Sometimes, you can find a world of success and still not be successful. That's the case with Daniel Puder, who made a move to mixed martial arts after already having a career in pro wrestling. Puder not only found success in the cage, he went undefeated in eight fights over six years, though seven of them came between 2006 and 2009. A little back story on this one: Puder actually began training both MMA and professional wrestling in high school. He took and won his first MMA fight in 2003, but his pro wrestling training was already leading him more in that direction, and he wound up on WWE Tough Enough's fourth edition (part of Smackdown), which he won, then with OVW. The Tough Enough prize was a million dollar WWE contract ($250,000 a year over four years, with the option to terminate after a year). Puder wound up in a notorious shoot fight with Kurt Angle early on where he nearly tapped the Olympic champ out, and appeared on a handful of WWE PPVs. However, he was cut in 2005 as part of a cost-cutting move, then offered a chance to sign a developmental deal. Puder declined, and rightfully so (hey, who wants to be fired then rehired for much less?). He then went back to MMA, appearing for promotions like BoDog Fights and Strikeforce. He was nothing but a winner, but never hit it big, officially announcing his retirement in 2011 (his last fight was in 2009). At just 33 years old, Puder could actually make a comeback if he wanted, and his old Strikeforce boss, Scott Coker, is at the helm at Bellator and looking for pro wrestlers to bring in crossover fans, so you never know what might happen.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
