10 Best MMA Wrestling Crossovers

Shayna Baszler is a pioneer on this list, not only as one of the first prominent female MMA fighters but also for being one of the first successful MMA to pro-wrestling transitions of recent years.

Under the tutelage of former UFC champion Josh Barnett, Baszler made her MMA debut in 2003 before coming to prominence when she signed for EliteXC, the first major MMA promotion to prominently feature women as part of its roster.

During her MMA career, Baszler was known for her creative approach to ground-fighting, her "Queen of Spades" nickname being a reference to her ability to conjure unusual and effective submissions. Examples of this include a full-guard Hammerlock (dubbed by Baszler as a "Schwing") as well as her being the first person to score a televised Twister, during a match with Keiko Tamai in 2008.

Baszler would later enjoy spells in Strikeforce, Invicta and the UFC, where she'd face off against Cris Cyborg, Amanda Nunes and Sara McMann before calling time on her career with a 15-11 record.

Barnett was also instrumental in Baszler's transition to pro wrestling. Starting her career in on the regional circuit, Baszler first made a name for herself with the Japanese promotion Stardom before being contacted by WWE to compete in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Although she would lose to Kairi Sane in the final, Baszler's performance saw her given a contract with NXT.

Baszler has since remained a staple of NXT's women's division, and recently made her main roster debut on a November episode of SmackDown.