Ever since the introduction of women to the UFC, we've seen some of the most remarkable fights in the history of the company take place. People like Ronda Rousey, Amanda Nunes and Miesha Tate have shown the world what they can do, and in the process have changed the sport forever.
So then, why not build on this legacy with a whole host of women who know a thing or two about starting a revolution.
The worlds of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts collide more often than you might have thought, with the two forms of sports entertainment requiring a number of similar attributes in order to succeed. Sure, pro wrestlers wouldn't be able to just walk into the Octagon, but with a bit of fine tuning, it's certainly possible.
Which is why we've created a list detailing five women within the WWE right now who could continue to pave the way for young fighters of the future. It would definitely lead to quite an interesting transition period for them all, but confidence is the key to success and these women know a thing or two about that, given their backgrounds.
So with all of that in mind, let's take a look at five female superstars who should try their hand at MMA.
#1 Charlotte Flair
Charlotte Flair may be the queen of the squared circle, but if her rapid development as a professional wrestler is anything to go by, then it seems entirely possible that she could thrive in other sports, too.
She is young, athletic and appears to be genetically superior to just about everyone she gets in the ring with, which is saying something, given the quality of her opposition in the past.
Her ability to learn and grow as a performer is staggering and she continues to get better with each passing week. If you can translate that into the mixed martial arts world then you've got a real talent on your hands, and given her early success in the WWE, it seems entirely possible that she can pull this off.
Plus, just think about how great Flair vs. Rousey would be. We move on to a woman who helped to kickstart Charlotte's career.
#2 Natalya
Natalya is a bad ass, and if anyone ever actually tried to fight her backstage they'd likely lose. The self-proclaimed Queen of Harts has a phenomenal background given the well-known history of professional wrestling in her family, and she'd likely have one of the best takedowns in the business.
That may seem a tad over dramatic, but she's proven that she can surprise people on more than one occasion in the past.
Her stand up game may need some work, but in terms of frustrating her opponent, we honestly believe that Nattie Neidhart has the potential to do some great things in the world of mixed martial arts. She's strong enough, athletic enough and once she puts her mind to something she'll always see it through. Hell, why not put her up against Charlotte?
Onto the next entry, which sees us move down to NXT.
#3 Asuka
When it comes to intimidating female figures in the world of professional wrestling, Asuka is right up there with the best of them. Her unbelievable strength and speed make her such a dangerous opponent for anyone that has the misfortune of standing across the ring from her.
That kind of ability shouldn't just apply to wrestling, which is why we want to see Asuka change things up a little bit.
Having been trained in Japan she'll likely have a good knowledge of strong style, and when you look at what she's capable of before even beginning her MMA training, then it quickly becomes obvious how much potential she has. Asuka has the drive and the passion to do anything that she puts her mind to, and you can just picture people underestimating her prior to a fight, which will play right into her hands.
We go back to the main roster for our next potential scrapper.
#4 Naomi
This one seems a little bit unorthodox but actually, makes sense. If you've seen what Naomi can do both in and outside of the ring, there should be no doubt in your mind that she could light up a few women in the world of mixed martial arts. She's one of the most determined members of the roster and that kind of thing can take you a long way.
She's been through a lot during her time with the WWE, and some would say that's put a chip on her shoulder. As such she could be quite unpredictable inside the Octagon, and her athletic ability would allow her to get out of some tricky situations. Naomi is a mentally and physically tough woman and being undervalued could end up being her biggest asset.
To conclude, we look at one of the strongest women on the roster.
#5 Dana Brooke
When it comes to having the look necessary in the world of wrestling, Dana Brooke has it down to a tee. She has a sensational appearance and always grabs the attention of the crowd one way or another when she makes her way down to the ring. However, perhaps her overall talents would be better suited to the likes of UFC as opposed to the WWE.
After all, she is competing in the Arnold Classic this year and her overall strength dwarfs the majority of the female roster by comparison. That isn't a guarantee of success, but it seems as if she has much more in her arsenal from an outsider's perspective looking in.
Power is a big factor especially in the women's division of the UFC, so who knows how far Brooke's strength could take her.
#6 Nia Jax
With her imposing size and strength, not many Superstars are a match for Nia Jax inside the WWE ring and booking a dominant female wrestler with the size advantage over her competitors on a monster heel run has been done to death with yester-year stars like Kharma and Chyna.
If Nia Jax should demarcate herself from most other girls, as her entrance theme seems to suggest, perhaps she should venture into the world of MMA.
Not only will MMA fighters give her a much tougher challenge physically, there isn’t any reason why she can’t compete in promotions like Rizin right from the get-go. Gabi Garcia, another behemoth among humans, is running amok there without a suitable challenge, and who’s to say that Nia Jax can’t be her match with a little bit of training.
At the very least, it’s a shoo-in for a freak-show fight of the year!
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