My Favorite Pro Wrestlers with MMA Backgrounds
My Favorite Pro Wrestlers with MMA Backgrounds
There has been a trend of athletes with MMA backgrounds moving over to the world of pro wrestling; and vice-versa. Having that background in their arsenal gives them certain skills and fighting styles that other pro wrestlers might not possess. They make for interesting matches because they allow us to see things that we may not always see in a typical wrestling match.
So, in this post, I am going to discuss my top four favorites that have participated in both. In no particular order of favoritism, they are: Ken Shamrock, Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, and Dan Severn. All four have even worked for WWE and have been successful.
Ken Shamrock
Why not start this off with "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock? Back in the late 90's, Ken became one of the first well-known wrestlers that had previously worked in the UFC. By the time he had made his TV debut in 1997, his MMA fighting record was 23-5-2. His career with the company only lasted two years. In those two years, he was able to become Intercontinental Champion, WWF/E Tag Team Champion, and a King of the Ring winner. He was even part of the infamous group The Corporation. That is a lot to accomplish in two years.
After handing out tons of belly-to-belly suplexes and ankle locks, Shamrock returned to the MMA in 2000. During his MMA return, he eventually began wrestling for the newly-founded TNA and became NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Ken Shamrock was able to accomplish a lot in his careers as a MMA fighter and pro wrestler. Though his pro wrestling career was short, he was still able to do more than some have done their entire careers. After everything that he's accomplished, I think the next one is the WWE Hall of Fame.
Dan Severn
Before his short tenure in WWF/E, Dan Severn had a career in amateur wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was a three-time All-American in collegiate wrestling at Arizona State. His UFC career began in 1994 and he competed at UFC 4: Revenge of the Warriors. Severn even faced against Ken Shamrock to determine the winner of the first-ever UFC Superfight Championship. However, he ended up losing by submission in that bout. Severn would eventually go on to defeat Shamrock for that same title.
Severn's pro wrestling career started in 1992 and he made his way to the NWA in 1995. He became NWA World Heavyweight champion that same year becoming the first and only person to hold a pro wrestling title and MMA title at the same time. Then in 1997, he made his WWF debut. In the picture above, you can see him and Jim Cornette holding his titles, MMA and pro wrestling, during one of his entrances. After leaving the company, Dan would go on to continue to have a successful career in both MMA and pro wrestling. I believe he still does pro wrestling appearances, but he is retired from MMA competition with an outstanding record of 101-19-7.
Shayna Baszler
When I said "in no particular order of favoritism" when mentioning the people featured in this post, I meant it because Shayna Baszler is actually my favorite on this list. Like Severn and Shamrock, Shayna has been successful in both MMA and pro wrestling so far in her athletic career. There's a reason why she holds the nicknames of "The Queen of Spades" and "The Submission Magician." Her MMA record is an impressive 15-11. Baszler has fought for multiple fighting companies, including the UFC. She is even part of the "Four Horsewomen of MMA" alongside Ronda Rousey, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir.
Baszler's pro wrestling career began in 2015. During her two years in the independent scene, she won multiple titles and caught the attention of WWE. She competed in last year's Mae Young Classic tournament. I had never seen her wrestle before, but watching her in this tournament made me a huge fan. She made it to the finals defeating the likes of Zeda, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae, and Mercedes Martinez. Her NXT TV debut came about in December 2017. In such a short amount of time, Shayna Baszler has solidified herself as the most dangerous and feared woman to step in NXT. I expect the rest of her pro wrestling career to be filled with more success. If you're against her, you've got no choice but to tap, nap, or snap.
Ronda Rousey
Ronda's run in MMA competition made her one of the most influential female athletes to ever exist. Though there were some ups and downs throughout her MMA career, she still made a lasting impact on the sport. The amount of MMA championships and accomplishments that she's earned are extremely impressive. Her fighting record is a solid 12-2. Though those two losses came in her last two UFC fights, she didn't let that stop her from going after her a dream of becoming a pro wrestler.
She has already been guaranteed a match at Wrestlemania 34, so it's safe to call Ronda Rousey a pro wrestler. Just like her MMA career, Ronda can have a pro wrestling career that is unforgettable. She has already made a statement by embarrassing HHH and Stephanie McMahon twice. A lot of people have had negative things to say about Ronda's potential career in WWE. I expect her to do nothing less than prove all of those people wrong. There's a reason why Roddy Piper allowed her to adopt the "Rowdy" nickname.
If Ronda decides to do more fights in the UFC down the road, I have no doubt that she will find success there again. After all, she is the "Baddest Woman on the Planet."
I really hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it. This post allows you to get to know me better as a pro wrestling fan. If you didn't know something about the four athletes mentioned in this post, it also allows you to get to know them better as well.
Let me know who your favorite pro wrestler with an MMA background is in the comments below!
As always... stay tough, and stay positive.
Awesome read. I agree, Shamrock should be in the WWE Hall of Fame.
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