10 World Class Athletes Who Would Have Been Huge WWE Stars

By Sean Ross Sapp /

2. Chael Sonnen

One of the first MMA fighters to bring pro wrestling style promos into the UFC, Chael Sonnen is the type of character that everyone has an opinion on. Loved, hated, cared about, Chael Sonnen evokes an emotional response from everyone, and that's something that the WWE thrives on. Sonnen's career controversy has contributed to these emotions, as he failed no less than three drug tests, two of which ended his MMA career. Add to that a 2011 conviction for money laundering, and the hate for Sonnen continued to grow. Despite this, his re-match with Anderson Silva entered legendary territory. Sonnen has also made no bones about blatantly ripping off promos from wrestlers of years past, but it also endeared him to a giant group of fans in which he hadn't enjoyed prior. The interesting thing about Chael Sonnen, is that he's as valuable in the commentary booth as he is in the ring or the cage. Even at 37 years old, Sonnen continues to have a great amount of worth, even despite the issues he's faced in his career. However, due to his numerous drug test failures, Sonnen may have ruined any chance he had in the WWE, as the company probably wouldn't want to reward a PED user with a job after the scrutiny they've received in the past.