10 MMA Fighters Who Became Pro Wrestlers
4. Matt Riddle
When Matt Riddle was released by the UFC in 2013 after failing several drug tests for marijuana, his future in the sport was uncertain, to say the least.
Unlike most fighters who work their way into the big show, Riddle had spent his entire professional MMA career competing with some of the best fighters in the world on the UFC roster, but after being publicly put on blast by UFC president Dana White for his repeated drug testing infractions, Riddle had been effectively blacklisted from the company. So, after picking up a final win on the regional circuit, Riddle decided to make the switch to pro wrestling in late 2014.
Since then, Riddle has taken to the squared circle like a duck to water and has gone from strength to strength in his new profession, eventually being signed by WWE. The former UFC welterweight has even incorporated aspects of his fighting career into his pro wrestling persona, competing barefoot and donning vale tudo shorts in the ring.