10 Pro Wrestlers Who Could Have Been Stars In The UFC
8. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe is a fighter who practices several MMA disciplines, including Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has also worked with UFC veteran Justin McCully and has close ties to Tito Ortiz's Team Punishment. Clearly, he is someone very familiar with the sport of mixed martial arts.
Familiarity aside, Joe is also a former California State Judo Champion, which is a very solid background. Judoka's like former UFC champ Ronda Rousey and undefeated PFL star Kayla Harrison are two fighters who used their backgrounds to dominate the sport. Granted, Rousey and Harrison are far more accomplished practitioners than Joe was, but had he continued to pursue Judo full-time (or another type of martial art), he could have probably made some waves inside the Octagon.
At 41, particularly with the wear and tear professional wrestling has taken on his body, the window has likely closed on a possible MMA run. That being said, a young Samoa Joe in the UFC makes for a fun 'what if' discussion.