5 WWE Superstars who can transition into MMA
It goes without saying that the qualities that an MMA fighter in the UFC requires and those that a pro-wrestler utilizes in his profession are two entirely different kettle of fish. The mental aspects and the physical necessities of the athletes markedly vary in either camp, with little common ground between them generally.
However, athletic ability and mental toughness are among those universal attributes that are vital keys to success in any combat-oriented sphere, and once in a while, we are privy to successful cross-overs from the WWE to the UFC.
The obvious name here is Brock Lesnar, who made a brief but successful transition from pro-wrestling into the UFC. More recently, CM Punk fans will be waiting with bated breath and crossed fingers as even he looks set to launch his career with the UFC.
The skill-set required for the UFC includes a variety of disciplines like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kick-boxing, judo and boxing to name a few, and pro-wrestlers were historically not well-versed in such martial art forms. That made it all the more spectacular if a WWE superstar did transition into MMA.
As we survey the WWE landscape in the present day though, the in-ring fighting reflects signs of branching out towards an MMA style, with an increasing number of wrestlers opting to include pure striking stemming from various disciplines into their arsenal of attacks.
This spurred me on to work out a list of WWE superstars who could possibly make the transition into the UFC. You would be surprised to note that a few of them might even have a realistic chance of thriving!
Daniel Bryan
No surprises here then. The perpetrator of the “Yes!” movement is well-known for his kicking technique and actually landing his kicks during the match. Normally a mild-mannered person, Daniel Bryan’s awe-inspiring transformation when he fights is a thing to behold, as his unbridled intensity filters through in his matches.
Behind the scenes, Bryan trains shoot-grappling with one of Randy Couture's coaches and also tries to fit in kick-boxing sessions as and when he can. Of course, considering his current injury status, all bets are off and as fans, we’re more concerned with his safe return to TV programming – as well we should be.
But don’t be caught unawares if Bryan decides to follow the CM Punk route in the future and trade in the WWE for a shot at pursuing his passion, MMA, with greater integrity.
Former UFC Lightweight champion Benson Henderson credits Bryan’s work ethic, stating how he “busts his butt” in training the way MMA fighters do, and doesn’t just trail off after ensuring that his performance levels in the WWE are kept up. Throw in his adeptness at the submission game and Bryan easily emerges, off the top of any fan’s mind, as the superstar in the WWE most likely to succeed if he switched to the UFC.