Wrestling to MMA

[Hong Kong Pooey]

Has anyone from WWE or just anybody with a sports entertainment style wrestling background ever crossed over into UFC or any other non-scripted MMA competition?

If so how did they get on?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Brock Lesnar became the UFC Heavyweight Champion.

 

[Blindside]

Brock Lesnar is the most obvious, he became the UFC heavyweight champion by beating Randy Couture. Afterwards he had major health issues so he kept getting sidelined, and eventually left the sport.

I have heard of others but none that did as well as Brock.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Ken Shamrock started out in professional wrestling, then got into Pancrase, then MMA, then went back to professional wrestling, then back to MMA, then back to professional wrestling again.

 

[elder999]

Bobby Lashley is currently signed with Bellator.

 

[drop bear]

Sakuraba basically toppled the Gracie's.

Professional wrestling sort of stems from catch wrestling which can be better for mma in certain ways.

Professional wrestling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Towel Snapper]

Has anyone from WWE or just anybody with a sports entertainment style wrestling background ever crossed over into UFC or any other non-scripted MMA competition?

If so how did they get on?

It makes a perfect base for MMA, much like sambo WWE/WWF was MMA before MMA existed. Strikes, like head stomps punches etc submissions like the collosal clutch, and wrestling moves like the spear.

Tomb Stones Undertaker style are far more dangerous than anything ull see from modern elite UFC fighters.

Sakuraba a pro wrestler completely dominated and crushed the greatest BJJ founders, and basically proved that Pro wrestling > BJJ > Muay thai, wrestling, karate, savate, sanda, boxing, etc

They called sakuraba the IQ fighter, he is representative of the pro wrestling crowd.

 

[Tez3]

Sakuraba basically toppled the Gracie's.

Professional wrestling sort of stems from catch wrestling which can be better for mma in certain ways.

Professional wrestling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Catch wrestling is the style most known here along with all the regional types of wrestling there are.

 

[Hanzou]

Sakuraba a pro wrestler completely dominated and crushed the greatest BJJ founders, and basically proved that Pro wrestling > BJJ > Muay thai, wrestling, karate, savate, sanda, boxing, etc

Let's not get crazy now....

Sakuraba is an amazing fighter. However, its important to note that the other fighters from his camp and style got dominated by other fighters.