The WWE and UFC have major similarities and differences. One is scripted, while the other isn’t; but, they are both about entertaining the fans. Here are five UFC fighters that WWE might want to try and snatch away.
Ronda Rousey
All signs point to Ronda Rousey working with the WWE in the near future. Even though she didn’t compete during the Mae Young Classic, her presence at ringside was enough to get people talking. We’ve heard that Rousey has been training and there remains talk of a potential WrestleMania match. The only two things stopping Rousey from joining WWE is Hollywood and MMA. The Rock went Hollywood and made that his new home. And Rousey hasn’t officially retired from MMA, so she could return for the right price and opponent. The only downside of Rousey wrestling is that she eventually must lose and that’s tough to sell with someone who was so dominant in UFC.
Chael Sonnen
Since the use of PEDs has started to drop in MMA thanks to USADA, Chael Sonnen is a fraction of the person he used to be. He can still fight, but the days of taking on the best fighters (who are typically in their 20s) are over. The biggest plus for Sonnen, is the ability to talk on the mic. Outside of Conor McGregor, nobody is better at selling something using their words. We even got to hear Sonnen do play by play for Global Force Wrestling; when it was owned by Jeff Jarrett. Even if he doesn’t wrestle, there’s always a spot for him at the announce table.
Rampage Jackson
Rampage Jackson is this massive fighter who loves to have a good time. He’s well past those prime years of fighting and he needs to start looking towards the future. Some of the best memories of Jackson’s MMA career are the buildup to fights. One of the best seasons of The Ultimate Fighter involved Jackson. He punked out several of the contestants and even smashed a door to pieces using his hands. The entertainment aspect is clearly there and he might be able to actually wrestle a few somewhat watchable matches. Wrestling fans might have forgotten that Jackson had a short run for Impact Wrestling as a member of the Main Event Mafia.
Paige VanZant
I’m not sure the reasoning behind Paige VanZant joining the UFC. Her looks help sell fights and she has shown the ability to throw down. But, she’s probably never going to be champion and the UFC is using her appearance to sell fights. The allure of fighiutng might start dwindling away if Paige has trouble defeating some of the top stars. She almost reminds me of Alexa Bliss due to their short size. With Paige’s looks and following, she would fit nicely in WWE’s roster. Plus, she’s far from a killer-type fighter which would help WWE insert her into longterm storyline plans.
Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping has made it clear that he’s ready to retire when the UFC returns to England in March. We’ve seen Bisping’s MMA career somewhat rejuvenate in recent years, but he knows it’s time to leave. With WWE still trying to get their UK series going, Bisping would be a nice addition to serve as general manager or some other type of on air figure. I don’t think wrestling inside a WWE ring is meant for Bisping, although WWE could easily find a job for the biggest MMA star to come from England.
