when they are 22 and that won't happen.
I am actually surprised how little they follow anything outside Judo. If you ask them about wrestlers from same country, they have no clue often what goes on. Let alone BJJ or MMA.
I should say btw that when introduced to BJJ, they like it a lot and see the value in training it on the ground. However, even then, its very hard to fit it in. The training schedule is so packed, its nearly impossible to fit in other things. But yes, I do think their complete ignorance of the outside world is not something that is good.
In some countries winning an Olympic medal makes you a national icon and can be a very lucrative accomplishment. For example, when Russian Judoka Mansur Isaev won gold at the 2012 Olympics he reportedly received 1 million dollars.
I train at a judo school as well and it's pretty interesting how little most of the judoka know or care to know about anything outside of judo.. and as stated above, serious competitors in judo are 110% in and no room or time for anything else.
Personally, i think competitive judo is far more physical than bjj and maybe slightly less than wrestling. Those people, except for a small minority are DONE and broken down when they are done competing.
SlapUsilly -I just started cross training at a judo school. I found the same thing. No body cares about anything outside of judo.
I train at a judo school as well and it's pretty interesting how little most of the judoka know or care to know about anything outside of judo.. and as stated above, serious competitors in judo are 110% in and no room or time for anything else.
Personally, i think competitive judo is far more physical than bjj and maybe slightly less than wrestling. Those people, except for a small minority are DONE and broken down when they are done competing.
To me, it's like saying that why don't soccer players or American football players want to play Rugby. Soccer players play soccer because they like soccer.
It takes many years to become proficient in Judo throwing, and one can spend years learning the art, and its teachings, kata. From my perspective, I would do Judo to do Judo.
I predict in years to come we'll see a lot more international judo players transitioning to mma but will have to do it at an earlier age before theyve competed too much at high level competitions and get busted up with injuries
IMO, Judo is becoming a sport for the rich. Jimmy Pedro also talked about it. The problem is that getting points in Judo requires worldwide travel. That is hard to afford for poorer federations and countries. Its a big problem these days.
Couple that with the fact that you are 1 slip away from losing by ippon, increasing the non-determinism, and the fact that some countries are pushed more than others (by refs, not drug testing, etc), and things are not great.
Judo is so dangerous at that level, as you are 1 throw away from some total medical disaster. I've witnessed few career-ending ones like that that are devastating. Even MMA I believe is more predictable and controlled than Judo.
I am not sure MMA will be able to take talent from Judo though. Judo federations are very insular, there are a lot of politics going on, that even progressive coaches cannot break. Athletes do not cross train mostly and are 200% into Judo.
I obviously can't put names here, but I know several of these things first hand.
Olympic level Judo really is a different thing, athletes get selected since they are kids, many are so gifted, and then they train them to win medals under those rules. Most Olympic level players have no clue who many of the historic Judo players are, e.g. Kimura or others. They are like little machines that eat, sleep and breathe competition and that is about it.
Just to give you a funny story, but perhaps sad. A European judoka I know well, now going to Olympics in Judo had no clue what BJJ is. I asked them few times: do you think BJJ can help your Judo, etc? It was hilarious, the answer would be: I have no clue what this is, what the rules are, is this with leg locks or something?
And this is a top 20 ranked competitor worldwide who has been to Japan, Brazil, etc. I do not think these close mindedness is good, but it is what it is.
Judo relies on gi grips. Many Judo throws don't require the thrower to control the opponent once they land, which makes them less useful for MMA.
I disagree, that is not the issue, its easy to control if you want. That is not the reason.
Ronda quit judo in her prime (21 yrs. old). And her judo game translated well to no-gi grappling and eventually to MMA. Her grappling skills were so far advanced than her MMA opponents she used to win. Contrast with Marti Malloy and Travis Stevens both age 30 and fighting in their last 2016 Olympic games in Brazil. Kayla Harrison is 26. Travis/Marti have a lot of wear and tear, surgeries, etc that make it not possible to enter MMA. Judo is the most competitive sport from an international level perspective to get IFJ ranking and qualify for the Olympics. Financing all the travel/competitions depends on your world ranking dollars you get from the OLC and USA judo. Not sure how every country funds their judokas.
judom2 - I disagree, that is not the issue, its easy to control if you want. That is not the reason.
The lack of gi grips or the lack of control on the landing?
The lack of control. Grips is a valid point but easy to fix. Judo is all about understanding and practicing the movement necessary for throwing. These principles are widely applicable, of course, adapted to no-gi.
If you want to talk about technical deficiency of Judo for MMA, it is the lack of leg attacks/defenses, these days at least.