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“King” Barrett
The winner of the 2015 King of The Ring is an impressive physical specimen with an equally appealing finishing move in the Bull hammer Elbow. Whenever I see Barrett perform I am struck by the fact that his body is lithe and lean as opposed to buffed and bulked, which is the subtle difference between the physique of a prototypical shoot fighter and that of a pro-wrestler. Couple that with the scar, albeit only mildly discernible, that streaks his torso beneath his right shoulder leading up to his triceps and you have the stuff of legend.
According to Barrett, before his WWE journey began, his world revolved around the dingy underground fighting scene that played out in the streets of Liverpool. He claims to have been a good enough fighter to have participated, and emerged victorious, in a few big-money underground bare-knuckle boxing fights.
After one such fight in the nondescript alleyways of Budapest, as he left with his victory money, Barrett was apparently attacked by a mugger armed with an 8-inch blade. Barrett ended up with a scar and a serious stab wound for good measure, but displayed other-worldly toughness and endurance in neutralizing the mugger, to put it diplomatically, and then proceeded to leave with his money.
“King” Barrett is undisputedly one of the toughest men in the WWE, and with his bare-knuckle boxing background, it isn’t too far-fetched to think that he might capably don the 4-ounce gloves too.
Samoa Joe
The WWE’s recent Indie Superstar acquisition Samoe Joe is perhaps the wrestler most known for maintaining an avid interest in MMA. Apart from a background grounding in judo, he practises BJJ and Muay Thai extensively. That filters through in the athleticism and pure striking that he employs in the ring.
It is also noteworthy to mention that it was Joe’s extensive contacts in the MMA field that helped set CM Punk on the way by hooking him up with the relevant trainers when he chose to cross over from the WWE to the UFC.
Despite being a wrestler on the independent circuit before signing for TNA, Samoa Joe’s mainstream pull has transcended that of a typical Indie wrestler. Little wonder that his recruitment has proven to be a value-addition to the NXT roster. But weight issues have dogged his career, particularly from the latter stages of his tenure in TNA.
If he ever chooses to pursue what is a very viable alternative career in the UFC, perhaps cutting down some weight would be beneficial towards the invaluable cardio aspect that comes under severe scrutiny during MMA fights.
