The world of mixed martial arts is certainly a dangerous place, which is why alot of athletes wouldn't even dare to step into the octagon even for a second. Hell, some of the baddest men on the planet would think twice before trying their hand in the UFC because they know the risks involved and they know that, barring a few select rules, pretty much anything goes.
However when it comes to professional wrestlers, we feel as if they'd be slightly better suited to the transition. After all we've seen some of the most extreme acts of violence take place on WWE television over the years, with the likes of Brock Lesnar and CM Punk going so far as to actually making the move over to mixed martial arts.
One thing is for sure - it's certainly possible.
So let's take ourselves back over the years and think about some extreme pro wrestlers who we'd probably back to do well inside the octagon. Obviously there's no way to determine who would succeed, but even managing to survive the risky nature of the sport for an extended period of time would be considered a bonus by many.
With that in mind, let's run down the five most extreme pro wrestlers that would've survived MMA.
#5 New Jack
Man oh man. There are elite tough guys when it comes to the land of extreme, and then there's New Jack. This is a man who honestly steps into the squared circle with the sole intention of hurting his opponent. From sticking a fork into someone's head to throwing some of the hardest punches you'll ever see in the world of professional wrestling, New Jack was a nutter.
Obviously it goes without saying that he wasn't the greatest human being in the world, but in MMA you get alot of people like that. As such when you combine that with New Jack's oh so slim athletic ability, you could have a fighter on your hands that would simply refuse to hit the canvas no matter how many times he got hit. You may witness a disqualification or two, but that's to be expected.
We move on to another ECW legend.
#4 Sabu
Sabu literally went on like he was constantly on a stream of different drugs throughout his entire career. He seemed to have no regard whatsoever for his own safety and if you need just one example of that, go and watch his Barbed Wire Massacre bout against Abyss. Honestly, it's one of the most uncomfortable things you'll likely watch and it's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Sabu.
He never gave up and always showed a great level of endurance and agility when wrestling, which leads us to believe that he could more than hold his own inside of the octagon. He may not exactly go on to be a world champion, but the guy could certainly play a part in having some tremendous Fight of the Night candidates because he'd just keep on coming.
Onto a man who found it rather difficult to hang up his boots.
#3 Terry Funk
As detailed in many wrestling documentaries, Terry Funk has just never been able to walk away. No matter what promotion the guy was wrestling for, he always put his body on the line in order to try and entertain the fans. In the process, he gained a reputation for himself as one of the craziest and most impressive extreme wrestlers on the face of the planet.
It's unlikely that was the nickname he was shooting for when he first entered the business, but that's life. If MMA was as big as it is now back in the day, Funk seems like a perfect candidate when it comes to the heavier divisions. He could slug it out with the best of them and would likely use a dominant knockout ability in order to try and get ahead. We wouldn't wanna mess with him.
We move further into the present day with this next entry.
#2 Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer is a man of many talents, with one of them being a professional wrestler. Although he wasn't the most obvious star, Dreamer carved a legacy for himself in ECW as the badass hero who refused to stay down. He transitioned from a clean cut babyface role with ease, managing to thrive in any kind of match stipulation that was put in front of him.
Dreamer's size and varied abilities would make him a great mixed martial artist, and he's the kind of guy who would fit the Donald Cerrone mold of fighting four times a year. Sure he wouldn't always come out on top, but that's the beauty of it because you just know Dreamer would do everything in his power to keep improving for the fans.
To conclude, we look at one of the toughest guys in the history of professional wrestling.
#1 Bruiser Brody
Bruiser Brody didn't care if there was a plan and he didn't care about logistics. Brody was going to go out there and put on a show for the fans, and the definition of that certainly varied over the years. His hardcore and extreme style made him one of the most notorious names in the history of the business, which is something that stuck with him right up until the day he was murdered.
Brody was a monster of a man and could've easily taken on MMA if he was given the chance, especially when you consider his wide skill set. You may not love him and you may even hate him for some of his actions, but you can't deny what an impactful figure Bruiser Brody was throughout his career.
