WWE Wrestlers in MMA - Bobby Lashley: Success in the cage and the ring
Over the last two decades, the popularity of MMA has increased slowly but steadily. As more time passes, athletes from different backgrounds have tried their hands in MMA, with MMA fighters also moving to different sports as well.
One of the more well-known names in the world of wrestling, Bobby Lashley, started off his time in the sport in the world of amateur wrestling and was a part of the 2004 Olympics. Unfortunately for him, he was a witness to a bank robbery, and while diving for cover, he was shot in the knee. The wound required surgery, and this brought an end to his amateur career. Fortunately for him, this would signal the first next big step of his life.
Bobby Lashley in WWE - First run and representing Donald Trump
Very few Superstars who grow to be big in WWE originally debut in the company before wrestling anywhere else first. Bobby Lashley was one such person and in his first run for the wrestling company, he would win several Championships. His first reign was with the United States title, something that he would soon move on from as he then went to ECW in a year, where he became the ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Lashley's first run in the company often saw him underrated, and many fans say that he was actually misused, but the thing that he is most famous for during this time was representing Donald Trump.
The world of wrestling is crazy, and this was a storyline where he was in a Hair vs Hair match. If he lost, Trump would have to have his head shaved. He was set to wrestle against Umaga, who was representing Vince McMahon, at WrestleMania 23.
Naturally, it was Umaga who lost and Donald Trump helped to shave Vince McMahon's head in the middle of a WWE ring, in one of the most surreal and bizarre storylines of the company's history.
In 2008, Lashley moved on from the world of WWE, but he did not stop wrestling altogether. He would continue to wrestle in AAA, TNA Wrestling (now known as Impact Wrestling), and in other independent wrestling promotions. However, this was not all that he was doing, because he had decided to take on another challenge at this point in his career.
Bobby Lashley in MMA
In December of 2008, Bobby Lashley would take part in his very first MMA fight. After four professional fights, all of which he won, he signed with Strikeforce. While he was able to win his first fight, his second fight in the company was his first loss in MMA.
He would not let this discourage him as he continued to fight in different MMA promotions. Bobby Lashley's second loss came in the Indian-based Super Fight League, where he lost via decision. This would not be the end of his MMA career either, and instead, this woke something else in him.
Since that fight in 2012. he has fought in 8 professional MMA fights up to 2016, all of which he has won. The last five of those fights were in Bellator MMA, where he has been consistently successful, with all of his wins coming via stoppages.
Since then, Lashley has returned to WWE for a second run in the company. Despite this, he has said that he intends to go back to MMA soon, and has revealed that he is still under contract with Bellator MMA.
Whether he returns or not, Lashley has a 15-2 record in his career as a professional MMA fighter, which is quite impressive. Given his MMA pedigree, it has long been a dream match for WWE fans to have Bobby Lashley face Brock Lesnar, something that has been rumored numerous times, but is yet to happen.
Lashley's dedication to both wrestling and MMA has seen him do justice to both sports. Given that he is 43, hopefully, he will be able to round off both careers. It should be mentioned that despite his age, Lashley looks as fit as ever, and there might be a lot more matches and fights in him.