9 Wrestlers Who Became MMA Fighters

Given some MMA fans' - and particularly Dana White's - frequent allusions to pro-wrestling as 'fake', it is interesting to consider that Mike 'Bart Gunn' Polchlopek earned his big shoot-fighting break in the squared circle.

Ostensibly designed to get the incoming 'Dr. Death' Steve Williams over, and so set up a big money feud with current top babyface Steve Austin, the WWF's 1998 Brawl for All tournament was an unmitigated disaster. The contest was billed as a shootfight - directly undermining the rest of the company's product - and rarely for wrestling, the claim was legitimate.

So assured of Williams' eventual triumph were WWF higher ups that in their infinite wisdom, they failed to pass the message along to the performers. Up stepped Bart Gunn, who promptly floored Williams in the second round, scuppering the promotion's plans in the process.

Gunn proceeded to win the tournament outright, and instead of capitalising on the unexpected outcome to make the former Smoking Gunn a star, the WWF instead to decided to teach the accidental insubordinate a lesson. The company lined up another marquee Brawl for All bout at WrestleMania XV for Gunn opposite heavyweight boxer Eric 'Butterbean Esch - a fight he had no hope of winning. Sure enough, it lasted little over half a minute, as Gunn was knocked to the floor and out of the company.

Despite the high-profile embarrassment, Polchlopek's clearly demonstrated credentials meant entering MMA was a natural progression - but he took his time. Two years after his wrestling retirement, and at the age of 46, the once 'Bodacious' Bart finally made his pro-fight debut, besting Wesley Correira in Hawaii. One more fight followed - a loss to Ikuhisa Minowa - after which he decided to call it quits.