10 MMA Fighters Who Became Pro Wrestlers
3. Josh Barnett
As one of the most well-known proponents of the art of catch wrestling in the world of MMA, Josh Barnett has long espoused the efficacy of wrestling techniques in a combat setting.
After making his MMA debut back in 1997, The Warmaster's size and unmatched grappling ability made him one of the biggest prospects in all of MMA. At the tender age of just 24, Barnett defeated Randy Couture to become the youngest champion in the history of the UFC.
Unfortunately for Barnett, his reign with the belt would be cut short as he became embroiled in the first of a series of doping issues that would plague his career. Despite this, Barnett has still found success in both Japan and North America and has been consistently ranked as one of the best heavyweight fighters in the world.
During his time in Japan, Barnett made his debut in professional wrestling and never looked back. In this period he competed in NJPW and challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his very first match.
Despite only competing sporadically in the early years of his pro wrestling career, Barnett has featured more regularly in the ring in recent times, including a stint in TNA in 2017.