"What a promo" - 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin explains why Sean Strickland and Colby Covington could succeed as WWE stars

Sean Strickland and Colby Covington have been singled out by WWE legend 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin as MMA fighters who would succeed in professional wrestling. In an interview with Marc Raimondi, 'Stone Cold' referenced both men as potential successes in WWE, should they ever make the switch.

According to Austin, both Strickland and Covington have the strong personality needed to succeed in pro-wrestling, where one's ability to cut promos and draw a crowd response is integral to how far one will go.

"If I'm going right now, I'm going Sean Strickland, and I like Sean Strickland. Boy, he stays economic in the ring right now, in the octagon. But what a promo. And so then I go Colby Covington. All the trash talk, all the athletic ability, guy never runs out of gas, he's always in shape, talks a mean streak and backs it up."

Check out Steve Austin's comments about UFC fighters in WWE (0:05):

Strickland is known for being one of the UFC's brashest and most unapologetic personalities. While his fighting style inside the octagon, which consists of an educated jab and airtight defense, isn't the most thrilling, his post-fight interviews, press conferences, etc., have become legendary.

He is wildly entertaining, for better or worse. Meanwhile, Covington also has a fighting style that isn't regarded as entertaining, relying on his cardio, volume-punching, and relentless wrestling to outpace his opponents. However, his trash talk has made him one of the most reviled figures in the sport.

Ironically, his trash talk, which often veers into deeply personal territory, has also earned him legions of loyal fans.

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Sean Strickland never successfully defended his UFC middleweight title

After defeating Israel Adesanya in a lopsided five-round decision, 'Tarzan' enthroned himself as the UFC middleweight champion. Unfortunately, his reign—which began at UFC 293—ended as early as UFC 297, where he took on streaking contender Dricus du Plessis in a five-round war.

Check out Sean Strickland losing his middleweight title at UFC 297:

Despite his best efforts, Strickland tasted defeat at du Plessis' hands, losing his title via a controversial split decision. While he initially called for an immediate rematch, Strickland does not appear to be the next title challenger, with the UFC allegedly planning a grudge match between du Plessis and Adesanya instead.