How do you feel about Professional Wrestlers trying MMA?

[MysticNinjaJay]

In light of the return of Brock Lesnar and the upcoming debut of CM Punk I want to have a discussion to see where Sherdoggers stand on this issue. Do you see this as an invasion of the sport? Is it bad for the public image of MMA to have Pro-Wrestlers compete or is it good for publicity? Do you think Pro-Wrestlers are getting preferential treatment because of their popularity in organizations like the WWE? How do you really feel about this?

This is my perspective. As a teenager during the late 1990s and early 2000s I hadn't yet discovered MMA. But I loved fighting. I watched Boxing, Professional Wrestling and Martial Arts movies. Professional Wrestling had a bad reputation as a sort of circus show. People said it was fake and sent a bad message to kids because the Wrestlers were so disrespectful to each other. So Professional Wrestling had a bad reputation. I don't watch it any more but looking back on it I realize that I liked Professional Wrestling because I liked fighting. It's not a real sport but it is combat-oriented. While the fights are staged there is no denying that the Wrestlers are very athletic.

If MMA were more popular in the 1990s I think a lot of the older Wrestlers would have tried it. Lesnar, Batista, Bobby Lashley and other Professional Wrestlers have tried MMA. Ken Shamrock back in the day did both. Kurt Angle entertained the idea and even The Rock considered it. I understand why they want to try it. They are athletes and they want to test themselves in a real sport. I believe that anyone who wants to try MMA should get the chance. If they can go to the gym, train and prepare for a fight they should be allowed to do it. This doesn't hurt the legitimacy of MMA. Big names actually help its popularity and if a former Professional Wrestler succeeds at the sport, well good for them.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

Brock doesn't rely on his F-5 to succeed in MMA... He relies on an extensive and accomplished collegiate pedigree.


As for the rest of the WWE bums like CM punk and Batista... who cares? They haven't accomplished squat in MMA.

 

[bhp02]

Brock doesn't rely on his F-5 to succeed in MMA... He relies on an extensive and accomplished collegiate pedigree.


As for the rest of the WWE bums like CM punk and Batista... who cares? They haven't accomplished squat in MMA.

they have yet to step into the cage... don't hold your breath..

 

[morethanwerdz]

I feel better about it than Hunt probably

 

[ocfightfan]

It depends on who we are talking about. I'm not a fan of guys with no relevant competitive background going straight to the UFC. I wish CM Punk well, and hope he succeeds because I like him, but I thought it was a terrible idea from the beginning. My main issue in his case is that I don't want to see him hurt badly. If he is seriously injured then that is a major black eye for the sport and the UFC. If we're talking about Brock I admit to having some reservations but at least he had an NCAA championship, one fight, seemed to be in excellent health and insane athleticism going in.

 

[lecter]

Physically superb athletes from any other sport stepping into the HW division wouldn't look good for MMA.

 

[Willek]

Does anyone really care what someone did before they came to the UFC?

 

[Arm Barbarian]

If they have LEGIT wrestling experience (college level) than I have ZERO issues with it.

 

[Kryptt]

It depends on who we are talking about. I'm not a fan of guys with no relevant competitive background going straight to the UFC

That's the thing, crossovers are great but coming in with no competitive background and realistic training is going to be well a CM Punk repeat while they try to hone the clay.

 

[MysticNinjaJay]

Regarding Brock Lesnar he is obviously different from the average Professional Wrestler because he had skills that could be utilized in a real fight from his collegiate wrestling experience. Kurt Angle would be in the same situation as an Olympic Gold Medalist if he competed. CM Punk has no such credentials, but if he wants to compete and test himself I have absolutely no problem with that. If a Martial Arts movie star like Michael Jai White wanted to do it I see no problem. In fact I welcome it. I think some MMA fans feel like people who are popular for other forms of entertainment coming in to MMA makes it a freakshow but if they have the athleticism to compete I think they should get a chance.

Personally I don't expect much from CM Punk. If he wasn't a Professional Wrestler he wouldn't be making his debut in the UFC so he is getting special treatment but if he can back it up I say let him do it.

 

[STARSCREAM]

Is normal,

Happened all the time in Japan, it was only a matter of time here.

Surprised there hasn't been more guys trying to wrestling fame their way into UFC

 

[BigGucciSosa]

Half the guys in PRIDE were pro wrestlers but that seems to be ignored when discussing peoples records.

 

[spooNN]

Brock can get wins because he actually has a real background in wrestling and was good at it ( Not talking about entertainment wrestling) and he is a freak athlete. Others with no combat sport background will most likely not do well if they just jump into the high level MMA competition.

 

[edirp]

I like it. I personally think guys like Randy Orton would do alright at the very least. As a HW, Randy is too fast, strong, and athletic for many of the current HWs such as Black Beast, Walt Harris, Anthony Hamilton, and Cheick Kongo.

 

[Cake4Breakfast]

Does anyone really care what someone did before they came to the UFC?

if it is the reason why they got a shot in the ufc, then yes.

 

[HectorG]

Jack Swagger could compete in MMA if he gets the training.

 

[Mau]

The same as anyone. I don't care.

 

[HaikenEdge]

Kazushi Sakuraba says hello.

 

[FrodoFraggins]

The should have to fight in another organization or TUF first. There are plenty of orgs that won't lock them into long term deals or champions clauses.

The UFC needs a developmental league badly. But they're afraid of attaching their name to a B league I guess. I thought Strikeforce could have been that developmental league where the best would get promoted to the big show.

 

[dethmanrulz]

they have yet to step into the cage... don't hold your breath..

TO be fair, Batista did have 1 MMA fight, which he won. It wasn't a good fight... and the opponent wasn't good (as he shouldn't have been, considering the context)