5 Reasons why pro wrestlers can transition to MMA but not other way round

Just ask these guys what the differences are

One of the things we've covered a lot on the MMA section is Superstars and fighters who have transitioned between professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. As we all know some have been more successful than others, but a lot of the time it isn't about the end result - it's about the journey that it takes to get there and how much the person involved applies themselves to their new craft.

But over the years we've noticed a pattern begin to develop that shows pro-wrestlers tend to find things a lot easier than MMA fighters when it comes to crossing over to the other side - kind of like a much more physical version of wife swap. There's not necessarily one key aspect that singles out why that occurs either, as it's quite a multi-layered issue.

This is in no way intended to insult mixed martial artists who fancy trying pro-wrestling either, as we're instead just observing some of the problems that people face. Plus, the higher up you are on the ladder when it comes to the sport, the more likely you are to fall all the way back down to the bottom when the realisation of how hard the wrestling industry is, hits you.

With that being said, here are five reasons why pro wrestlers can transition to MMA but not the other way round.

#1 Endurance

When you're a mixed martial artist you have to train as hard as you possibly can for between one and four fights a year at the most. Those fights usually last between 15 and 25 minutes with a few short breaks in between, with the non-stop action likely causing a lot of physical exhaustion.

However, that doesn't even remotely compare to the schedule that pro wrestlers have to deal with.

Those guys regularly put on 10-15 minutes three or four times a week and it's not like they're practising out there - they'll be in front of thousands of screaming fans during every single one of their performances. Adjusting to that kind of schedule isn't the easiest thing in the world to do, especially when your body isn't used to that kind of style.

Now let's get the most obvious point out of the way.