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All Elite Wrestling generated some huge buzz as 2018 rolled over into 2019. That buzz was not least of all for the reveal of their billionaire financier, the promotional success of Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks at All In, and the news that they had signed top talents like Chris Jericho and the former Neville. The group also secured Billy Gunn in a producer role.
The question quickly turned to whom they might recruit next, with a number of underutilized WWE talents immediately entering the conversation, as well as top tier talents from smaller promotions.
But what about the world of mixed martial arts?
Pro wrestling and MMA have been linked more or less since the latter started gathering steam in the US, for overlapping talents and fan bases.
With Ronda Rousey having made the jump to WWE, CM Punk having fought in UFC, and Brock Lesnar hopping between the two - just to name some of the highest profile crossovers - it’s reasonable to think AEW might draw some talent from the MMA world next.
#5 Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock was one of the earliest stars to make a big name both in MMA and pro wrestling. After emerging as one of UFC’s original top guys, Shamrock had a good run in WWE that segued to also being an early champion for Impact Wrestling.
Shamrock has explicitly indicated an interest in getting back into the WWE ring in interviews over the last couple years. He has also hinted that Triple H may be responsible for heading off a comeback, implying The Game may still harbor jealousies and resentment from when they were both up and comers in the WWE ranks. Whether or not Helmsley actually feels that way, Shamrock’s talk probably isn’t helping him.
Working with AEW may be an ideal fit for Shamrock. It’s a company he can walk into without baggage, has the resources to pay him well, and book him opposite worthy opponents, all while working in competition with WWE - after they apparently shunned him.
#4 Paige VanZant
UFC has been grasping for its next breakout female star since before Ronda Rousey fell to Holly Holm - understandably eager to cash in on the different audience The Baddest Woman on the Planet drew to the sport.
Paige VanZant is by no means the best of the best, but she is a talented fighter and a pretty face who generally comes across as one of the UFC’s most marketable talents. She probably won’t have a place in WWE as long as Rousey is on that landscape, given VanZant is smaller and lower profile than her.
VanZant has expressed an interest in pursuing pro wrestling in interviews though. She could be a score for AEW to help lure over MMA fans with a budding star. That’s not to mention her real fight background could add some instant legitimacy to a women’s division that may struggle to compete given the volume of top female talent WWE has gobbled up in recent years.
#3 Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz is one of the most recognizable names in MMA, in part for his legitimacy after first fighting for UFC in 1997. His resume includes winning the Light Heavyweight Championship there. Additionally, Ortiz isn’t a total stranger to the world of professional wrestling. He worked with Impact Wrestling for a bit, including a stint as part of the Aces and Eights stable.
In his mid-forties, the odds are Ortiz is about done fighting in the Octagon, and he may be past the point were he could be a top tier star in pro wrestling. However, given he has some training, as well as legitimate MMA legitimacy, Ortiz could be a nice fit for All Elite Wrestling as it gets the ball rolling and works on amassing credible talent.
Ortiz’s Punishment Athletics brand could also present interesting business opportunities, as the fledgling company looks toward developing its merchandising opportunities.
#2 Chael Sonnen
Like others on this list, Chael Sonnen would come to All Elite Wrestling with the credibility of a legitimate professional fighting career in mixed martial arts, during which time he twice reached the heights of competing in UFC. More than other fighters though, Sonnen would bring his talking game to the new wrestling company.
Indeed, Sonnen has served as an analyst for ESPN on MMA fights, and done color commentator duties for Jeff Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling enterprise. So, with his combination of a real life combat sports pedigree, plus experience as a professional broadcaster, Sonnen would bring two key types of credibility to All Elite Wrestling, whether he were hired purely for commentary purposes, or to actually wrestle himself.
This background might also set him up nicely for a managerial role, acting as the mouth piece for up and coming talent, if AEW opts to utilize that traditional kind of role in its wrestling.
#1 Jack Swagger
Jack Swagger is a bit of an anomaly in WWE lore. He was a big, athletic talent who proved himself as a more than competent worker, and benefited from a real life amateur wrestling pedigree.
Indeed, WWE did seem invested in pushing him for certain stints of his tenure, including his initial angle as ECW Champion, and later winning a Money in the Bank contract that he converted into a World Heavyweight Championship reign.
However, Swagger always seemed to find himself shuffled back to the mid-card, the tag team ranks, or ultimately not getting used at all on TV for extended stretches. Swagger has vocalized some of his frustration about how that went down in interviews, citing that his real life skills and size meant he could legitimately take any full time talent in the locker room, and WWE was squandering.
Swagger has since gone on to thrive in smaller wrestling promotions, including a main event push in Lucha Underground. He has also taken steps toward putting his money where his mouth is, entering the world of mixed martial arts via Bellator.
This MMA work adds a new dimension to an already highly credible athlete, and reinforces that Swagger could be a top tier talent for a promotion like AEW.
