When it comes to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), there are similarities between the two and differences as well. One of the big things that people believe separates the two is the over the top nature of some of the characters, which is interesting when you consider that a lot of mixed martial artists tend to exaggerate their personalities in order to sell fights.
Nonetheless, it's something that's talked about from time to time, so we thought it'd be an interesting idea to work out what kind of gimmicks certain UFC stars would be given if they ever made the transition over to the WWE.
Some would make sense and others would be a little bit out there, but either way, they'd have a good chance of success when you look at the fighters portraying them.
Not everyone is cut out to be a sports entertainer and some fighters legitimately just want to beat people up and go home, but that's not always the case. The cross-over appeal of the two promotions has always been painfully evident, and it's about time that strides are made towards Vince and Dana finding interesting ways in which to co-exist with each other.
With that in mind, let's take a look at five UFC fighters and their potential WWE gimmicks.
#1 Ronda Rousey - Terminator
Ronda Rousey is one of the most intimidating women in all of mixed martial arts despite her back-to-back losses. Her phenomenal ability inside the octagon made her a household name, and it's no surprise that the WWE have encouraged her to return for the second time, ever since she made a cameo at WrestleMania 31 during a segment with Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and The Rock.
So if she does eventually come to the WWE, she should maintain that ruthless persona. Have her not say a single word on the mic and show any sign of happiness, much like she does during her ring walks in the UFC. That cold, calculated look in her eyes would instantly attract the attention of the WWE Universe and she could spend weeks on end running through enhancement and lower card talent.
We move over to the men now, starting out with a former World Champion.
#2 Dominick Cruz - Money Man
It's been a turbulent few months for Dominick Cruz ever since he lost the UFC Bantamweight Championship to Cody Garbrandt. The guy was, and still is, one of the cockiest fighters in the business, but in the past, he's always been able to back it up, which frustrates his critics to no end.
In the WWE, he'd be right at home when it comes to promoting his matches and championship victories.
The WWE could have Cruz play a sort of MVP/Shane McMahon role, with making money playing a big role in his character. He could have money come down from the ceiling, wear suits 24/7 and gold tights when wrestling to really drive his unbearable character home.
Cruz is more than talented enough to get this by, too.
Onto a different kind of fighter altogether.
#3 Donald Cerrone - Cowboy/Bad-Ass
Donald Cerrone is one of the biggest fan favourites in all of the UFC and it's not hard to see why. The guy is considered to be one of the busiest fighters in the entire sport, and his fantastic personality has seen him gather somewhat of a cult following.
Many people want to see him become World Champion one day, and that kind of fandom can easily be translated over to the squared circle.
For Cerrone, we would have a gimmick that is some form of a mix between Undertaker's American Bad-Ass and Jimmy Wang Yang's cowboy persona. It seems odd, but if you have him maintain the cowboy image whilst also being willing to fight anyone that challenges him, you have a guaranteed winner.
Who knows, maybe he could go on to be the company's biggest babyface as well.
We go up a few weight classes for our next entrant.
#4 Daniel Cormier - Wrestling Machine
Daniel Cormier has been a fan of the professional wrestling business for a long time now, as he's revealed on several different occasions on social media. Hell, he was even there live to watch Seth Rollins win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31. His switch over to the world of sports entertainment seems inevitable at this point, and we've got the perfect character for him.
Imagine, just for a moment, if Cormier was a mixture of bad-ass Wrestling Machine Kurt Angle and cocky whiny heel Kurt Angle. Cormier has a voice that will make you want to throw things at the television, combined with a classic wrestling style that will either get fans cheering or booing week in and week out.
He'd be a phenomenal heat magnet and for that reason, we want to see it happen.
We conclude with probably the biggest name in the business today.
#5 Conor McGregor - Renegade
Conor McGregor is many things, and one of them is unique. The Irishman doesn't do anything by anyone else's rules and tends to make things up as he goes along, earning a hell of a lot of money in the process. We've covered his potential switch over to the WWE in a lot of detail already, but his actual gimmick in the company may not be what you'd expect.
McGregor could play a renegade type role similar to that of his fellow UFC comrade CM Punk. McGregor could come out berating different members of the roster, hitting them hard with some very realistic promos that would make the audience as well as the management squirm.
The best part is that he'd be able to back it up in the ring too, and having him come out every week and calling out someone different would have fans on the edge of their seats.
