8 Gimmick Matches You'll NEVER See In WWE Again

Eventually, the powers that be are going to realize that the worlds of MMA and pro wrestling are not natural partners. Sure, they're both combat sports, and the people who cut the best promos and have the best signature look are the biggest players in both worlds, but virtually every time the streams have been crossed between WWE and UFC the...results have been largely disastrous. 

When UFC was first making a name for itself in the 90s, the WWF was doing its best to invest in Ken Shamrock. So, his bespoke 'Lion's Den Match' made a lot of sense. Essentially, it was a cage match with an MMA twist, and the fights were actually pretty good. Shamrock's original with Owen Hart at SummerSlam 1998 was enjoyable, the 'World's Most Dangerous Man' being tapped out by Vince McMahon after some Jeff Jarrett interference (on Raw in June 1998) was ridiculous but fun, and his weapons-laden banger with Steve Blackman at SummerSlam '99 is underrated.

That said, MMA and WWE generally go together like porridge and gravel.

Brock Lesnar, Shamrock and Ronda Rousey might've made the jump from UFC to WWE successfully, but the likes of Cain Velasquez and other select moments (like Ronda and Shayna Baszler's MMA Rules disaster at SummerSlam 2023) make the resurrection of the 'Lion's Den' highly unlikely.