UFC Fighters That Made The Transition Into WWE

UFC and wrestling are incredibly different. Anyone who has watched these two sports will know that there are more differences than similarities. However, there are some crossover skills. Physicality and showmanship can get people a long way in both, and there have been a lot of fighters who have made the switch.

Some people say that wrestling is more about acting and putting on a show than anything else, but both are about entertainment. Anyone who spends a lot of time considering UFC betting markets will know how many different events are covered and how much it offers in terms of entertainment. Maybe it is no wonder plenty of athletes have tried both.

Ronda Rousey

Names don’t come much bigger in the world of UFC than Ronda Rousey. When the company bought Strikeforce, she was already the women’s bantamweight champ. However, she went on to make history with her fighting, including being one of the first women to enter the octagon.

Rousey’s links to wrestling started when family friend “Judo” Gene LeBell was coaching Roddy Piper, a wrestling legend. LeBell was the grappling coach for Roddy Piper. When Rousey met Piper, she asked her childhood hero for permission to use his famous “Rowdy” nickname for her first amateur MMA bout. Piper gave Rousey his permission to use the nickname before passing in 2015.

In 2017, when she entered the WWE, she continued to make history. She was involved in the first women’s main event at WrestleMania. “Rowdy” is part of the history of both!

Brock Lesnar

Lots of people know Brock Lesnar primarily as a WWE star, but he has flip-flopped between the two. After a stint in WWE as a youngster he became a big star in UFC.

After winning his debut in a regional fight, he was spotted by Dana White who fast-tracked him to UFC where he became a champ.

The story doesn’t end there, though. As a massive star, Lesnar returned to the ring, wrestling in WWE once again, even though he didn’t necessarily enjoy it according to comments he has made since.

Matt Riddle

Riddle had an up-and-down UFC career, but eventually left after testing positive for a banned substance.

In 2014, Riddle began his training to become a wrestler and competed independently before he made it into NXT. He advanced his career as WWE added him to the main roster where he became a tag team champion with Randy Orton.

Plenty of people have honed their skills in UFC before moving on to wrestling — or in the case of Brock Lesnar, gone back and forth between the two. These are two very different sports when it comes to combat, but with dedication, people can achieve a lot in both fields. Some have even proven to be huge hits in both, such as Lesnar.