"I don't wanna knock Ronda Rousey" - Seth Rollins explains why he thinks UFC stars would struggle transitioning to WWE
WWE star Seth Rollins has weighed in on the possibility of UFC athletes crossing over to professional wrestling.
Rollins recently had a conversation with journalist Marc Raimondi. At one point, the 37-year-old was asked whether according to him, a UFC fighter could successfully transition to the WWE.
Rollins said that he believes UFC fighters would not be able to keep up with the hectic work schedule that WWE athletes deal with regularly. He said:
"No. They don't have the stamina for it, man. They don't fight every single weekend, right? This championship goes everywhere... And [UFC athletes], especially the top stars over there, they're catered to a certain way. And that's great. That's their style. That's what works for them. I understand that you fight maybe once, twice a year. You're crazy [if] you're fighting three times a year, you know? But like, to fight over 100 times over a year, make all those towns, still be able to train, still be able to do all the media, like, it's an exhausting industry."
Rollins then proceeded to mention former UFC champion Ronda Rousey. The WWE star showered praise on her for contributions to professional wrestling, but argued that it would still be hard for UFC athletes to make the transition. He added:
"I don't wanna knock Ronda Rousey because I love Ronda and she did a lot for our industry. For women in our industry. In the fight industry, in general. But it was tough for Ronda. She tried her damnedest and it was hard for her... I'd love for somebody to come over and take a crack if you think you can hang. But it's hard."
Check out Seth Rollins' comments below:
Seth Rollins takes a dig at former UFC fighter CM Punk
During an interaction with Denise Salcedo, Seth Rollins also took a jibe at fellow WWE athlete and former UFC fighter CM Punk.
Rollins called him 'fragile' and expressed his disappointment at not being able to compete against Punk at Wrestlemania due to the latter suffering an injury. He said:
"Look, one of us is a fragile old man and one of us is a young stallion. I'll be back in a couple of weeks. He'll be back in a year or two till his next injury.... I'd love to kick the crap out of him. So, am I disappointed? I'd say a little bit... Stomping his head into the mat would be the best at Wrestlemania."