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The world of Wrestling and Martial Arts are inextricably linked owing to the fact that amateur wrestling usually leads to an MMA career.
Many of the best MMA stars are accomplished wrestlers; such as reigning UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Cormier. It makes sense therefore that several MMA athletes would go the opposite way and progress from an MMA career to find themselves in the pre-determined world of pro wrestling with WWE.
Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn, two of the very biggest names in UFC in the mid-1990s joined WWE at the height of the Attitude Era boom period and brought their brand of martial arts to the wrestling company. It was a successful transition and demonstrated how MMA has had considerable influence on WWE. Prior to Shamrock's first appearances in the sports entertainment powerhouse, wrestlers would verbally give up from submission holds. Shamrock's UFC experience led to wrestlers tapping out instead.
The use of MMA gloves is another influence, used by names such as The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar and Sonya Deville. Stoppage finishes such as Edge's Summerslam 2005 victory over Matt Hardy and Brock Lesnar's Summerslam 2016 win over Randy Orton were also lifted directly from the UFC playbook.
As WWE nears 2019, it is highly likely, that the MMA influence will continue; particularly as Fox has reportedly asked WWE to give the Smackdown brand a more UFC-feel when the Tuesday night show begins airing on the channel, next October.
Lesnar's current WWE attire of shorts, with sponsor names, is straight out of his UFC career, instead of the usual WWE attire of short or long trunks.
In the following slideshow, we look at five WWE Superstars who began their combat careers in the world of MMA and looks at how successful their transition to the world of pro-wrestling was.
#5 Matt Riddle
Once upon a time, Matt Riddle was set to be one of the breakout stars of the UFC. The Middleweight won his first three UFC fights before experiencing his first loss to Nick Osipczak at UFC 105.
The charismatic Riddle continued to pick up wins but found himself with two of them overturned to No Contests after he tested positive for Marijuana.
His Marijuana usage led to him being cut by UFC and Riddle was picked up by WWE earlier this year after spending several years competing on the Independent wrestling circuit for companies such as Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Evolve.
Assigned to the NXT brand, Riddle has shown an extraordinary aptitude for pro wrestling and defeated Luke Menzies in his in-ring debut for the company on the October 31st episode. It is likely to be the first of many victories, as Riddle seems destined for a successful WWE career.
#4 Shayna Baszler
Ronda Rousey's good pal, Shayna Baszler has followed a similar path to her more famous buddy.
Competing in UFC at the same time as Rousey, her run in the MMA powerhouse was notably less successful with two one-sided defeats to Bethe Correira and Amanda Nunes.
Baszler's time as a top-line fighter was over long before her UFC run in 2014-15 but the 38-year-old has shown a fantastic aptitude for pro-wrestling ever since she joined WWE in 2017.
Pushed as a dominant heel, Baszler quickly won the NXT Women's Championship and won the title for a second time at WWE's first ever all-female pay per view, Evolution on October 28.
With an expected promotion to the main roster on the cards in the very near future, Baszler could well be set for an on-screen feud or alliance with Rousey. That would be something to behold, that's for sure.
#3 Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock was the UFC's top star when he departed the MMA powerhouse in late 1996 to embark on a new career in pro wrestling for WWE.
The UFC was in the midst of a political storm with the government and state athletic commissions clamped down on the company, causing major financial and numerous other headaches. Using his mainstream fame, Shamrock shrewdly calculated that a switch to pre-determined competition would be hugely beneficial for his career.
Shamrock was installed as the special referee for the "I Quit" bout between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13. It was a great debut as Shamrock was promoted as the only man tough enough to officiate the bout between two of the company's biggest stars.
"The World's Most Dangerous Man" made his in-ring debut two months later in a stiff match versus the monstrous Vader, which he won via submission.
Over the next two years, Shamrock would win the Intercontinental Championship and Tag Team gold and engage in many high profile feuds with the likes of The Undertaker, Owen Hart and The Rock.
After a reasonably successful run at the height of the company's Attitude Era, Shamrock departed WWE to return to MMA, signing for Pride FC in January 2000.
#2 Alberto Del Rio
Technically, Alberto Del Rio did briefly step foot in a wrestling ring before he fought in MMA, having appeared under a mask as Dos Caras Jr. in AAA in mid-2000.
The following year, he competed in his first MMA bout which he won via TKO. He focussed on MMA for the next few years before turning his attention to wrestling once more when he signed for CMLL in 2005.
Del Rio finally made his way to WWE in 2008, and made his first appearance on the main roster as a member of the SmackDown brand on August 20, 2010.
Del Rio quickly ascended the ranks and won the 2011 Royal Rumble match and despite losing his title match with Edge at WrestleMania, won Money in the Bank in July and became World Heavyweight Champion at Summerslam, when he dethroned CM Punk via Money in the Bank cash in.
Several more World title runs would come before Del Rio would depart WWE under a cloud, blacklisted from the promotion due to his perceived mistreatment of then-girlfriend, Paige.
#1 Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey was the inaugural female Champion in UFC history after being awarded the Bantamweight Championship when she joined the company as the reigning Strikeforce Champion.
Rousey solidified her title reign with impressive victories over Liz Carmouche, Miesha Tate, Sara McMann, Alexis Davis, Cat Zingano and Beth Correira before upset losses versus Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes ended her MMA career.
After months of rumours, Rousey finally announced to the world that she had signed with WWE at the Royal Rumble on January 28, 2018, when she made a shock appearance at the conclusion of the first ever Women's Royal Rumble match.
From there the "Rowdy One" has not looked back. After the greatest ever debut in company history wherein, she teamed with Kurt Angle to decimate Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, Rousey would capture the Raw Women's Championship from Alexa Bliss in a one-sided battle at SummerSlam and retained the title against Bliss at Hell in a Cell, one month later.
Rousey continued to build her WWE legacy when she overcame the challenge of former Diva's Champion, Nikki Bella at the first ever all-female pay per view, Evolution on October 28. 2018.
The best is still to come for Rousey, with a bout against Becky Lynch on the horizon at Survivor Series as well as a rumoured Wrestlemania main event versus Charlotte Flair. Rousey is the best MMA Superstar that has made the successful transition to WWE already, just seven months into her WWE career.
