10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About Ken Shamrock

2. He Had UFC-Style Matches In WWE

It may seem odd now, given that UFC has spent nearly a decade dominating WWE, but when Shamrock was a member of the sports entertainment giant's roster, they didn't ignore his past - they embraced it. WWE was so intent on playing up Shamrock's mixed martial arts background that he actually had several matches in an Octagon-style structure known as the "Lion's Den." The bout - which saw competitors battle in a cage to gain a submission - debuted in WWE at SummerSlam 1998, when Shamrock and Owen Hart tangled inside the steel structure. Of course, their match much more closely resembled pro wrestling than shootfighting, but it was an innovative encounter. Subsequent Lion's Den matches - which pitted Shamrock against Vince McMahon and Steve Blackman - weren't so well received. Nowadays, WWE is loath to take ideas from other sources. Even though Brock Lesnar is acknowledged as a former UFC Champion, he won't be fighting in an eight-sided cage any time soon.