Which pro wrestlers could have transitioned into MMA in their primes?
 

I saw a thread about Brawl For All sometime recently, and the idea just kinda popped into my head: who could have been a legit contender in something like Pride or the UFC? Like Brawl For All was meant to make Dr. Death Steve Williams look like an MMA bad ass but he got KO'd in the first round, lol.

Obviously there's Lesnar, Lashley and guys like Ikuhisa Minowa. Who else do you think could have made it? Personally, I'd say if Kurt Angle went into MMA instad of WWE he'd be in the UFC hall of fame rn. Bret Hart and RVD are 2 legit tough guys that come to mind also.

So, let's hear it then.

Steve Blackman

Meng/Haku if he trained.

meng would have been badass.

Probably most of them could compete in MMA at some level with a bit of training.

Does anyone else find it ironic that the best UFC fighter is a former WWF champion?

Big Show in his prime I think could have done some serious damage. Like, back when there were no weight classes.

He is not the best fighter in the UFC. Pound for pound, a lot of dudes are leagues ahead of him. Especially guys like Machida and Silva. Given the recent career ending losses by Arlovski and Tim Sylvia, I'd say Lesnar is one of the better heavyweights out there.

I think that RVD could be one of the better MMA smaller men.

Yeah all 240 pounds of him could have been an awesome small guy :|

goldberg would have been great

Lou Thesz immediately comes to mind.

Pro-wrestlers have always said that one tough pro-wrestler can whip anybody. For the most part we've proven that to be true (we have blemishes, but hey, I think the record is in our favor.) With that said I would name a wrestler that everyone who ever met him said he was one tough sob and that would be Wahoo McDaniel.

RVD did do some toughman competitons and I think that he would also translate well into MMA.

How about the Iron Shiek from back in the day. He was an olympic wrestler and he had a real nasty attitude, I think that could be a good combo for an MMA fighter. Plus, I think it would be hilirous if he humbled someone in the octogon.

I've neve rbeen sure if this is a work or not but alledgedly RVD was in one of the more prestigous Kick Boxing tournies in the world and place fairly high.

Assuming that's true I'd say he'd transition fairly well.

PLus his limberness would help in defending against Jui-Jitsu.

lol, I love the way that you bring that up. Someone like William Regal who is not a large man in the WWE is 6ft 2 and 250, that's a deciently big guy in the regular world.

250lbs wwe weight wouldn't be 250lbs mma weight though, they'd cut a shitload. most wrestlers don't care if they're packing a litle extra fat.

Yeah plus with Pro-wrestling getting as big as you can is key. Look at Lesnar, WWE has was 295 he now cuts from 285 to 265.

Charlie Haas
Kurt Angle
Shelton Benjamin

Mainly based on the fact that they all did amateur wrestling.

By that standard Thrasher of the Headbangers.

I think Bret and Owen Hart could, given their history in the dungeon.

Ahmed Johnson.... considering how reckless he was in a wrestling ring, I'm sure he could have fucked a few guys up.... but I doubt he would pass a drug test....

He'd cut weight, but he'd probably still be around 215 when it was time to cut, and fight at 205... that's not exactly small.

Getting Stretched by your dad makes you a good fighter?

Whatever.

I agree with Haku.

I would like to think possibly Vader...with the right training he was just such a powerhouse.

Norman Smiley - Most wrestlers will agree he is one of the most bad as legit tough guys in the business.

Being tough is a damn good skill to have in MMA though.

And knowing how to lock in really painful submission holds. But any really good athlete could transition well into mma, just depends when they start training, their work ethic and who's training them.

Bart Gunn can hit people. Being good at hitting people seems like a trait that MMA fighters should have.

But I'm pretty sure the toughest dude who really could have or could make the transition would be RVD... not too sure about the Harts.

Oh and maybe the Steiners cuz of their wrestling pedigrees... but in their prime.

He also beat Wes Coreirra in a fight via cut.

Steamboat, with his incredible intensity Randy Savage, Norman Smiley, Masa Chono, Misawa, Bob Backlund, I think with some training Raven would be awesome as well. I don't think Brett Hart had the chin for an MMA career.

I'm fairly certain that 95% of the names proposed would not have even been able to be MMA fighters due to steroid/drug restrictions.

Doesn't stop the MMA fighters now :roll:

Also, even though some of those suggestions have wrestled, we dont know how well they would pick up on striking and submissions, most of them would have a good base for MMA but its really only a what if, since we cant judge chin, sub skill, and striking.

No shit Sherlock. The whole idea of this thread is speculation.

Regal's actually a decent shout. Finlay too, obviously.

Finlay & William Regal for sure

I cant believe everyone forgot Taz and Mr. Perfect

:y:
I agree that in their prime they would've been great, but you would have to get around the whole drug thing.

Stu was a shooter. He'd kill you.

God, Zen. Shut the fuck up about the Harts. Jesus Christ.

I can talk about whatever I wanna. Stop whining.

That's all you ever do lately.

We need someone to combat the kliq or whatever. Fight evil with evil I say.

Zen, really. I know people have joked about it before but you honestly might as well be a sock. You talk about nothing else really ever. Is there not a 'What would it be like to suck Bret Harts cock? Forum that you could post at?

I'm not some faggot ass HBK mark, man. I dont suck the cock.

Yeah, I brought him up.

You were asking for it.

There's Bret Hart... and then there's Moses.

Taz' bad-ass-ness was a work though.

Billy Robinson in his prime would have been unstoppable. (He wasn't given the AWA title because Gagne was scared that, should Billy not want to drop the title, he would be thoroughly unable to get it back.) He's like a more brutal Josh Barnett.

Bad News Brown is another one that jumps to mind. Legit Judoka, was bad enough that even Andre the Giant backed down from him.

Regal and Finlay always seem to come up in threads like this, and for good reason. Legit Tough Guys who could beat your ass on the ground as well.

But why would he cut weight though? Assuming he went to the UFC, RVD would be a slightly bigger that average heavyweight. And the only reason Lesnar cuts weight at all (he walks around at 285 pounds) is because the UFC has a 265 pound upper weight limit in the heavyweight division. I see most pro wrestlers goin heavyweight unless they were smaller heavyweights (like 240 pounds and smaller), then they might cut down to light heavy, which is 205. Can you imagine a guy like Bret Hart at 205 in his prime?

Yeah, RVD punked out Taz back in ECW, RVD even punched Taz in the face and Taz didn't do anything about it.

Ken Shamrock.
























:shifty:

Dan Severn?

Arn Anderson

Aside from some of the before mentioned names, I'd wager Ron Simmons could have had a respectable career in MMA had he taken part in it during his prime...of course his prime was ending as MMA was being established, but that's an issue for father time to deal with not me.

TOVO Fact: Tovo has a favorite jacket, and it bums him out when it's too hot to wear it.

Stu Hart was a straight shooter, so with his help, I do believe Bret and Owen could have held their own in the MMA world.

I think that the "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff could have done some damage in MMA

Hardcore Holly

I wasnt saying it because of badassness just because of his judo/grappling background.

Yeah he'd be great. His finishing maneuver would be piercing his opponent's souls into submission with his longing gaze...:shifty:

Also, Test, except he's doing that dying thing now (too soon?)

or Bobby Lindsay (aka THE BATHTURD)

Dean Malenko, William Regal, Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin, Undetaker, Finlay, Saturn, Kurt Angle, Rhino, Steiner Brothers

I still got to go with the Big Show. Just his shear size. I know there's been 400-500 pound sumo's in the early days of the UFC that just get dropped by guys 250-300 pounds less than them after a shot to the chin, but Paul Wight has some agility and power to him.

Dunno how he'd do against someone who'd actually be hitting back though. This isn't stiffing a trainee on national television.
Lashley IS in MMA.
Doubtful. All the giants do terribly for the most part. Only guy who doesn't lose every time is Bob Sapp.