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Although both WWE and UFC are intense fighting matches, one is choreographed while the other is raw. Because WWE follows a script to perform stunts, many people falsely believe the actors can’t actually fight.
To prove the nay-sayers wrong, many WWE superstars have entered into the UFC ring, astounding the sports betting spreads and every doubter in the crowd.
So who are these outstanding actors and knockout champions? You’re about to find out!
Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock was one of the first fighters to join the UFC and made a name for himself due to his rivalry with Royce Gracie. Throughout his UFC career, Shamrock aimed to take down Gracie but was stopped at almost every turn. However, in 1995, Shamrock shocked the stadium by becoming the first-ever Superfight Champion.
During this time Shamrock was considered the best mixed martial arts fighter in the world. Having beaten the best, he moved on to new feats – WWE.
Inside the WWE ring, Shamrock brought a new move into the game – the legitimate ankle lock submission hold. This move revolutionized fighting in every tournament and kept him sharp when he jumped back into the UFC ring.
CM Punk
Punk started his career in the Ring of Honor professional wrestling competition. After winning the ROH World Championship, Punk was a star and he soon started winning WWE championships left, right, and center.
After a fantastic 10-year career, Punk retired from WWE. This is when the wrestler joined the UFC. He entered as a welterweight contestant in 2016 and instantly lost through submission to Mickey Hall.
He then lost again, this time to Mike Johnson by unanimous decision. These two losses were enough for Punk to avoid the UFC ring.
Dave Bautista
Better known now as Drax the Destroyer, this Guardian of the Galaxy was originally a WWE fighter. He joined the Superstars in 2002 while still working for Ohio Valley Wrestling. He made his debut in a tag-team match, alongside D-Von.
In 2009, Bautista became the WWE Champion. From that point onwards, Bautista left and rejoined the company multiple times. Eventually, he ditched WWE altogether and joined UFC.
He fought in 5 matches total and won 4 of them, but at this point, his aspirations moved from fighting to filming.
Shayna Baszler
Baszler was trained under Josh Barnett, a former UFC fighter. With Barnett as a teacher, there is no question why Baszler started her career in professional MMA fighting.
She started gaining recognition for a submission move named the “Shwing” which allowed her to submit many of her tough opponents. This move also gave her entry into the UFC.
Although never reaching the heights of Legendary Ronda Rousey, Baszler was a trailblazer that Rousey admired. She was even asked to join the Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs Team Tate fight.
Baszler left the UFC in 2015 and tried a couple of other options before landing with the WWE in 2017. From there she has won multiple WWE titles and continues to battle it out to this day.
Ronda Rousey
Speaking of the legend herself, Rousey is another UFC fighter to enter into WWE. When the contract appeared, it was WWE’s biggest UFC win, as the Olympic judo fighter has been a crowd pleaser even since her first UFC fight in 2012.
Rousey currently has the record for the longest Championship reign in UFC history, defending her title 6 times consecutively.
Brock Lesnar
Lesnar is currently signed to WWE, but before he became a Raw brand fighter, Lesnar was a UFC Heavyweight Champion. He quickly climbed the ranks in the competition and became an instant success.
But after 3 years at the top, Lesnar started to slow down. In 2011 he left the UFC hoping to re-find his mojo. In 2016 Lesnar came back but was rejected due to doping.
Lesnar is also one of the only WWE fighters to start in WWE, become a champion in UFC, and then return to WWE.
Gentleman Jack Gallagher
Gentleman Jack is an English WWE fighter who often uses out-of-place comedy in this fighting style. His storyline, recently, is to ditch his gentlemanly act and follow the path of tattoos and leather jackets.
In the UFC ring, Gallagher has only competed once where he defeated Sarath Ton.
Dan Severn
Before WWE was named World Wrestling Entertainment, it originally went by WWF or World Wrestling Federation. Under that name, Dan Serven fought his opponents at the same time as battling in the UFC.
Severn became the first fighter to compete in both rings and become Champions in their arenas too.
Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio has never fought in the UFC ring, but he has gone up against UFC Hall of Famers such as Tito Ortiz. He lost the fight in the first round due to submission, but now Del Rio commentates for the UFC.
Matt Riddle
Riddle held on to a 4 fight-winning streak during his attempt at the UFC. Unfortunately, he tested positive for marijuana and was fired before making a real splash in the ring.
He now works for WWE and performs under the Raw brand.
Summary
Very few WWE fighters can make it in the UFC, but more and more UFC fighters are switching over to WWE.