8 Big Name MMA Fighters Who Tried Out Pro Wrestling

5. Josh Barnett

David Becker/AP/Press Association ImagesDavid Becker/AP/Press Association ImagesJosh Barnett might be one of the more successful entries on this list. It's not that he has Brock Lesnar level crossover appeal or anything - it's just that he knew what his talents were, and where he could cash in. First, Barnett is very good on the mic. Even his MMA "promos" (though I'm loathe to call them that) can hold their own against a lot of pro wrestlers. He makes a great heel, and he has got the personality. Second, having fought in Japan, he knew there was money to be made there. Pro wrestling has always sold well in Japan after all. And you don't have to be The Rock or Hogan to headline a card - Prince Albert and the Dudleyz were the biggest names on a local card when I was living in Japan in 2004-2005, and there was plenty of interest. Barnett would wrestle first in New Japan Pro Wrestling (2003-04), fighting for their title, and forming, for a brief time, a tag-team with Perry Saturn. Pre-Moppy days. In 2007, he joined the Inoki Genome Federation - which sounds like the evil empire in a Resident Evil knock off - and fought the likes of Tank Abbot, Don Frye, Bob Sapp, Bobby Lashley (in other words, a lot of MMA names) as well as Ultimate Mask, Fonseca, Jon Anderson and others. He would fight for the IGF heavyweight championship in 2011, but lost to champ Jerome Le Banner (another name that could be on this list). Pro wrestling is thought to be near and dear to Barnett's heart, and was rumoured to be one of the sticking points in Barnett returning to the UFC after Zuffa picked up Strikeforce in 2011. However, it seems pro wrestling is on the back-burner for now, as Barnett has returned to the promotion he first made his name in, going 1-1 thus far in his current UFC run.
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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.