While WWE and UFC are two organizations with very different goals and regulatory aspects, they still employ world-class athletes and skillful fighters. It's no wonder the two iconic fighting companies have seen plenty of crossover over the years, to varying degrees of success.
With the formation of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. last year, cohesion between WWE and UFC is at an all-time high and will seemingly only get stronger as the years go by.
A great example of this is the upcoming NXT Battleground premium live event, which shifted its date and location recently from originally being set for the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia on Memorial Day weekend, to now scheduled for the UFC Apex on June 9, 2024. It is the first time a WWE event will take place inside a UFC-centric location, which may set a precedent for more to come.
Likewise, MMA is seeing itself becoming more like WWE in its presentation as fighters take on more over the top personas and characters to appeal to the "sports entertainment" fan base.
Recently, at the Cage Warriors 171 event in Glasgow, Scotland, MMA fighter Chris Bungard entered the arena with a presentation that echoed late WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt.
Le combattant de MMA écossais, Chris Bungard, a rendu un bel hommage à Bray Wyatt lors de son entrée à #CW171 .pic.twitter.com/tBh6QtmWXs
— Steve Slam 🇫🇷 (@SteveSlamFR) April 22, 2024
Fans who have always wanted to bet on WWE stars but couldn't due to regulatory reasons now have the opportunity to place their bets on the latest UFC events through trusted platforms. Reading the bet365 app review at Overtime Heroics can help fans make informed decisions when betting on the UFC. You can still bet on WWE with your friends, but it hasn't been sanctioned and sorted out the way UFC and other more traditional sporting events have been regulated.
To further illustrate how much these companies have in common, let's take a look at five WWE stars who have competed in MMA/UFC fights.
Dan Severn
MMA/UFC Record: 101–19–7
One of the UFC's original pioneers, Dan Severn carved out a career as an all-time great mixed martial artist before he ever stepped foot in the wrestling ring. Starting at UFC 4, "The Beast" went on an incredible run of dominance, culminating in becoming the UFC's first-ever triple crown champion winning the UFC 5 tournament, Ultimate Ultimate 1995, and the UFC Superfight Championship.
In the wrestling world, Severn held the National Wrestling Alliance championship for a total of 1,479 days. He also spent nearly a year in the World Wrestling Federation, serving as part of a storyline where the NWA invaded the WWF.
Ken Shamrock
MMA/UFC Record: 28-17-2
From Severn, let's go to the man who beat him at UFC 6 to claim the Superlight championship.
Ken Shamrock is an absolute staple of the early UFC years, even appearing in the first-ever UFC event in 1993. Shamrock would have an iconic rivalry with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Royce Gracie, with the two fighting multiple times over the company's early years.
The inaugural member of the UFC Hall of Fame also had a thriving wrestling career that spanned before and after his time in UFC. Most well-known for his time in the WWF, where he was a one-time Intercontinental Champion, a one-time World Tag Team Champion, and the 1998 King of the Ring, Shamrock helped popularize the ankle lock submission hold.
Dave Bautista
MMA/UFC Record: 1-0-0
In between his iconic career as a professional wrestler and a big-time action movie star, Dave Bautista made a short foray into the world of mixed martial arts. One of the most famous wrestlers in WWE history, Bautists was a 4x champion and one of the company's biggest draws throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
In 2012, Bautists made his first, and only, appearance in an MMA fight, beating Vince Lucero by TKO in the first round at CES MMA: Real Pain in Providence, Rhode Island.
CM Punk
MMA/UFC Record: 0-1-1
While CM Punk is a giant in the wrestling world, CM Punk's career in the UFC was short and unsuccessful.
After signing a multi-fight contract with the UFC, Punk lost his first fight versus Mickey Gall at UFC 203 within seconds, losing via rear-naked choke hold submission early in the first round. His second bout wasn't any better, as Punk was soundly defeated by Mike Jackson
via unanimous decisions, although the result was later overturned to a no-contest after a failed drug test by Jackson.
Brock Lesnar
MMA/UFC Record: 5-3-1
Finally, let's end with the greatest ever WWE to UFC success story, Brock Lesnar is just an absolute legend of combat sports in general.
An NCAA wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota, a short stint in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, and becoming the youngest WWE champion in history are all on his resume, but perhaps most impressive as all is his UFC heavyweight championship.
Lesnar took the title from Rand Couture in 2008 before defending it against Frank Mir and Shan Darwin. Lesnar eventually lost the title, and unfortunate troubles with diverticulitis would keep his UFC career short.
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