5 Pro Wrestlers Who Have Competed In MMA

Although professional wrestling has been around for centuries, MMA has only been recognized as an official sport since 1980.

Even after becoming a recognized sport, MMA didn’t really become popular until 13 years later – when the UFC was created and safety rules were put in.

With safety becoming protected, world-class wrestlers started to consider the more lucrative venue.

Phillip Jack Brooks
Better known as CM Punk, Brooks became a professional wrestler in 1999. He competed in international wrestling matches, the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and the Ring of Honor.

Brooks is a decorated wrestler who has a house filled with multiple wrestling trophies and awards. His most impressive wrestling awards have been the Mid-American Heavyweight Champion, the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion (which he won 5 times), the OVW Heavyweight Champion, and the World Heavyweight Champion!

Brooks was in a league of his own, so when the chance to earn some MMA titles came calling, of course, he said yes. Brooks made the swap in 2014.

His first fight was against Mickey Gall, where he lost through submission. It took two years for Brooks to come back to MMA, and this time he was up against Mike Jackson. Brooks made it to the end, but the judges couldn’t decide who won. Without a unanimous decision, neither could claim a win.

The second failed attempt to gain a win was enough for the professional wrestler to back down from MMA. If he ever decides to fight again, we can guarantee the MMA betting odds will not be in his favor.

Dave Bautista
Bautista is more famously known as Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy, but before he reached the Hollywood stage, Bautista was a professional wrestler turned MMA fighter.

Granted, Bautista only competed in the UFC once in 2012, where he defeated Vince Lucerio in the first round. After an amazing knockout, Bautista felt like he had accomplished all he needed, and left the ring to the other athletes.

To get a real sense of Bautista’s skills, you need to look at his pro wrestling history. Bautista was the OVW Heavyweight Champion, won the Wrestler of the Year (in 2015), was the WWE Champion, the World Heavyweight Champion (4 times) and he won the Royal Rumble (twice).

Dan Severn
Dan Severn, also known as “The Beast” is a Hall of Fame UFC fighter and was the first world-class wrestler to officially compete in MMA.

As a wrestler, Severn was an ATCW Heavyweight Champion, the GAME Heavyweight Champion, the Global Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Champion, and more.

He was entered into two wrestling Hall of Hames, the WAR and the Legends Pro Wrestling.

Inside the MMA, Severn has the same level of success. He was the headline fighter and the winner of the World Extreme Cagefighting. He won the UFC Superfight Championship, the legendary Triple Crown Championship, and the Elite 1 Heavyweight Championship.

This Olympic fighter really set the stage for professional wrestlers to join in the new fighting style, paving the way for the wrestlers of the future.

Ken Shamrock
Shamrock is a legendary MMA fighter in his own right. He has been part of the Hall of Fame since 2003 entering the Pioneer Wing. The Pioneer Wing holds a special collection of fighters who started their MMA journey before the safety rules (Unified Rules) came into play.

Fighters in this category saw the glory days when almost anything was allowed, and true backstreet fighting was encouraged.

In his professional wrestling career, Shamrock was the BCW Champion, the SAPW Heavyweight Champion, the WWF Intercontinental Champion, and named the King of the Ring.

In MMA, Shamrock was the King of Pancrase winner, the UFC Superfight Champion, the UFC Viewers Choice winner, and the WMMAA Heavyweight Champion.

Brock Lesnar
Lesnar has more awards as a professional wrestler than he does as an MMA fighter, but in both categories, he is a force to be reckoned with.

Lensar is the world record holder for the youngest person to win the WWE Championship (he was just 25 years old at the time). He was once the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, King of the Ring, the WWE Universal Champion (3 times), and the WWE Champion (7 times).

In MMA, Lensar held the UFC Heavyweight Championship, the Rookie of the Year 2008 award, and the MVP award from 2008 through to 2010.

Summary
Not every professional wrestler can make it in the MMA, but the ones that do take over the platform as if it was their own.