Pro Wrestlers who could've been MMA stars.

Fedorlei Gomipierre · 11-10-2008, 05:04 PM

I was once upon a time a massive pro wrestling fan, but became disconnected with the WWE and the style and basically, the entire product of pro wrestling over a span of the past five or so years.

One of the most pervasive arguments amoung both fans and pro wrestlers alike, are questions regarding which guys are legit tough guys? Which wrestlers can really go?

I've seen every shoot interview and read every bio and through my knowledge of wrestling and mma, I thought I'd make a list of guys who I think, had they have focused on MMA as a career rather than pro wrestling. They can endure much pain and have seriously good cardio and are not opposed to sometimes really fighting.

Keep in mind, they train solely for MMA and dedicate themselves to the art, we're talking about these dude starting at the begining of their careers and being healthy.

So, in the tradition of Brock Lesnar, here are some wrestlers who I believe could've been good, solid FIGHTERS!

Kurt Angle -imagine he never became a pro wrestler and moved right into MMA, I believe he could've been a legend!
Dr. Death Steve Williams- Was praised as the toughest sob on the planet and was an NCAA champion akin to Brock.
Undertaker- just seems like one tough, legitimately athletic guy and stikes me as a very intelligent fighter.
Scott Norton- double tough.
Bad News Brown- an olympic bronze medalist and mean sob
Meng- Everybody says that this guy is the toughest wrestler ever and if he trained and if he lost some weight, I think would be a scary foe.He once bit a guys nose off too!
Bruiser Brody- a tough, solid brawler with amazing size and athleticism and a vast football background.
Ron Simmons- An all american, hall of fame collage superstar and tough as shit, if he had focused his talents on MMA, I believe he had some sick skills.
Scott Steiner- Pre-steroids, I believe that he could've been a solid fighter.
Brian Pillman-- Highly athletic, a former Bengal and a badass and tough street fighter behind the scenes, could've transferred his focus and been a success.
I know that they're two completely different animals, but I believe that old school tough as nails wrestlers fit a very similar mould as MMA fighters of today.

Thoughts?

ckauffman28 · 11-10-2008, 06:03 PM

steve williams got his ass kicked in the brawl for all competition by bart gunn whom had a less than stellar mma career

i agree pillman.norton and possibly angle 10 years ago

but to add

Steve Blackman
Charlie Hass
shelton benjamin

Fedorlei Gomipierre · 11-10-2008, 06:14 PM

During Steve Blackman's shoot interview, he basically states that the entire martial arts expert thing was a gimmick and that he took karate classes at the YMCA to get the look. Totally kayfabe!

As for Haas and Benjamin, they were amateur wrestlers at the college level, and in that case, you could add a slew of others.

I'm talking Steve Williams in 1991, not the washed up, knee blown 98 Brawl for all version. In his prime, I think Doc would have a potentially amazing career.

And same goes for Bart Gunn, he had a shitload of potential, but he was fairly banged up and on the downturn of his career when he started too. i think he could've been a big time player too if he'd applied himself.

sodium_nitrate · 11-10-2008, 06:27 PM

123kid.

Fedorlei Gomipierre · 11-10-2008, 06:32 PM

123 Kid vs Daniel from Karate Kid.

valheruking · 11-10-2008, 06:38 PM

Really hard to know if any of them would have been successful or not.

But I guess Kenta Kobashi seemed to like wooping ass, he probably could have done better than some of those other pro wrestling guys that turned up in PRIDE.

Fedorlei Gomipierre · 11-10-2008, 06:45 PM

I chose not to talk about Japanese guys because so many worked "shoots" over the years, but without a doubt they're sickly tough. I was working on shoot interviews of guys with first hand knowledge on who was legitimately tough, alongside with athletic ability.

Maybe successful is not the correct word, rather competent or able to compete at a top level.