10 MMA Fighters Who Became Pro Wrestlers

During the early years of his MMA career, Tito Ortiz established himself as one of the first self-styled heels in the sport of MMA.

Donning shirts with slogans that mocked his opponents after fights, Ortiz fully embraced the bad boy image that surrounded him, leading him to be one of the most marketable stars in the so-called 'dark era' of the UFC.

Much like many a great grappler in his time, Ortiz utilised psychological warfare prior to his bouts in an attempt to both get under his opponent's skin and also garner fan interest. A particularly good example of this is when Ortiz made Ken Shamrock so irate at a press conference that Shamrock kicked a chair at him, much to Ortiz's amusement.

Alongside his unquestionable legendary status in MMA, Ortiz has also dipped his toe in the waters of professional wrestling several times throughout his career. Making his debut in TNA in 2005, Ortiz would occasionally appear in the organisation, including an extended stint in 2013 as a member of Aces & Eights.

It seems Ortiz may be planning on restarting his professional wrestling career, after reports earlier this month confirmed that the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion had been training at the WWE Performance Center.